Thanh Huong lost 10 kg.

TPO - Returning to the screen after a period of absence, Thanh Huong lost about 10 kg to play the role of a woman who has gone through hardships and heartbreak in her new film.

One afternoon in late May, we followed Thanh Huong to the filming location of the prime-time drama "Under the Brightly Lighted Window" - a small room on the rooftop of an old apartment building.

After climbing five flights of stairs, the scene leads to a narrow, steep passageway, just wide enough for one person to walk through.

The sun was blazing hot, there was no air conditioning, only an electric fan in the middle of the small room. According to the actress, the film crew spent over a month filming continuously in cramped conditions. Most of the scenes were in old apartment buildings. Every day, the crew had to carry a large amount of equipment, costumes, and props, going up and down the stairs many times.

"Up here, there are only electric fans, and we have to turn them off during filming to avoid noise, so my shirt is always soaked with sweat. But I'm used to it because I've played so many tough roles," she laughed.

Thanh Hương took the opportunity to reread the script and adjust her hair after filming a long crying scene. The actress wore a simple T-shirt and shirt, her face almost bare, revealing a haggard look that perfectly matched the character Nguyệt in the film. "If I were beautiful, I wouldn't be Nguyệt," she said.

During breaks, the crew would sit under small trees or on the rooftop to discuss the script while waiting for their turn to film. The film " Under the Bright Window" features many actors such as Tuan Tu, Quang Su, Manh Hung, etc.

In the film, Thanh Hương plays a single mother who faces many hardships. Once a beautiful girl, Nguyệt lost almost everything after her marriage broke down. After the divorce, she lives with her son, working as a waitress in a pho restaurant to make ends meet. According to Thanh Hương, director Trịnh Lê Phong believed that the role of Nguyệt was meant for her.

The peeling walls, tangled pipes, and small courtyard became the headquarters for the entire film crew of dozens of people. To reach the filming location, the actors had to squeeze through very narrow spaces.

Thanh Hương admitted that she found a special connection with the character because she had also experienced a broken marriage and the journey of being a single mother. “I went through similar difficulties to Nguyệt, but I was luckier than the character. Currently, I feel happy because I have my parents, children, and work to do,” the actress said.

Unlike many of the melodramatic roles often seen on screen, Thanh Hương and director Trịnh Lê Phong agreed to moderate the character's tears. "I didn't want Nguyệt to cry too much. Tears could be replaced by a sense of resilience," she shared.

To play the role, Thanh Huong lost nearly 10 kg, always went without makeup in front of the camera, and deliberately created a lifeless appearance. The actress jokingly said that she always hoped to one day play a beautiful role, but "it's too difficult."

The film also marks the reunion between Thanh Huong and Tuan Tu after their project "One Family" . While in the previous film they played husband and wife, this time they portray a gentle, profound love story between middle-aged people who have gone through many hardships. "Tuan Tu has made great progress in his acting, becoming more mature and profound," Thanh Huong commented.

Recalling her past roles, the actress remembered the time she filmed "Life Is Still Beautiful," where she had to eat at a garbage dump and fan herself in the scorching sun. Or in "Quynh the Doll ," where she walked barefoot on a road surface that was 40-50 degrees Celsius, causing blisters on her feet.

Thanh Huong even suffered a torn nose while filming a rape scene in "Quynh the Doll ." "I was actually beaten and punched. There was a scene where 4-5 men pulled my hair, lifted me up, and threw me around repeatedly. In the scene where Duy Hung slapped me, my mouth bled, and I thought I'd broken a tooth. No one did it intentionally, but it was very difficult to control myself while acting," she recalled.

For Thanh Huong, acting cannot be superficial. When on set, she always tries to fully immerse herself in the character. In "Life Is Still Beautiful ," the actress even pulled a cart weighing nearly 100 kg herself to create the authentic feeling of a strong, hardworking woman.

"Every profession has its own hardships. I'm not saying this to complain, but to help the audience understand more about acting. After all, this job provides me with a stable income, fame, and the love of the audience. Therefore, all the sacrifices are worthwhile," she confided.

In recent years, Thanh Huong has consistently appeared in projects that have made a mark. Besides television dramas, she has also ventured into film with "Blood Paradise" and "Searching for the Corpse: Headless Ghost . " "Blood Paradise" in particular surpassed 100 billion VND in revenue.

Despite receiving many offers, the actress said she is becoming increasingly selective in choosing roles. "I haven't achieved the level of success where I can play just anything, so I have to be even more selective. I need depth, I need challenges, not stability," she said.

Thanh Hương asserted that the fee has never been the most important factor. “I’m not rich, but I’m not poor either, so I don’t need to compromise for the sake of the fee. I don’t want to play roles that don’t leave a lasting impression. I can do less, but it has to be quality,” the actress shared.

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Source: https://tienphong.vn/thanh-huong-giam-10-kg-post1845180.tpo