In the 90s, Hien Mai was considered one of the famous "calendar queens", along with Diem Huong, Viet Trinh, Y Phung... With her pure beauty, gentle eyes and characteristic silky hair, Hien Mai "covered" calendars, newspaper covers, magazines...
After making a strong impression with the role of teacher Mai in the movie Age of the Fairies (2015), the 6X beauty continued to reap success through the movies Giao thoi, Rang chieu, Chuyen tau hoang hon...
"Calendar Queen" Hien Mai gets emotional when recalling the terrible accident (Performed by: Nga Trinh).
Almost banned from graduation exam for skipping school to film
Lately, Hien Mai has been absent from the screen and entertainment activities. How is your life?
- I take care of my family and occasionally go on shows. Lately, it's not that I've limited my appearances, but because I have to travel back and forth between the US and Vietnam to take care of my son who is studying abroad, my time is limited. I've also received many invitations to act in movies, but I had to turn them down.
I am very sorry and hope that in the near future I will have the opportunity to take on a role that I love. Artistic activities are not only my job but also my joy.
Going to America without her husband by her side, does Hien Mai feel pressured?
- My biggest pressure is not being able to be with my loved ones. In America, I have friends, but not many. However, taking care of my son makes me feel secure. I also always find joy for myself, so that I can live happily in any situation.
Going back to the past, Hien Mai graduated from Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, what chance led her to pursue art?
- When I was a student, the karaoke movement was very popular. My friend applied to be an actor for the karaoke troupe and invited me to compete with him, but I refused. Unexpectedly, when I came to pick him up, I caught the eye of the director.
I refused the invitation to film, but when I heard the daily salary was 25 USD (about 270,000 VND - PV), my will was shaken. When I was in school, I was a good student, receiving a scholarship of 50,000 VND per month, so when I heard the difference in filming salary was too big, I was interested (laughs).
From then on, I went everywhere to film karaoke clips, became known to many audiences, became a model and then moved into acting.
No one in her family is in the arts, was Hien Mai prevented from deciding to give up her path to becoming a teacher to become a model?
- At first, my family did not agree to let me pursue art. My mother said being an artist is very unstable, only those who are really good should do it, otherwise being mediocre will not last long.
At first, I was determined to finish college, but during my studies, I still went to film many times. The Board of Directors even invited me to warn me, saying that if I missed too much class, I would not be able to graduate. Thanks to that, I stopped filming, focused on studying and got my diploma.
I taught Russian for 2 months, but the job was unstable, so I quit.
Mom said you have to be good to do art, so how do you see your ability and income in this profession?
- After quitting teaching, I started working at the Department of Culture and Information, with a monthly salary of 320,000 VND plus an allowance of 80,000 VND. Meanwhile, I earned 250,000 VND a day filming karaoke, so I found many reasons to ask for leave to go filming, sometimes I was tired, sometimes I was sick... (laughs).
Known as the "calendar queen", how much was Hien Mai's photo shoot salary at that time?
- By the time I was called "calendar queen", my salary was much higher. At that time, I shot commercials, modeled, took calendar photos, acted in movies... and earned a very good income.
The salary for taking calendar photos is very high, but the photos taken are not only used for the calendar but also for advertisements, book covers, newspapers... So even though the salary is high, the one who benefits is the photographer, not the actors or models.
But this job is also very tiring. I have to stand in the sun from early morning until sunset. Any job is difficult.
At that time, a girl in her early 20s like Hien Mai had no one to guide her, how could she know the "way to go" to become famous in the entertainment industry?
- In the past, few people had much guidance. But thanks to the fate of the profession, combined with passion and effort, people like me just kept going.
We, the artists of the past, did not have many advantages like the young people of today. We did not have a support team. We went filming, took photos, woke up early, stayed up late, or got sick all by ourselves.
Serious accident, broken vertebrae, crushed face
Having beauty and early career achievements, has Hien Mai ever been hated or played dirty by colleagues?
- Jealousy definitely exists. One time, I performed on stage with another model, and she didn't perform as we had rehearsed. But when she got off stage, she blamed me. Luckily, there were many other people who witnessed it, so they saved my "innocence" (laughs).
I used to have many friends. Whenever I was bullied, they would stand up for me. However, I don’t like to be petty, so many people were afraid to touch me. I can say that my colleagues also respected and admired me.
There was also a period when Hien Mai often played mean roles, how did the audience react at that time?
- In the movie Giao thoi , I play a role with multiple personalities, innocent and naive at first but later on, fierce and will stop at nothing.
I remember one time at Ben Thanh market, a merchant met me and said: "Teacher Mai, I like you very much, but I hate the movie Giao Thoi and don't want to see your face." After hearing that, I felt a bit disappointed and sad, but then I thought again, I acted well so people hated me.
Many people say that Hien Mai's career path was very smooth, is that true?
- It is wrong to say that my life has been eventless. I have experienced many events. For example, the car accident in Can Gio.
In 1997, I was one of the three main actresses in the film Giao thoi (with Truong Ngoc Anh, Ngo My Uyen - PV). After filming 5 episodes, the film crew took a 2-month break for post-production, at that time I accepted to act in the film Rang chieu . While changing the scene, the film crew's car overturned.
When I was taken to the emergency room, everyone thought I would never be able to work again, because my face was smashed by the car windshield. I was sure I would never be able to work again, I just prayed that I wouldn’t be paralyzed, because I also had a broken vertebra.
At the height of her youth and career, a tragic incident occurred. How did Hien Mai face it?
- My spine was broken, I was in so much pain that after just one night, my hair turned white. Thinking back now, I still feel terrified. However, I was only worried for the first 3 days, then I felt more cheerful. I thought about my family, my parents, the people who loved me. I am the pillar of the family, if I collapse, my family will suffer first.
At that time, many colleagues, audiences and even strangers came to visit me. Cai Luong artists, whom I had never met or worked with, also came to encourage me.
A whole school for the disabled came too. A blind boy carried a disabled boy up to the third floor of the hospital to cheer me up. They knew me because I often went to their school to do charity work. Seeing disabled children still come to me like that, how could I not be excited?
At that time, I asked my friends to buy me books, magazines, and comedy CDs to watch, and unexpectedly my spirit really lifted. My recovery and continued work was a miracle. After only 2 months, my spine and face were healed and I returned to the film crew of Giao Thoi .
Having an accident and being absent from the entertainment industry for a while, will Hien Mai's position be affected?
- When I had the accident, many people advised Mr. Phan Hoang - the director of the film Giao thoi - to find someone else to replace me, because my spine was damaged and my appearance was also affected, making it difficult for me to continue working. However, Mr. Hoang still believed that I would recover.
I am very grateful to him, because I can say that his belief in me has given me the motivation to be strong enough to overcome the storm. The day I returned to the set, the crew and I were all moved, everyone sobbed and cried.
Many times wanted to… leave her husband to be free
After a serious accident and months in the hospital, has Hien Mai found true love?
- My husband came back to Vietnam from the US to work. He and I met at an exhibition event where I was a model. We just talked and got to know each other, there was no big relationship yet. I myself did not pay much attention to him, because I had too many people pursuing me. However, when I had an accident and many people "turned their backs", he was by my side, taking care of me with all his heart.
I also heard the doctor say that my husband at that time said that if Vietnam could not treat me, he would sponsor me to go to the US for treatment. At that time, I felt touched and began to think about his sincerity. After that, we dated for 6 years and then got married.
In marriage, are Hien Mai and her husband compatible, or is there one person who always has to "give in" and give in?
- My husband and I are not compatible at all. We even quarrel, we quarrel after 2-3 sentences but he always gives in to me. Furthermore, our son is the biggest bond between us.
I think the biggest thing that keeps us together is fate. Besides, in marriage, everyone knows how to put aside their ego to preserve family happiness.
Did the incompatibility that Hien Mai mentioned ever put your marriage on the "brink"?
- Many times I thought about ending this marriage because I was too tired. I wondered why I didn't stay single for good, let my friends invite me to go anywhere freely, without anyone controlling me. But I think almost every family is like that, there will be some awkwardness, so that both of us can work together to build and maintain happiness.
Hien Mai's talent has been recognized by many people, but there are also rumors that she relies on her rich husband. How does she respond?
- I have faced many such criticisms and was very upset. When I was young, I tried very hard. Before I met my husband, I bought my first house. I was famous and a bit "snobbish" so I only accepted big shows. However, after taking out a bank loan to buy a house, I accepted any show as long as I had income.
At that time, I had to be at the studio at 6am and only got off work at 10pm. After that, I had to run commercials until morning. I worked day and night without any time to sleep, and many times I fainted on the set due to exhaustion. I was so haunted by that feeling that I swore never to pay back the bank installments again.
I don't dare to say that my husband is a tycoon, he is just a little well-off. That's why my husband and I always try our best, I don't depend on him at all.
Has Hien Mai ever spoken out to "respond" to this issue?
- Once, I was so angry that I wrote a post on Facebook, but everyone noticed and made a big fuss so I deleted it. I was also afraid of gossip, money is a sensitive issue. However, I think it is a blessing for a woman to be able to depend on her husband.
Having a son, what kind of mother-in-law does Hien Mai think she will be?
- I'm sure I will be a wonderful mother-in-law, loving my daughter-in-law with all my heart and always building happiness for my son.
I got married at 36, but I still feel uncomfortable, sometimes I want to leave my husband to be free. So, I tell my children to get married after 30. If anyone is still single, I congratulate them (laughs).
Doing art does not care about salary
After the accident, is Hien Mai's health still affected?
- I had an accident when I was 30 years old. Since then, whenever the weather changes, I get pain. It's better now, or maybe I'm used to it so I don't feel the pain like before.
Before, the doctor advised me not to carry anything heavier than 5kg, not to fall, not to give birth. At that time, I also had to refuse many of my favorite roles, because there were action scenes, horse riding, falling... I was very heartbroken, but I still had to endure to ensure my health.
Many "calendar queens" like Viet Trinh, Diem Huong, Y Phung… have now retired from the entertainment industry. What about you?
- Everyone has their own circumstances. However, I think that anyone who has entered this profession has passion. They may withdraw from the entertainment industry, but when the fire of the profession flares up, what happens when they come back?
As for me, I am still passionate about this profession, so I have not thought about quitting it. If there are roles I like, I am willing to devote all my time and effort to doing them. At the moment, I do not care about salary. My economy is stable because I worked very hard when I was young.
What does Hien Mai think when people mention an artist "outdated"?
- The two words artist are very sacred, so I never think that artists are out of date or not out of date. In the world, there are also many films with scripts for older artists. So it also depends on each person's fate, passion and luck with the work they are doing.
Often doing charity work, but it seems Hien Mai is quite secretive about this?
- My mother is a kind-hearted person, so since I was little, she taught me to love and share. Before the accident, I often did charity work. After the incident, I did even more. When I bring joy to others, I feel happy.
I also often ask for donations from relatives and friends because I myself cannot do much. When I do charity, I do it directly, with full paperwork so my friends trust me. That is why when it comes to charity, I do not hesitate at all.
The recent rumors about artists’ charity have hurt and discouraged me. However, I still continue to contribute to the units and organizations that I believe in, and no longer call for donations.
Many people are under pressure of time and age, what about Hien Mai?
- Everyone has time pressure. I'm a bit lazy, always using the excuse that my health is not good so I don't exercise. I also love to eat, I don't abstain from anything. I always think that if I eat a lot, my health will be good. Every now and then, I just go for a walk but I don't exercise much (laughs).
I am lucky, no matter how much I eat, I don’t gain weight. But I think the most important thing is the spirit. A young person who lives in pain and thinks a lot will age quickly. An older person who is always happy and optimistic will stay young. Looking around at my friends, no one is old.
Thanks for sharing actress Hien Mai!
Source link
Comment (0)