Names nominated for the 31st Golden Apricot Award

The nomination round of the Golden Apricot Award 31 - 2025, from September 15th to now, has recorded initial results. From the nominations of readers, we can recognize a rich picture of artistic life, reflecting multi-layered aesthetics and broad public interest.

Multi-generational - multi-style - multi-stage

Spoken drama has the faces: BB Tran, Hoang Hai, Dinh Toan, Quang Thao. This is a group of actors active on the theater stage. The diversity of roles - from drama to comedy - helps them receive many nominations.

Cai Luong - traditional art has male artists: Kim Tu Long, Vo Minh Lam, Vu Luan, Nguyen Hung Vuong, Hoang Hai. The core artists bring traditional theater back to young audiences. In 2025, Cai Luong artists will make their mark in a series of major projects: "Han Mac Tu", "Buc Ngon Do Dai Viet", "Tieng Ho Song Hau", "Van Tho Yen Ngua"...

The new rising force includes: Truong Ha - a young face that has received attention thanks to his efforts to renew his image on stage and in movies; Trong Nhan - a young actor of Huynh Long stage with many good roles. It is worth noting that this list shows that the public still highly values performing arts, whether it is drama, reformed opera or television.

Những cái tên vào vòng đề cử Giải Mai Vàng 31 - Ảnh 1. — Do Nhat Hoang (left) and Steven Nguyen (right) were nominated for the category "Actor in film and television" for the success of the movie "Red Rain" (Photo: DUY PHU)

This year's proposed group of female actors is quite balanced between reformed opera - drama - comedy. Artists Tu Suong, Que Tran, Binh Tinh, Vo Ngoc Quyen each have their own identity. The year 2025 witnessed the prominence of plays for women, creating conditions for them to shine. Two artists Van Ha and Thanh Thuy - representing the previous generation of artists - left their mark with powerful roles. Two artists: Lam Vy Da, Viet Huong still maintain great appeal, not only through game shows but also in charity programs and new stage projects. The encouraging sign of the Southern stage is the strong return of the "dao thuong" and "dao lang" of reformed opera - proving once again that young audiences are returning to traditional values.

Entertainment and creativity are emphasized

The "Comedian" nomination group shows that the public is looking for faces with the ability to transform, active both on stage and digital platforms. Duy Khanh Zhou Zhou, B Tran are considered representatives of the flexible young generation, quickly grasping trends, creating a new comedy language. Lam Vy Da continues to be the "rating queen" in entertainment programs. Quang Thao, Quoc Thinh, Tu Long maintain the graceful and delicate comedy of the traditional stage. Le Duong Bao Lam has great potential, bringing the breath of Gen Z to the comedy stage.

The general trend of Vietnamese comedy in 2025 is leaning towards situational comedy and dramatic comedy, which require highly skilled actors and the ability to control emotions, instead of just making people laugh with noise.

Socialized projects flourish

The play "Ho Nguyet Co turns into a fox" (Thien Long Stage) - a classic cai luong project renewed with a youthful staging language. "Where the end begins" (Thien Dang Stage) - a contemporary psychological work with a tight dramatic structure and many social messages. "Under the shadow of a beauty" by IDECAF Stage continues to make an impression with the quality of staging and acting in a play inspired by Nguyen Du's Tale of Kieu.

"Nguyen Van Cu - Youth with Great Ambition" a play by the Army Cheo Theatre has made a splash thanks to its portrayal of the young leader in the captivating Cheo language. "Dua Bridge Enough to Use" (Truong Hung Minh Stage), "Saddle Poetry" (Dai Viet New Cai Luong Stage), "Miss Island" (Thanh Nien Theatre) - 3 socialized projects, attracting a large number of young audiences. "Han Mac Tu" (Vu Luan Stage), "A Love Affair" (New Stage) are 2 plays based on literature, affirming the trend of bringing poetry and the lives of famous people to the stage.

Nominations in the remaining fields

- Movies: "Red Rain", "Detective Kien: The Headless Case", "Death Battle in the Sky", "Ancestral House", "Your Hand Holds a Star".

- Movie and television actors: Steven Nguyen in the movie "Red Rain", Vo Canh in the movie "Don't Escape Me", Do Nhat Hoang in the movie "Red Rain", Le Hoang Long in the movie "Red Rain", Tran Ngoc Vang in the movie "Fighting in the Sky", Nguyen Phuong Nam in the movie "Red Rain", Nguyen Dinh Khang in the movie "Red Rain", Lam Thanh Nha in the movie "Red Rain", Tran Gia Huy in the movie "Red Rain", Lien Binh Phat in the movie "Doctor in a foreign land".

- Actresses in film and television: Thuy Ngan in the movie "Don't even think about escaping me", Le Ha Anh in the movie "Red Rain", Bang Di in the movie "Grandma's Gold", Dinh Ngoc Diep in the movie "Detective Kien: Headless Case", Bich Ngoc in the movie "Stolen Happiness" part 2, Ngoc Xuan in the movie "Getting Rich with Ghosts 2: Diamond War", Dam Phuong Linh in the movie "The Jade Bracelet", Viet Huong in the movie "Grandma's Gold", Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen in the movie "The Four Guardians", Tram Anh in the movie "Death Battle in the Sky".

Music field:

- Male singers: Bui Cong Nam with the songs "Thung ngay troi bao la", "Tien hay lui", "Chua chua"; SOOBIN with the songs "Muc ha vo nhan"; Tang Phuc "Don't wait for me anymore", "First love", "I will remember forever"; ST Son Thach "Bau troi nay co em", "Let it rain"; Quang Hung MasterD "Tha anh ra"; Duong Domic "Khong thoi gian"; Jun Pham "Nhre nhu hoa suong", "Son thuy khuc", "Bat tuyet thao thao"; Rhyder "Sau con suy"; (S)Trong Trong Hieu "Kho bao"; Gemini Hung Huynh "Bang quo"; Thanh Duy "Tinh tu cau"; Nguyen Hung "Con gi dep hon"; Kay Tran "Duong va tim em"; HIEUTHUHAI "Tears of a crocodile"; Duy Khanh Zhou Zhou "Mua sa desert"; Erik "Du cho dot the"; Neko Le "Si"; Quoc Thien "Ke sai tinh"; Son Tung M-TP "Pitiful Face", "Don't Hurt My Heart"; Captainboy "Okay, Let's Break Up", "If Only You", "Sincerely"; Duc Phuc "Take Care of Me for a Lifetime"; Tang Duy Tan "I Just Am"; Phap Kieu "Give Me Away"; KARIK "Lifetime Partner".

- Female singers: Trang Phap with the songs "Mai la nguoi Viet Nam", "Be trap"; Phuong My Chi "Nha con thuong em ma", "Ech ngoai boi gieng"; Hoa Minzy "Bac Bling", "Noi dau hoa binh "; Toc Tien "Dam ta"; Thieu Bao Tram "Khong lo"; Bui Lan Huong "Nuoc hoat"; LyHan "Roi do"; My Tam "Giai melodious"; Nhat Kim Anh "Cat bui dan tan troi"; Phung Khanh Linh "Em dau"; Duong Hoang Yen "To quoc trong nang mat troi"; Juky San "Nguoi dau"; Bich Phuong "Bua dua"; My My "Em se sang ngay anh ve"; Min "Isn't it first love, why does it hurt so much"; Ai Phuong "Loving each other now".

- Singing groups: Nha Chin Muoi with the songs "Rain on Hue Street", "Lock down"; BOF "No Fair"; MOPIUS "Blueprint", "Priority Lane"; Nha Xuong Cactus "Winter Coat", "Even If There Are Mistakes"; LUNAS "Moonlight"; Nha Tre "Dao Willow"; Nha Sao Sang "Trông Cơm".

- Songs: "Forever Vietnamese"; "Vietnamese"; "No time"; "Treasure"; "This sky has you"; "What's more beautiful"; "Light as smoke and mist"; "Those days of vast sky"; "Lost connection"; "Dancing in the dark"; "Advance or retreat"; "Son Thuy khuc"; "Bac Bling"; "Lockdown"; "Don't wait for me anymore"; "The house still loves you"; "Everyone must grow up"...

- MV: "Son Thuy Khuc"; "Moc Ha Vo Nhan"; "Dancing in the Dark"; "Nhè Như Smoke Sương"; "Si"; "Kho Bảo"; "Giũ anh cho ngày hôm qua"; "Bầu trời nay có em"; "Bắc Bling"; "Sau ca do"; "Nhất ngày trời vô la"; "Mai là người Việt"; "Ngũ thời gian"; "Nothing is more beautiful"...

Recent years have seen particularly notable political, historical, and solidarity-oriented programs and plays. This year's proposals include: "Concert Homeland in the Heart" - a music program rich in national pride; "Entering a New Era" (HTV) - a political and current affairs television program reflecting the country's aspirations for innovation; "Comrades" (Ho Chi Minh City Theater Association) - a political stage play that resonated with its simple yet profound presentation.

In the "Drama" category, a series of popular films that created a lot of discussion on social networks such as: "Don't even think about escaping me", "Stolen Happiness" part 2, "The Low-class War", "Fate", "Doctor in exile", "The Jade Ring", "Wind across the blue sky", "Mother of the sea"... were nominated.

The category "TV show - digital platform" recorded the breakthrough of many new entertainment colors. Notable programs include: "Haha family", "Brave soldier", "Rookie 2025", "Say hi brother" season 2, "Dad! Where are we going" 2025, "Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, then Spring again" season 3, "2 days 1 night", "Vietnamese family home", "Say hi pretty girl", "Running Man Vietnam - Run now" season 3, "Who is who?"...