Thai Hoa: 'I like playing villains'

Playing the unfaithful husband in "The Price of Happiness," Thai Hoa said he enjoys portraying characters that audiences will hate.

In Thai Hoa's new film, the character is Mr. Thoai, a successful businessman who lives with his wife, Mrs. Duong (Xuan Lan), and their two children. He is about to inherit the fortune left by his father-in-law (Huu Chau). On the surface, their marriage seems happy, but in reality, he deceives and emotionally abuses his wife.

"I enjoy playing such a wicked character, one that makes all the audience hate him – the kind of role I'm lacking in my career," Thai Hoa said at the film's premiere on the afternoon of April 17th in Ho Chi Minh City.

Thai Hoa talks about the 18+ scenes that make him nervous in his new film. — Thai Hoa talks about the 18+ scenes that worry him in his new film. Video : *Mai Nhat*

The most challenging scene for Thai Hoa was the climax of the film, when Mr. Thoai realizes his guilt and self-harms out of remorse. Because the scene required complex psychological acting skills, instead of memorizing the script, he only skimmed through it to grasp the main idea and tried to cultivate natural emotions, avoiding a formulaic performance. When reviewing this scene at the film's premiere, the actor was still not satisfied and said he would learn from the experience for future projects.

From right to left: Thai Hoa, actress and producer Xuan Lan, director Ngoc Lam. Photo: Kieng Can. — From right to left: Thai Hoa, actress and producer Xuan Lan, director Ngoc Lam. Photo: *Kieng Can* .

After winning numerous awards last year, Thai Hoa doesn't have high expectations for his new film, viewing it as a casual endeavor. He enjoys collaborating with new directors because each brings a unique appeal to him. "I participate with a relaxed mindset, enjoying the pleasure of acting with colleagues and appreciating the profession I'm involved in," he said.

According to director Ngoc Lam, Thai Hoa not only participated in the project as an actor but also contributed to the script, proactively exchanged ideas, and supported the crew. The director said that he paid billions of VND to the 50-year-old actor because he considered him a rare face who guaranteed both popularity and acting ability.

Trailer for 'The Price of Happiness' — Trailer for the film "The Price of Happiness" (rated 18+), released in theaters on April 19th. Video: *Lala Land*

Thai Hoa was born in Ho Chi Minh City and achieved success in comedy. He has impressed audiences in many films, including "To Mai's Love," "Long Ruoi," and "Get Married Before It's Too Late." In 2020, he participated in director Quang Dung's film " Blood Moon Party ," which was among the top 5 highest-grossing Vietnamese films of all time (175 billion VND). In 2021, he appeared in the television series "The Apple Tree Blooms ." Besides acting, he is also a screenwriter and author of two popular stage plays, " The Ghost Wife" and "The Bloody Heart."

In 2023, Thái Hòa made a comeback with the film "Mother Straw and the Little Girl Looking for a Husband ," achieving great success at various film awards, including two Golden Kite Awards for Best Actor in Film and Television. He will soon be participating in "The Tunnel ," a film about the resistance war directed by Bùi Thạc Chuyên.