Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen always smiles in the face of adversity, at nearly 80 she is still passionate about acting.

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen was born in 1945 in Hanoi . In 1962, the girl from the countryside of Doai, Hoai Duc district, old Ha Tay, packed her bags and took the entrance exam to join the Hanoi Performing Arts Troupe, now the Hanoi Drama Theater. In the first 5 years, Kim Xuyen was only accepted for supporting roles and small extras, so she was somewhat self-conscious and confused about the path she had chosen. However, the affection of her colleagues and directors, combined with her enthusiasm for the profession, kept her there.

The female artist participated in many plays that left an impression on the audience such as: Hanoi in winter of 1946, Flowers and wild grass, Harvest painting, Calling the frontline, Memories of harsh days...

Although gifted with a beautiful face and harmonious features, the sharpness of her eyes makes artist Kim Xuyen not successful in positive roles but more suitable for negative characters. Known to the audience through her roles in the films Dong-Ki goes to the city , Half a moon remains , I will be the owner , Five days to be the lord ... but perhaps Kim Xuyen left the most impression with the character Mrs. Tam selling pho in the film Canh bac by director Luu Trong Ninh.

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen in her youth

Later, she appeared in skits of Meet at the Weekend and a series of Tet comedies that were warmly received by the audience.

Sharing with the media, she said that artists do not necessarily need to be successful when they get to play the main roles, but the important thing is to turn their weaknesses into strengths. Because she is used to playing the role of a shrewish, mean-spirited woman, the Meritorious Artist cannot play gentle characters.

On film, she is like that, but in real life, she is always the center of the story, cracking jokes to make others laugh. Friends rarely hear Kim Xuyen speak harshly, even when angry.

Kim Xuyen is famous for her role as Mrs. Tam, a pho seller in "Canh Bac". The image of the female artist wearing a cool 2-strap shirt became an unforgettable classic film, leaving a strong impression on viewers. In the 1990s, this was a type of clothing that was considered revealing.

Artist Kim Xuyen on film is a sour woman, very "sharp" in her glare, but in real life she is devoted to her husband and children. The veteran artist met her husband during a meeting with the artillery football team. She said that as a player, he is simple, rustic and quiet. With her youthful beauty and lively personality, Kim Xuyen made the player in the soldier's uniform, Bui Quy Quang, flutter.

They got married when she was 20 and he was 22. Two years later, artist Kim Xuyen gave birth to her first daughter. After staying at home for 3 months, she had to send her baby to perform because the troupe was short of staff. At the same time, Kim Xuyen had to complete 2 roles, both on stage and at home, in difficult circumstances, lacking everything.

In 1979, she gave birth to her second child, exactly one year after her first. The female artist believes that in order to pursue a career, be a mother and a wife, she needs to know how to balance family and career. Luckily, her husband and children understand and sympathize with Kim Xuyen's work.

Kim Xuyen's two eldest daughters have settled in Germany for many years, while her son works as a sports commentator. Retired and stopped running her wedding dress shop, artist Kim Xuyen had not yet had time to visit her children in Germany when her husband suffered a stroke. For decades, she took care of her husband personally, from meals to sleep, taking him to physical therapy, daily exercise... until he left her forever in February 2022.

During the years when her husband had a stroke, except for rainy or very cold days, every day from 9-11am, people living around Hang Dau Flower Garden saw artist Kim Xuyen riding her husband on a motorbike to practice there.

Artist Kim Xuyen always carries a photo of her and her husband when they were young with her.

"Since he passed away, I have hung pictures of us when we were young all over the house. I even keep a picture in my wallet to remind myself and my children of our faithful relationship and to see him close by. Wherever I go, I take out the picture to look at and confide in him about everything that happens in life. At this age, no matter how much my children take care of me, it is not as good as having a close friend by my side," said artist Kim Xuyen.

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen with director Binh Trong, artists Chien Thang and Quoc Quan

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen is still passionate about her artistic activities even though she is nearly 80 years old. She often takes a motorbike taxi to film and passes on her acting experience to young actors. "Because of my old age, I have many illnesses and am not as healthy as before. Whenever the weather changes, I lie down in one place. But because I love my job so much, I accept any role that is offered to me, no matter how far it is. There are days when the director calls me at 8-9pm, I still go to the set.

My children and grandchildren told me to rest and not be so passionate, but I refused. I don't participate in movies or skits for money. The salary for a supporting role is often not enough to cover gas for travel, but I still like it. Being an actress and not performing, I feel like something is missing in my life," she confided.

The Hanoi-born artist said that when she was not working on films, she often met contemporary artists such as Thanh Tu and Le Mai. She was very close to artist Le Mai because they had similar personalities and had worked together at the Hanoi Drama Theater, creating many memories.

Meritorious Artist Kim Xuyen, Meritorious Artist Le Mai, and People's Artist Thanh Tu reunited at the 10th Meritorious Artist and People's Artist Title Award Ceremony at the Opera House.

"At this age, I have no regrets anymore, my family is happy, my career is also complete. I always think that I am an artist of the people, being loved by the audience is happiness. I just hope that God loves me, I always have health and energy to continue making films," artist Kim Xuyen confided.

VN (according to Vietnamnet)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/nsut-kim-xuyen-luon-mim-cuoi-truoc-nghich-canh-u80-van-dam-me-dien-xuat-393718.html