Mong Tuyen

Mong Tuyen (1947-    ) is a famous actress of the Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as Cai Luong and films.  Born as Huynh Thi Kim Loan in Can Tho, she began her career at the age of 14 with the stage name Kim Loan.  She made her debut in the Cai Luong play, Sanh Duong Dao Dong, in the role of Huong Huyen in 1961.  The following year, she joined the Phuong Nam theater troupe and performed at the legendary Nguyen Van Hao Theater in Saigon portraying the role of Phuong Loan in Nua Kiep Oan Thu.  Soon after, she was recruited by the famous Thanh Minh - Thanh Nga Folk Opera Theater Troupe and was cast in the play, Mua Xuan Con Mai, costarring alongside the late legendary stage actress Thanh Nga in the role of Son Nu Mong Tuyen.  The success of Mua Xuan Con Mai coupled with a rising new star, singer Kim Loan, prompted her decision to change her professional stage name to Mong Tuyen.  In 1963, Mong Tuyen was awarded a Thanh Tam award, the Vietnamese equivalent of a Tony, for best actress along with other fellow performers Bach Tuyet, Truong Anh Loan, Tan Tai, Thanh Tu and Diep Lang.  That same year, Mong Tuyen was cast in one of her most famous roles as cavalier Cam Le, a role she would share with legendary actress Tham Thuy Hang, in the Cai Luong play, Bóng Chim Tăm Ca, which also starred Thanh Duoc, Thanh Tu and Ngoc Nuoi.  

In a television adaptation of the Cai Luong play, Mua Rung, Mong Tuyen's portrayal of the lead character, K' Lai, would turn her into a star.  This role had been originally portrayed on the "cai luong" stage by Thanh Nga and later on film by actress Kim Cuong in 1962.  Mong Tuyen's popularity with television viewer audiences surpassed that of portrayals from both previous actresses on the stage and film and would make the role of K' Lai in Mua Rung her signature performance.  The overwhelming success of the television adaptation of Mua Rung which also included cast members Ut Tra On, Huu Phuoc, Thanh Sang, Hung Cuong and Bach Tuyet.   led to the equally well-received audio recording of the soundtrack produced and released by Continental Records, South Vietnam's most prolific record label.  In 1990, Mong Tuyen would reprise her role of K' Lai in a video production filmed in Paris released by Thuy Nga Paris along with cast members Thanh Duoc, Phuong Thanh and Dung Thanh Lam.

Mong Tuyen's beauty and stage presence would lead her to an acting career in films.  She made her acting debut on the silver screen in the film, Mang Xuong Tuyen Dai (1967).  Mong Tuyen would become one of the most prosperous film actresses in South Vietnam.  Prior to 1975, she had starred in a series of popular films such as Con Gi Cho Nhau with Hung Cuong and Mai Le Huyen, Em Ve Giua Hoang Hon with legendary screen siren Tham Thuy Hang, 11 Gio 30 with Le Quynh and Doan Chau Mau, Phan Ma Hong with Thanh Tu, Chan Troi Tim with Kim Vui, Ngoc Duc and Hung Cuong and Ganh Hang Hoa with La Thoai Tan and Thanh Lan.  After the Fall of Saigon, Mong Tuyen remained in Vietnam and continued with her film career.  She starred in such post-'75 Vietnamese films such as Co Nhip (1976), Trang Giay Moi (1979) and Tinh Yeu Cua Em (1981), for which she was honored with a best actress award at the 6th Annual Vietnam Film Festival held in 1983.

In 1988, Mong Tuyen left Vietnam to relocate in Paris, France along with her then husband of eight years.  She appeared as a pop singer on the popular live show series, Paris By Night, on volume 7 produced by Thuy Nga in 1989 with her performance of the song, Sau Le Bong.  Mong Tuyen remained in Paris for over twenty years where she owned and operated a gift shop.  Since 2007, she has made many trips back to Vietnam and has since returned to the Cai Luong stage.  In recent years, Mong Tuyen has repatriated to Vietnam and reinstated her Vietnamese citizenship.

Divorced from her husband of twenty years since the year 2000, Mong Tuyen currently resides in Ho Chi Minh City.  She had been briefly married once before during her early twenties.  Her first marriage ended in divorce after just two years.  Mong Tuyen has no children.

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50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time