How are the cast of "Hanoi Baby" doing after 5 decades?

Hanoi Baby , directed by Hai Ninh, began filming in the summer of 1973, half a year after the Dien Bien Phu in the air battle, half a year after the day American B52s fiercely bombed the streets of Hanoi.

The film premiered in 1974, telling the story of a little girl named Ngoc Ha (played by People's Artist Lan Huong) who was separated from her family after a bombing raid. Ngoc Ha searched for her parents in the devastated city, and was reunited with her younger sister, but her mother had passed away.

Hanoi Baby depicts the brutality of war, while also showing the warmth and solidarity of humanity amidst hardship. The film has become one of the classic revolutionary films, most successfully and movingly recreating the image of Hanoi after the historic 12-day-and-night war.

Hanoi Baby received the Golden Lotus Award for “Best Film” at the third Vietnam Film Festival in 1975, and the special jury prize at the Moscow International Film Festival the same year.

The realistic performance of the cast contributes to the vitality of the work. 50 years later, they are all in their sixties, old age, their lives have different turns and changes.

First premiered in 1974, “Hanoi Baby” became a blockbuster upon its release and was loved by audiences (Photo: Document).

People's Artist Lan Huong

At the time she played the role of Ngoc Ha, People's Artist Lan Huong was only 10 years old. Her pure and emotional acting left a deep impression on the audience, and after 5 decades, the public still remembers and calls the female artist "Hanoi baby".

Before acting, Lan Huong was a shy girl. When she was 3-4 years old, while passing through Hoang Hoa Tham area, director Hai Ninh saw her and was impressed by her special eyes.

While working on the project Hanoi Baby, he searched for many child actors, and finally remembered the girl with the impressive eyes. He went to the Kim Lien apartment complex where Lan Huong lived with her parents and convinced her to accept the role.

People's Artist Lan Huong in "Hanoi Baby" (Photo: Document).

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, People's Artist Lan Huong said that she still has all her memories intact when participating in the project. She said that she acted with all her inherent fear. "There were scenes that have been applied to my life later. For example, the scene where little Ngoc Ha stood in front of the food store and told the storekeeper: "Please don't cross out my mother's and my sister's names."

Many people praised me for acting that scene well, but in reality, I only acted according to what Uncle Hai Ninh said, I didn't understand anything. I was too young to understand everything. I didn't expect that story to affect my life later on."

Talking about the reason, the actress born in 1963 confided: “When my daughter was 5 years old, my husband and I separated (first marriage - PV), my daughter went abroad to live with her father, because my life at that time was too poor and difficult. At that time, household registration was very strictly managed. I had to make a lot of effort and try hard so that my daughter's name is still in the family household registration until now.

It was just a name in the family register, but I had a feeling that when my daughter’s name was still there, it meant that she had just gone somewhere far away, and she was about to return. At that time, sitting and watching Em Be Ha Noi again, I realized the scene where Ngoc Ha cried and said to the food store lady: “Please don’t cross out my mother’s name, my sister’s name…”

People's Artist Lan Huong's impressive eyes (Photo: Document).

After Em Be Ha Noi and some other projects, the actress devoted all her heart to the theater stage. Since 2002, she has studied stage directing. Lan Huong is also one of the few actors who is attached to physical theater, and was the Head of the Physical Theater Troupe of the Youth Theater. In 2017, she returned to the small screen with a role in Living with Mother-in-law.

In her personal life, People's Artist Lan Huong got married at the age of 18 and divorced when she was in her early 20s. Later, the female artist remarried director Tat Binh, who was 14 years older than her.

Talking about the reason for their relationship, the former “screen beauty” said: “I came to Tat Binh at first because he looked fierce on the outside but was actually very shy, kind and funny. When I watched the movies he acted in, I liked him even more.

I think, all women like handsome men and are attracted to a romantic, gallant man. But behind that handsomeness is an intelligent person and after intelligence, there must be a kind person. That kindness is still what I choose the most, the person I need.

That doesn’t mean my ex-husband isn’t a good person. He’s talented, smart, handsome, but he’s too patriarchal and uncontrollably jealous, which scares me. I’m a family man, and it’s not easy to leave him.”

When they were in love and living together with director Tat Binh, the couple was criticized by many people, saying "they don't know how long they can live together". Ignoring public opinion, they have been together for more than 30 years, giving in and building their family.

At retirement age, People's Artist Lan Huong said she still teaches at the Directing Department, Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema. Looking back on her life, Lan Huong said she has no regrets, only hopes to make another movie.

People's Artist Lan Huong and Meritorious Artist Tat Binh (Photo: Facebook of the character).

People's Artist Tra Giang

In Hanoi Baby, People's Artist Tra Giang plays Ngoc Ha's mother - teacher Thu - who sacrificed herself while trying to protect children from bombs. Director Hai Ninh once said that when he read the script, People's Artist Tra Giang did not hesitate to help him despite the limited salary.

At the time of participating in the film, Tra Giang was already a famous name with projects such as: Chi Tu Hau and 17th Parallel Days and Nights. She was the first actress to be awarded the title of People's Artist by the State and honored by the Vietnam Cinema Association with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

After Hanoi Baby , she continued to act with Lan Huong in the film First Love. In 1989, after completing the project White Flower River , the female artist almost completely stopped acting because she could not find a good script.

People's Artist Tra Giang's character in the film caused emotion when she risked her life to save children after a bomb attack (Photo: Document).

No longer acting, People's Artist Tra Giang returned to the Film School to teach acting. Since retiring in 1998, she has found a new passion for painting. To date, the artist has created hundreds of paintings of all genres, inspired by women, cinema and the places she has been. She has also held 10 group exhibitions and 4 solo exhibitions.

In September, she decided to auction her most valuable painting, titled Soul of the Countryside , to support the people of the North affected by Typhoon Yagi .

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, the veteran artist said: “Painting for me is also a way of meditation. And I look at life like a child seeing for the first time, painting has a primitive instinct like a child playing with colors…

I paint like breathing, like a constant movement to explore the nature of consciousness, eliminating remaining impurities. And that is also a method of practice.”

For many years, People's Artist Tra Giang has lived alone in an apartment on Pham Ngoc Thach Street (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City). Her residence is not too big but has enough space for living and painting. The only daughter of "Sister Tu Hau" - pianist Bich Tra - currently lives and works in Russia - but always accompanies her mother's activities.

At 82, the artist feels lucky to still be clear-headed and in better health than many others. However, over the years she has always missed her profession. “I also miss the screen, miss my colleagues who made films with me, and I really love the young artists today,” she confided.

People's Artist Tra Giang auctions precious paintings (Photo: Character provided).

People's Artist The Anh

Participating in Em Be Ha Noi , People's Artist The Anh plays an artillery soldier who coincidentally meets and creates conditions for Ngoc Ha to find her family. Before that, he was famous for a series of villains in the films: Noi Gio, Tro Lai Sam Sao .

In 1977, he acted in First Love with Tra Giang and Lan Huong. In the following years, the artist participated in the Wandering Circus, Dien Bien Phu, Long Tri Night Festival ... In 2001, he was awarded the title of People's Artist. Two years later, at the age of 65, the artist appeared in the TV series Doc Tinh and then stopped acting. He finds joy in his old age in writing books and researching films.

Artist The Anh and Lan Huong in a movie scene (Photo: Document).

In September 2019, the veteran artist passed away after a heart attack at the age of 81.

His passing shocked his relatives and colleagues. In the memory of People's Artist Tra Giang, The Anh was gentle, always open with colleagues on set and willing to teach juniors. She became closer to him when they moved to work together in Ho Chi Minh City in 1999. To her, the late artist was a big brother and friend.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/dan-dien-vien-em-be-ha-noi-sau-5-thap-ky-gio-ra-sao-20241008021857094.htm