Do Thi Hai Yen

Do Thi Hai Yen (1982-    ) also known as Hai Yen, is a Vietnamese film actress who had gained international prominence with her portrayal of Phuong in the Hollywood major motion picture, The Quiet American (2002).

She was born in Bac Ninh province in Northern Vietnam on October 1, 1982 and grew up in Hanoi.  At the age of 17, Do Thi Hai Yen made her film debut with a supporting role in The Vertical Ray of the Sun (1999), a Vietnamese-language film directed by internationally renowned Vietnamese filmmaker Tran Anh Hung.  In 2000, she was cast in another supporting role in Vu Khuc Con Co (Song of the Stork), a film directed by Nguyen Phan Quang Binh and Johnathan Foo of Singapore that went on to win the 2002 Milan Film Festival Award for best feature film.

In 2001, her beauty and acting talents won Do Thi Hai Yen the role of Phuong for the film, The Quiet American, in a competition that consisted of 2,000 candidates.  The film starred Academy Award-winning actor Sir Michael Caine and Brendan Fraser.  Released in 2002, The Quiet American was an international critical success and was recognized with accolades in film industries worldwide including a Satellite Award for best actor in a motion picture and nominations for both an Academy Award and a BAFTA for best actor for Sir Michael Caine.  For her performance, Do Thi Hai Yen was nominated for a Satellite Award for best supporting actress in a motion picture.

Among her other film credits include Chuyen cua Pao (Story of Pao) (2006), a film in which she had produced as well as starred in the lead role that went on to win four Golden Kite Awards, Vietnam's equivalent to the Oscars, Choi Voi (Adrift) (2009) with Linh Dan Pham, Johnny Tri Nguyen and veteran cinema of Hanoi actress, Nhu Quynh, which won the International Critics Prize at the 66th Venice Film Festival in 2009 and Canh Dong Bat Tan (The Floating Lives) (2010) with Dustin Nguyen and Tang Thanh Ha and Cha va Con va... (Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories) (2015).  Do Thi Hai Yen has been Vietnam's celebrity spokesperson for such international brands like Louis Vuitton, Motorola V8 Luxury and Escada.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese of All Time 

Van Trang

Van Trang (1990-    ) is a beautiful Vietnamese film and television actress.

Born as Nguyen Ngoc Thuy Trang on March 1, 1990 in Tien Giang, Southern Vietnam, she grew up in a working class family.  After 8th grade, Van Trang enrolled at San Khau - Dien Anh Acting Academy.  She made her acting debut in the television series, Dam Me, portraying the role of Van in 2009.  Her portrayal of the role of My in the series, Loi Song Sai Lam, in 2010 won her the Mai Vang Award, Vietnam's equivalent to an Emmy Award, for best actress in a television series.  Van Trang has acted in many other successful television series in Vietnam including Gia Dinh Phep Thuat (2009), Long Da Dan Ba (2011) and Mot Thoi Ta Duoi Bong (2011).

Van Trang has become one of the most successful actresses on the silver screen in Vietnam.  She has starred in many Vietnamese films including Co Dau Dai Chien (Battle of the Brides) (2011) with Huy Khanh, Ngan Khanh, Ngoc Diep and Phi Thanh Van, Sai Gon Yo! (2011) with Quynh Hoa, Thien Menh Anh Hung (Blood Letter) (2012) with Huynh Dong and Midu, Scandal (2012) with MayA and Minh Thuan, Tien Chua (Free Money) (2013) with Khuong Ngoc and Co Dau Dai Chien 2 (Battle of the Brides 2) (2014) with Binh Minh, Lan Phuong and Le Khanh.

In addition to her successful acting career, Van Trang also owns and operates The Garden Spa, one of Ho Chi Minh City's largest day spas which caters to a clientele comprised of members of Vietnam's elitist society.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

Duc Tuan

Duc Tuan (1980-    ) is a Vietnamese singer who first rose to prominence after winning first prize in the national talent contest, Tieng Hat Truyen Hinh, held in Ho Chi Minh City in the year 2000.

Born as Pham Duc Tuan on June 2, 1980 in An Giang, Vietnam, he attended the International University of Ho Chi Minh City.  After graduating from college, Duc Tuan began performing regularly at the ATB Nightclub in Ho Chi Minh City owned by singer Anh Tuyet.  It was there where audience members noticed his incandescent abilities of interpreting songs of the music genre known as nhac tien chien, love songs from Vietnam's pre-war era written by such composers like Pham Dinh Chuong, Nguyen Anh 9 and Pham Duy.  Since then, Duc Tuan has performed at live shows for Vietnamese audiences all over the world and has recorded numerous studio albums.  Among his most popular studio albums have included Anh Yeu Em (2001), Yeu Trong Anh Sang (2006), Ao Anh (2006), a duet album recorded with singer Ho Ngoc Ha, Duc Tuan Hat Tinh Ca Pham Duy (2008), Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau (2008), Bay Gio.... Bien Mua Dong (2010), Tre Mai (2010), Music of the Night (2012), Ky Niem (2012), By Request.... Nhung Nhac Pham Theo Yeu Cau (2012), Vua Lua (2012), Bai Tinh Ca Dem (2012) and Requirem (2014).

Duc Tuan at Tribute Concert to Trinh Cong Son (March 31, 2012)

Recently on September of this year, Duc Tuan was personally selected by legendary overseas Vietnamese singer Khanh Ha to perform at her live concert show held in Ho Chi Minh City entitled as Kiep Nao Co Yeu Nhau.  

Anh Tuyet

Anh Tuyet (1961-    ) is a Vietnamese singer most famous for her interpretations of Vietnamese love songs of a music genre known as nhac tien chien that had been written during the pre-war era.

Born on March 1, 1961 in the beautiful city of Hoi An in Central Vietnam, her parents had given her the name of Tran Thi Tiec.  But because of a clerical error, her name was documented on her birth certificate as Tran Thi Tiet.  As the only daughter in a family of musicians, Anh Tuyet grew up in a household with four brothers.  At the age of three, she had already learned how to sing and had memorized lyrics to such classical Vietnamese songs such as Tinh Hoai Huong written by Pham Duy.  Anh Tuyet officially began her professional singing career at the young age of eight in 1969.  After graduating from high school in 1980, she enrolled at the Hue Conservatory of Music and later joined the Khanh Hoa singing troupe.  In 1993, Anh Tuyet was personally invited by Van Cao, one of Vietnam's most prolific songwriters, to record a selection of songs he had written specifically with her voice in mind.

Anh Tuyet has recorded numerous solo studio albums throughout her lengthy career as one of Vietnam's most acclaimed vocalists.  Among her most successful albums have included Di Tim (2005), Suoi Mo Den Thien Thai (2005), Bong Hong Cai Ao (2010) and two volumes consisting of selections of songs written by the late composer Trinh Cong Son released in 2012.

In 2000, Anh Tuyet opened ATB Nightclub in Ho Chi Minh City, a small venue with an intimate of only 200 seats that featured nightly live performances from singers including herself of songs to celebrate the particular Vietnamese music genre known as nhac tien chien.  In 2004, due to low patronage ATB officially closed its doors.  Anh Tuyet has been happily married to a French national for 30 years and together the couple are proud parents of a grown son named Toan. 

Lan Phuong

Lan Phuong (1983-    ) is a beautiful Vietnamese actress who has gained fame through her works in film, television and stage.

Born as Nguyen Lan Phuong on March 5, 1983 in Hanoi, she moved with her family to the beach resort town of Vung Tau in Southern Vietnam at the age of ten.  After graduating from high school, Lan Phuong enrolled at the prestigious Ho Chi Minh City Academy of Theatrical Arts.  During her senior year, she joined the acting cast at the Saigon Opera House and starred in a series of well-received plays such as Trang Trong May, Cuoc Phieu Luu Cua Nhung Buc Thu Tinh, Phien Toa and Nguoi va Da Thu.  Lan Phuong has acted in numerous Vietnamese adaptations of world famous plays such as Hac Chieu (2005), directed by renowned Japanese playwright Yuuki Ippei with recitals performed in both Vietnam and Japan, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliette (2006), David Chapman's Summer and Smoke (2007) and Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's Le Petit Prince (2012).

A film career began in 2004 for Lan Phuong when she landed her first major role in Nguoi Trong Gia Dinh (A Family Member).  Her other film credits include Co Tien Xanh (Blue Angel) (2005), Nu Bac Si (Woman Doctor) (2006), Tinh Cha (A Father's Love) (2010), Gianh Lai Tinh Yeu (Love Taken Back) (2012), Lan Moi Trong Mua (Tear Drenched Lips) (2012) and her two biggest successes in Vietnam's silver screen industry, Scandal:  Bi Mat Tham Do (2012) costarring with Van Trang, MayA and Minh Thuan and Co Dau Dai Chien 2 (Battle of the Brides 2) (2014) costarring with Binh Minh, Van Trang, Le Khanh and MayA.

Despite her success in theater and the cinema of Vietnam, Lan Phuong has made her biggest career achievements on television.  In 2007, she landed her television breakthrough role as Mai Lan in the wildly popular series, Co Gai Xau Xi, the Vietnamese version of Ugly Betty which also starred Ngoc Hiep, Binh Minh, Phi Thanh Van and Minh Thuan.  The series lasted for nearly two years with a total of 176 episodes.  Two years later, Lan Phuong starred in another well-received television series in Vietnam called Nhung Thien Than Ao Trang (Angels in White Dresses) alongside Miu Le, Nam Cuong, Midu and Phi Thanh Van which ran for a total of 40 episodes.  Lan Phuong has also starred in many other Vietnamese television series including Nhung Dua Con Biet Dong Sai Gon (The Lost Children of Saigon) (2010), Chuyen Chung Cu (Apartment Stories) (2010), Nhung Nang Cong Chua Noi Tieng (The Famous Princesses) (2011), Hoa Hong Khong Danh Cho Em (No Roses for Me) (2011) and Em Dep Em Co Quyen (I'm Beautiful, So I Can) (2013).  In 2013, Lan Phuong starred in the critically acclaimed Japanese-Vietnamese joint venture television movie production of Nguoi Cong Su starring Huynh Dong, Noriyuki Higashiyama and Binh Minh.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time

Ly Hai

Ly Hai (1968-    ) is a famous Vietnamese male singer.

Born as Nguyen Van Hai in My Tho, South Vietnam on September 28, 1969, he grew up as the youngest in a family of nine children.  Upon being accepted into the prestigious National Academy of Theatrical Arts, he relocated to Ho Chi Minh City at the age of 16.  Ly Hai began his professional singing career in 1993, but didn't reach national prominence until 2003 after he teamed up with show promoter/entertainment manager Vinh Thuyen, the same promoter for singer/actress Phuong Thanh.  He then released a series of highly successful albums called Tron Doi Ben Em which consisted of ten volumes.  Ly Hai has also formed his own music production label, Ly Hai Productions.  Among his most popular songs have included Tron Doi Ben Em, Nguoi Yeu Hoi, Phut Biet Ly, Khi Nguoi Dan Ong Khoc and Lieu Thuoc Trai Tim.  In addition to his endeavors in the music industry, Ly Hai has also partaken in various different business sectors with his older siblings ranging from the steel industry to cosmetics making him one of the wealthiest entertainers of Vietnam.

Since 2010, Ly Hai has been married to his wife, Minh Ha.  The couple are proud parents of two children, a son, Nguyen Hao Nhien (b. 2010), and a daughter, Nguyen Ha Hai My (b. 2013).

Link(s):

Ly Hai Official Website
Ly Hai on Twitter
Ly Hai Facebook Page

Ha Phuong

Ha Phuong (1972-    ) is a Vietnamese singer.  Her older sister is singer Cam Ly.  And her younger sister is singer Minh Tuyet, also known as the Vietnamese-American Princess of Pop Music.

Born as Tran Thi Ha Phuong on March 29, 1972 in Saigon, South Vietnam, she grew up in a family household of six children.  Ha Phuong began her professional singing career and rose to prominence long before both of her famous sisters.  Among the three of them, Ha Phuong is known for her wide diversity as a musical artist which ranges from Vietnamese pop, folk to even Southern Vietnamese folk opera known as cai luong and also for her distinct beauty.

Quang Le and Ha Phuong during an appearance on Paris by Night

In June of 2000, Ha Phuong left her native homeland to resettle permanently in the United States.  She has been able to sustain her popularity among overseas Vietnamese audiences worldwide collaborating with various overseas music production labels such as Thuy Nga Paris, Asia Productions and The Gioi Nghe Thuat.

Ha Phuong with her husband, Chu Chinh,
 and their two daughters

Since 2002, Ha Phuong has been happily married to Vietnamese-American multi-millionaire investment banker, Chu Chinh.  The couple reside in Manhatten and are proud parents of two daughters.  In addition to both of their successful and busy careers, the couple are also heavily involved in philanthropic activities such as the Vietnam Relief Effort in which Chu Chinh had founded to provide assistance to flood victims of central Vietnam.  Ha Phuong also is the founder of the Ha Phuong Foundation, a non-profit philanthropic organization that provides aide to impoverished families in Vietnam.

Link(s):

Another 50 Most Beautiful Vietnamese Women of All Time