Returning to the stage after 12 years.
Cát Phượng has just completed her third "Night of Laughter" show after nearly 5 years of limited artistic activity and a 12-year absence from the stage. How does she feel about it?
First of all, I would like to thank the audience very much for their love and trust in me and my fellow artists. The audience didn't mind the distance to the performance venue, still coming to support and watch the show; that joy is hard to describe.
This show, with an audience of only 500, brings together many comedians from two generations. Besides contributing to organizing a comedy show and reviving the comedy stage, I also want to create a place for audiences to enjoy themselves on weekends. Initially, it will be twice a month, and in the future, if things go well, I will maintain it and add more shows.
Cat Phuong marks her return to the stage with her third "Night of Laughter" project.
Did you face any pressure or difficulties when returning to the stage after more than a decade of absence?
This time, instead of doing a solo live show, I decided to organize a music and comedy show, and this is the third time I've taken on the role of producer.
All aspects of the organization went smoothly. In particular, artists such as People's Artist Thanh Dien, Meritorious Artist Hoai Linh, artist Minh Nhi, singer Cam Ly, etc., all readily agreed to participate after being invited.
Even though the audience and colleagues still support her, she still half-jokingly says, "Cat Phuong's time is over"?
I never run out of time! (laughs loudly). I've been away from the stage for a long time now, and I'm working in program production. No matter the role, I'm still as hardworking as ever.
I am very happy
Cat Phuong has been loving and taking better care of herself since breaking up with Kieu Minh Tuan.
How has your life been these past few years, especially after your breakup with Kieu Minh Tuan? You once mentioned that you've been facing many health and financial problems.
Since then, my health has been good; I can work until 3 or 4 in the morning without getting tired. My finances remain average, neither improving nor declining. As for my ex, I've completely forgotten about him without even realizing it. I've kept what needed to be kept and let go of what didn't. Currently, I'm very happy and don't want anyone to ruin it.
Over the past period, I have been living and healing from life's hardships by thinking as positively as possible and finding joy for myself. My daily routine has also become more positive: I go to bed early, wake up early to meditate, do some exercises, and occasionally drive alone to help those in the most difficult circumstances.
Returning to art projects, have you still found peace of mind?
When I decided to return to the arts, it meant my soul was full of fire. I told myself that, whether I succeed or fail, I must try my best; my heart is now completely devoted to the stage. Currently, I want to focus on my role as a producer and director of programs.
That peace of mind, in part, stems from the fact that she has found her soulmate?
That's also a part of life. But most of all, it's family and Bom (Cat Phuong's child with her ex-husband Thai Hoa - PV). When things get better, of course, peace will find its way.
Love doesn't necessarily mean marriage.
Cat Phuong looks increasingly youthful after many ups and downs in her love life.
How does your boyfriend support you in sharing the pressures of work, life, and finances?
When I'm working on art projects, I always tell him about them. He's always there to support me and encourage me. Financially, I can manage on my own, but when I need help, I still tell him, and of course, he's always there to assist.
Do you think you're being too trusting or taking a risk by deciding to pursue a relationship with a man you've never met in person, especially a long-distance one?
I never thought I'd be in a long-distance relationship. But what was meant to be, happened, and he came into my life. Even though it's a long-distance relationship, I feel so close; he always cares about me, from my meals to my sleep.
He always reminds me to go to bed early and always ends the day with, "Good night, I love you so much." The first thing I see when I wake up in the morning is his message on my phone: "Wishing you a peaceful, joyful, and happy new day." That's positive energy in my life.
In a long-distance relationship, how do couples maintain trust in each other?
To overcome feelings of jealousy, we both need to give each other absolute trust and understand each other's work. He calls me whenever he's free, and vice versa. He calls so often that sometimes I don't even bother answering (laughs). Especially before bed, we talk for an hour, sometimes leaving the phone on while we look at each other and fall asleep.
Is it because Cat Phuong is no longer afraid of being hurt that she's so confident and bold?
For me, there are no words like "hurt" and "hatred." Love is not at fault. If two people who love each other don't walk together to the end of the road, don't blame anyone else. The fault probably lies in the fact that their paths have diverged.
For me, once you fall in love, love as if you've never loved before. I don't hate or resent men. Even if this love falls apart, I'll still smile.
What makes this relationship special compared to the other loves you've had in your life?
Love cannot be compared. That's why love in your twenties or your fifties and sixties doesn't reflect the depth of love. What matters is how you love and how you love in a way that makes you feel happy and warm when you hear your heart yearning. When you love the right person at the right time, you instantly become like a child.
So, does Cat Phuong plan to get married and have a happy family?
Oh my god! Getting married at such an old age would probably get me bombarded with bricks and stones (laughs loudly). And who's to say a wedding guarantees a happy home?! Right now, if he comes back to Vietnam, then it will definitely be a warm family, with Grandma Bom and Bom herself.
Whether you are happy or not depends on where you belong, where there is enough love and laughter. I don't like saying, "I want to be happy." Because if you just want it, you'll never find happiness in your life. So, if you remove the words "I want it," happiness will become a reality.
Thank you!
Cat Phuong was born in 1970 in Bac Lieu . In 1980, she moved to Ho Chi Minh City with her father to engage in trade, and later enrolled in a theater school.
She won the Mai Vàng Award in 2001 for Most Popular Stage Actress for her role as Thị Nở in the play Chí Phèo, and the Mai Vàng Award in 2010 for her role as Nương in the play The Endless Field. In 2020, she won the Best Leading Actress award at the Golden Kite Awards for her role as a mother with an autistic child in the film The Happiness of a Mother.
After her failed marriage with Thai Hoa, she and actor Kieu Minh Tuan, 18 years her junior, dated for 12 years, working together, before breaking up in 2021. In June 2023, she confirmed she had a Vietnamese boyfriend living abroad, but did not disclose his identity.
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