Actor 'Running the Case' makes a living with many jobs after early retirement

People's Artist Huong Dung - famous for the movie "Running from the Law" - retired at the age of 39, worked many jobs, and raised three children with her husband.

The actress was awarded the title of People's Artist by the State to individuals in the cultural field. Honored at the age of 68, after many applications, Huong Dung express gratitude for being recognized for your efforts in the profession.

Huong Dung at the ceremony to award the titles of People's Artist and Meritorious Artist on the morning of March 6 in Hanoi. Photo: Thuy Tinh — Huong Dung at the ceremony to award the titles of People's Artist and Meritorious Artist on the morning of March 6 in Hanoi . Photo: *Han Triet*

The artist worked at the People's Police Drama Troupe (now the People's Police Theater, Ministry of Public Security ) in 1985, and retired early in 1993, when her career was at its peak. At that time, the actress was pregnant with her third child, her salary was limited, and her husband worked far from home. Therefore, she stopped acting to spend time earning money and taking care of her child. Thinking about the decision, Huong Dung sighed with regret, but circumstances forced her to make a choice.

In the 2000s, Huong Dung's biggest fear was attending parent-teacher conferences because each time it cost her a fortune for her child's tuition. "That was also the most difficult time for me," the artist said. When filming Chay An (aired in 2006), she received a salary of 80 million VND but the actual amount was not much, because she had to pay in advance for gas and costumes. To have income, Huong Dung maintained her voice-over work, acted in films, worked as a sound director, and organized production. Besides, Artists sell food and run coffee shops. "I do anything legal that makes money," she said. Artists even deliver goods themselves to save costs.

However, the debt incident made Huong Dung's life difficult. The artist said that she once stood up to guarantee a loan for a close friend, but when this person could no longer pay and left, she became the one to bear the debt. She saved up all the money she earned to pay it back. When she could no longer bear the burden, the artist had to ask for support from her family. Only when she had paid off all the debt and her children had grown up did Huong Dung's life gradually stabilize. Currently, the artist's three children, Thuy Duong, 42 years old, Ha Duy, 35 years old, and Phuong Minh, 30 years old, all have settled down.

Currently, Huong Dung feels lucky because she is in good health despite being always busy, sometimes sleeping only 3-4 hours a night. Although she has many jobs, the artist does not find it tiring because she likes to exercise. During the week, Huong Dung spends five days studying English to serve her role as manager of a beauty salon in Australia. She usually stays in Australia for three months, then returns home.

While in Vietnam, Huong Dung traveled to the provinces to support the production of plays for several units. Sometimes, the artist organized online voice classes. In the near future, she hopes to arrange her work so that she can teach directly at centers or the Hanoi College of Art.

Artist Huong Dung, 68 years old, made her mark with the films Chay An and Nguoi Phan Xen. — Artist Huong Dung, 68 years old, has appeared in the films "Running from the Law", "Provincial Chairman", "Rainbow of Love". After "The Judge", she has not accepted any projects because she does not have time, and at the same time wants to find a suitable role with inner depth. Photo: *Phuong Linh*

Although she is best known to the public on television, Huong Dung started out as a drama actress. Since the age of 10, the artist has enjoyed playing dress-up with her friends, hanging a veil and reenacting the scene of the curtain being lifted when a play begins. Thus, her love for the stage was nurtured every day, until at the age of 13, when the Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema came to Ha Long - where Huong Dung lived with her family - to recruit actors, she boldly registered.

Although she was accepted, Huong Dung had to put her dream aside because at that time her mother had just given birth to her youngest sibling, and the family's economy was difficult. In the 1970s, war broke out, the artist's house was leveled by bombs, and she and her parents had to "tighten their belts" to make a living. However, the hardships of life did not diminish her desire to become a stage actress. The artist said that on school days, she often did not concentrate on listening to lectures because "she only wanted to go to the performing arts".

In February 1975, Huong Dung enlisted in the army and became a signal soldier of the Military School, under Military Region 3. In 1976, while reading the People's newspaper and learning that the General Political Department's Army Drama Troupe was recruiting actors, she quickly took the exam and passed. Two years later, Huong Dung left the army and studied finance and accounting, but in February 1979, she was recruited by Military Region 3 and assigned to the singing team.

In 1985, when re-staging the play Female Journalist to participate in the National Professional Theatre Festival in Ho Chi Minh City, the People's Police Drama Troupe went to the units to find actors. Huong Dung was chosen by the director - People's Artist Dinh Nghi - to play the role of journalist Ha Thu. The play later won a silver medal at the Festival, and Huong Dung received a gold medal. This was also her first achievement after more than ten years of perseverance with her love for drama.

In the following years, the actress diligently participated in plays. Without formal training, Huong Dung acted instinctively, combining real-life observations and her own experiences. After retiring, every time she watched her colleagues on stage, she always longed to stand in the "cathedral", transforming into every life and sublimating with all the emotions. Sometimes, she self-evaluated some of the actors' limitations, wishing they could perform "better" to satisfy the audience.

Because of passion With the art of drama never dying out, Huong Dung said that if she were to be given a stage role at this time, she would be willing to put aside all other work. In addition, the artist hopes to have the opportunity to perform with the younger generation, thereby passing on her experiences to the next generation.