'I had people button my shirt and try on my shoes while filming American movies'

A Tourist's Love Journey, a US-Vietnamese co-production, has just been released in Vietnam.

In the film, Meritorious Artist Le Thien plays the role of a kind and humorous grandmother who is willing to welcome visitors from many different places and cultures. The artist shared memorable memories of working with the international cast and crew.

- This is your first time joining an international film crew, what difference do you feel?

- For me, I don't want to compare the differences in people, facilities, machines or the crew's manners. I can endure any style when filming. But the crew touched me with many small actions.

I remember being invited to a five-star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City to discuss the preparation of costumes. They did not impose their thoughts on the actors and trusted me completely. To find the fabric for the costumes in the film, they agreed to let me take them to Ben Thanh market to find suitable fabric instead of buying it elsewhere.

Of course, you can decide for yourself what color and material the costumes are to suit the movie, but they still respect my opinion. They still ask what color and style the elderly in Vietnam should wear, and how the Ao Ba Ba in the South is different from the one in the North.

Besides choosing for me a pair of shoes that match the ao dai and ao ba ba costumes in the movie, everyone also carefully prepared a pair of slippers for me to change into every time I rested, so that I could walk comfortably.

For me, these are small cares but show great respect. My first feeling is love for you. Not because you are foreigners coming to film in Vietnam for the first time, but because I feel the genuine emotions of the actors.

Meritorious Artist Le Thien and male lead Scott Ly in the movie.

- What do you remember most about the process of choosing costumes for the film?

- When the costume was finished, they invited me to try it on. I will always remember the moment when the foreign stylist of the film personally buttoned each button for me, instead of handing it over to the costumers or telling me to put it on myself.

I find it normal for me to dress myself, or for someone to button my shirt for me. But not with this film crew. The stylist had to dress me completely by himself, from buttoning my shirt to bending down to try on my shoes. I was touched to see the crew's respect and appreciation for the older actor. This feeling is very important when going to work.

- What is your impression of the Vietnamese actor playing your grandson in the movie?

- Scott Ly took the initiative to talk, hug and even asked to rehearse with me. Once, knowing that I had back pain, before filming, he knocked on my door and gave me a bottle of massage medicine, explaining its uses and how to use it.

There was a time when I was acting out a scene where I hugged and kissed my grandson to welcome him home. When I met Scott, I thought he was my grandson. I pinched his ear. This was not in the script. I didn't expect that this action would touch Scott and he would cry. So the two of us cried together, but this detail was not in the script.

Then the director saw the cute gesture and filmed it. That was the part where I whispered into Scott’s ear the line “Hurry up and find someone to bring back here for grandma to approve.” Scott Ly asked me to keep pulling his ear like that. He said he couldn’t cry without that ear pinch. Before leaving, I gave my “grandson” Scott Ly a scarf as a souvenir.

The image of "cleaning the bronze incense burner" is very Vietnamese in American movies.

The film crew worked in a disciplined and professional manner, but they were also affectionate. When acting, they created all the conditions for me to concentrate, not make any noise, and walk and talk softly.

- Do you have any special memories with the female lead Rachel Leigh Cook?

- That day, Rachel had her scene filmed before me. That scene had to be filmed over and over again, making me wait. This is normal in any Vietnamese film crew. But what's worth mentioning is that after filming, Rachel came to me and apologized for taking so long, making everyone wait. Those subtle things are something I will always remember.

- What remains in you after participating in an international film project at the age of 80?

- On the last night of filming, before I left, the crew gave me flowers and thanked me. From the director, producer, cameraman to the actors, everyone said goodbye to me. In response, I sang a part of the song "Nguoi oi, nguoi o dung ve". At that time, everyone was emotional.

It was really hard to feel happy like that, because at this age, I believe in my feelings, no one can fool me. My artistic life always cherishes such beautiful moments. Surprisingly, the American film crew could bring me such emotion. Your feelings came to me so naturally and lovingly when you called me “Grandma, Grandma, Grandma” and said goodbye and we all cried.

- Thank you for the conversation.

(Source: tienphong.vn)

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Source: https://vtc.vn/nsut-le-thien-toi-co-nguoi-cai-cuc-ao-thu-giay-khi-quay-phim-my-ar768310.html