Ai Nhu: 'Father is like the roof, mother is the pillar'

Ai Nhu had an interesting conversation with Thanh Nien about her journey of becoming a mother.

May I ask if the lead role in "Spoiling Mom's Birthday " was your first role in a feature film?

Director Ai Nhu: (laughs) Actually, I acted in a film once decades ago, but… nobody remembers. Because it was a minor role that you wouldn't even notice if you didn't look closely.

Oh, so she completely "abstained" from acting after that?

Because Thành Hội and I founded the Hoàng Thái Thanh Theatre (Ho Chi Minh City), we were too busy and only wanted to focus on the theatre, so we didn't dare accept any other invitations. However, back in 2024, Phương Nam Film Company bought the rights to the trilogy of plays – "Trying to Love Again," "The Color of Love," and "Thank You for Loving Me" – to adapt them into a television series, "The Color of Love ," and invited Thành Hội and me to play two roles in it. Well, it's a play from our theatre, so familiar, we decided to participate.

Ái Như: 'Cha như nóc nhà, mẹ là cây cột'- Ảnh 1. — Director Ai Nhu

I'm completely different in real life and on stage. But we're still similar in one respect: we both love our children and our families. Almost all mothers have that quality in them, so just bring it from your heart and perform.

Every mother loves her child, only their way of showing that love is different.

You've played many mother roles on stage, and now you're playing a mother in a film. Do you see any difference? Will repeatedly playing the same role become repetitive?

I think that no matter how different the stories are, the central theme remains a mother's love for her children, an boundless affection and sacrifice. A mother's heart is always directed towards her child, even animals do, not just humans. The only differences lie in the way she shows her love and the circumstances and stories of the characters, which is what audiences will perceive differently. To avoid repetition, we artists always strive for creativity through each character's identity and personality.

Playing so many mother roles must have given you a lot of experience, right?

Rather, I live the character rather than just performing. I can live on screen and on stage just as I live in real life. And the great thing is that sometimes, a mother character in real life might only be thinking about it, but when she enters the world of art, she has the opportunity to express it immediately. And the audience also wants me to portray the character so they can understand her and learn from her life experiences.

Ái Như: 'Cha như nóc nhà, mẹ là cây cột'- Ảnh 2. — Ai Nhu (the mother) and Hong Anh (playing Huong) in the play " *Half a Lifetime of Fragrance and Powder".*

And my experience playing mothers is like layers of stalactites piecing together my professional life, allowing me to see mothers, whether protagonists or antagonists, as having depth from which to learn.

It seems that with her kind and gentle face, she's more suited to playing positive mother roles than negative ones?

There are villains, of course. Like Mrs. Thêm in the play "Rau Răm Ở Lại," who had an affair and falsely accused her husband, causing him to suffer for over a decade searching for their lost child. Or Mrs. Hai (in the play " Half a Life in Bewilderment ") who sent her son-in-law to prison so her daughter could marry a rich man; ultimately, her daughter miscarried, became infertile, and lived abroad for 15 years without happiness. In reality, Mrs. Hai loves her daughter in her own way, which can be cruel. She's also a different kind of "motherly portrait."

Of all the mother roles you've played, which one do you enjoy the most?

Actually, I enjoy every role because they offer different and interesting experiences. Even the villainous mother role has its own unique charm. You have to love the role, love the character, to portray it effectively and make the audience hate her. If you don't like the character, you can't find the time and effort to perform it well.

BRINGING THE "MATERIAL" OF REAL-LIFE MOTHERHOODS TO THE STAGE

Is your real-life mother similar to the mothers you portray on stage? Did you incorporate elements of real life into your characters?

I'm completely different in real life and on stage. But ultimately, we're similar in one respect: we both love our children and our families. Almost all mothers have that quality in them, so just take it from your heart and act it out; the character will feel very real.

Have you ever played a mother before you became a mother?

No. Before I had a family, I faced obstacles that prevented me from continuing my theater studies. I only returned to school after I had a family. So, I only played mother roles after I had children, which was also advantageous because it allowed me to gain experience from real life.

The Hoang Thai Thanh theater has many plays with family themes, so there will certainly be many mother roles for you and other artists to portray. With the Vu Lan season approaching, what are your thoughts on the role of a mother in the family?

People often liken a father to the roof that shelters his wife and children, but I think a mother is like a pillar that supports many things. A mother manages everything in the house, from finances, cooking, cleaning, raising children, and even working to earn money. Therefore, during the Vu Lan season, I would like to express my gratitude to mothers and hope that every woman, whether traditional or modern, will strive to fulfill her role for a happy family. It's truly hard work and sacrifice, but in return, it brings immense joy and warmth; there's no real disadvantage.

At the same time, the Vu Lan rose is not only for mothers, but also for fathers, though people often forget. Fathers also work hard to provide for their families and are full of love for their children. Therefore, this year, Hoang Thai Thanh Theatre will be staging four performances of "The Rose Pinned to the Shirt" and "The Coriander Remains" over two weeks in mid-July of the lunar calendar. One play is about motherly love, another about fatherly love, fully embodying filial piety. And especially, for every two tickets purchased, one ticket will be given away. Every year during Vu Lan, we perform these meaningful plays about filial piety, and the audience is very receptive to them.

Thank you!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ai-nhu-cha-nhu-noc-nha-me-la-cay-cot-185250906194833848.htm