My past as a driver and pig trader taught me many lessons.

He shared about his role as Luu in the movie "Life is still beautiful" by director Danh Dung, about his ups and downs in life, and almost giving up acting.

Lost 4kg to play the role of Luu

Meritorious Artist Hoang Hai plays the role of Luu vividly and closely with lines that cause a stir on social networks.

Liu in “Life is Still Beautiful” is a villain, but has been loved by the audience since the first episodes. Did you encounter many difficulties with this role?

I made the film “The Road of Life” nearly 20 years ago. During that time until now, I have transformed into and portrayed many types of characters from police, to doctors, to bosses... all of them. But with the character Luu, it has been a long time since I have been given a role with such a close color like this.

The drunken expression and pain of Liu - a poor worker - is also very different from that of a tycoon Dong Vinh in "The Labyrinth", or Hai in "The Road of Life".

No matter how big or small the role is, I always consider it a challenge, but this role felt strange and attractive to me right after reading the script. On the outside, Liu is rough, thorny, unpleasant and speaks a bit harshly, but inside he has a sincere heart.

Before taking on a role, I often have to research by reading a lot and watching a lot. Life experiences are also the premise for me to perform the role best.

You look thinner and darker. You seem to be injured too. How is your health now?

I lost 4kg when I played this role. There were scenes where I couldn’t breathe after filming, or when I had to eat and sleep at the dump, but when I did something I was passionate about, I felt very happy. There were extremely difficult scenes, but after filming, I felt a strange excitement that I can’t describe.

As for injuries, I tore a muscle while filming a scene where I was pulling a cart uphill. Despite my best efforts, I still had muscle pain and limped. At that time, I was afraid that it would affect the progress of the film crew. But luckily, I was able to walk normally the next day.

Directly penetrating the place where people live in the poor boarding house under Long Bien bridge, is life there like what you imagined?

This was the first time I went to Long Bien market and the poor boarding house to film. We stayed together for more than 2 months, almost from early morning to late night I was there.

Living with the people in that market, I witnessed many different lives, they did all kinds of jobs to make a living. There were old people over 90 years old still living there. They raised dogs and cared for them like their children. Surprisingly, they were very healthy despite living in poor, difficult conditions.

Always want to spread positive energy

Meritorious Artist Hoang Hai's appearance in "Life is still beautiful"

Does life there remind you of the days when you worked all kinds of jobs to make a living?

I live with the character because there were times when I went through such difficult times. It was around 1990, I left Hanoi, moved to Da Nang. I traded pigs, then when the pigs got sick, half of them died.

When it was time to sell peanuts and beans, the storm prevented the ferry from crossing, so the beans sprouted. When I pulled the tarpaulin off, it was all white. The beans had sprouted. I lost a lot that time.

In 1997 I got married, in 1998 I welcomed my first son, then my second child, difficulties piled on difficulties. The newlyweds had nothing to start with. I still remember clearly the days when my son was sick, my husband and I went looking for medicinal leaves to chew and apply to him.

Actually, at that time, the whole society was in trouble, not just me. As an actor, I had no food or money to spend. But those are emotions that if you don't actually experience, it's hard to imagine or describe specifically. Once you experience them, you'll see that life is more interesting.

Thanks to the trips from North to South to transport goods, the unsuccessful attempts to sell pigs and beans, I gained more life experience and emotional nurturing for future roles.

It seems that your business is going well in the future?

For me, business is like art. Whatever I do, I have to put my heart into it and try to do my best. The completed roles are always the ones I regret the most.

Every time I watch the movie, there are scenes that I wish I had done better. Thinking like that, I try my best in the next role. The same goes for business! Whatever you do, do it with all your heart, the result will be better than if you do it half-heartedly.

Artists are often… vain, do you have to lower your ego when doing business?

Not just artists, I think that as humans, everyone has an ego and pride. The only difference is how we moderate and express ourselves is up to each person. Only when there is an ego can there be brightness.

I see that no matter who I am or what job I do, I am still "that guy" Hoang Hai, always wanting to spread positive, happy energy to everyone.

I thought I would give up acting.

Meritorious Artist Hoang Hai once left art for a while, moved to Da Nang - his father's hometown to work as a trader, then switched to driving to make a living.

During the hard days of working in many jobs, do you ever feel sad?

Yes! But that feeling is only momentary, lasting for a moment. I still have to make a living, earn a living, life just keeps going and that's how it is.

Back then, no one knew I was an actor, the mass media couldn’t do anything like it does now. Before that, I was mainly a stage actor. It was rare that someone recognized me for performing in Luu Quang Vu’s plays. At that time, emotions were overflowing, so happy!

Having been away from the stage for many years, do you ever miss the atmosphere there?

Remember, for me, the stage has always been a sanctuary. There were nights of sublime performances, bursting with emotions in front of hundreds of audiences, it was wonderful. Many years ago, I was occasionally invited to perform in plays by the late People's Artist Anh Tu and People's Artist Hoang Dung. But later, life and filmmaking took over, so I didn't have much time to return to the stage.

What made driver Hoang Hai, merchant Hoang Hai return to being actor Hoang Hai?

In 1996, I was still driving long distances and was sure that I would give up acting. That day, while I was planning to deliver goods, director Quoc Trong came all the way to Da Nang to find me and invited me to participate in the movie “The Legend of Mother”. It was director Quoc Trong who brought me back to acting.

I still remember the day I met director Quoc Trong, I had to ask my friend to finish the shipment. After appearing in this film, I continuously received invitations to make films, and I was drawn in, unable to quit acting. It was true! It was God's will, the profession did not let me rest, did not let me quit the profession.

Thank you!

Artist Hoang Hai was born in 1968 in Hanoi, graduated from Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema. He has participated in famous films such as: "Criminal Police", "Life Path", "Calm River", "Secret of the Golden Triangle"...

In 2004, Hoang Hai won the Most Favorite Actor award from VTV Television magazine. In 2006, he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the Golden Kite. He was awarded the title of Meritorious Artist in 2012.

Source: http://www.baogiaothong.vn/nsut-hoang-hai-qua-khu-lai-xe-buon-lon-cho-toi-nhieu-bai-hoc-d590098.html