Actor Thái Hòa. Photo doanhnhanonline.com.vn

Actor Thái Hòa plays the leading role of Bảy Theo in Địa Đạo: Mặt Trời Trong Bóng Tối (Tunnel: Sun in the Dark), a blockbuster war movie, which has lead the box office, earning VNĐ150 billion (US$5.8 million) in a little over two weeks.

The story is about a group of guerrillas, led by Bảy Theo, whose task is to protect, at all costs, a strategic intelligence group hiding at the liberation army's base.

Hòa is no stranger to fame, having played in films like Tiệc Trăng Máu (Blood Moon Party), Để Mai Tính (Fool For Love) and Quả Tim Máu (Vengeful Heart), but this is his first time in a more mainstream movie.

He spoke about his role and how the film was produced.

It took you two years to prepare for and play the role of Bảy Theo in the new movie. How did you feel when you saw it finally at the premiere in HCM City earlier this month?

I did not watch the movie with the crew at the premiere in HCM City, because I like buying a ticket and watching the movie with an ordinary audience. I was happy to receive positive feedback about my performance in the movie.

People ask me about the hardships of filming this movie, but I like talking more about the joys. After only acting in comedies, horrors and psychological-romance films for a long time, I was challenged with a film that was difficult in both genre and setting. It felt like rushing into a real battle.

It was very lucky for me to be a part of this movie, the first war movie invested in by the private sector. A war-themed movie production is always a risk. When I accepted the role, I proactively discussed with the crew about cutting my payment in half, which I wanted to share with the producers.

I think the money was not important, because I know that many people in the crew work very hard. The film director Bùi Thạc Chuyên spent more than ten years completing the script.

How did you prepare for your role?

Before filming, I was so worried and I was stressed. I was afraid that I wouldn’t lose weight for the role. We had two months to train get fit and prepare for filming.

I needed to lose weight, but still be healthy, according to the director's requirements. We also had to practice bending down moving in a tunnel with a diameter of only about 50cm.

The younger actors like Anh Tú Wilson did it easily, but not me. Plus, we had one month to practice with a real gun and learn how to use various weapons.

The director and I discussed a lot about the psychology in developing scenes. I also spent months watching documentary videos about the Củ Chi guerrilla warfare tunnels on the outskirts north of Sài Gòn and the American troops sweeping through the tunnels on YouTube.

The movie actors met and talked with veterans, including Hero of the People's Armed Forces Tô Văn Đực. He contributed by manufacturing landmines during the war in Củ Chi.

However, the most important thing is to follow the story line. Everything else is just a reference, helping us to imagine how it was in the time of war.

Which scene in the movie do you remember most?

It is a scene at the beginning of the movie featuring Bảy Theo taking Hai Thưng on a tour of the tunnels. It is one of the most difficult scenes for me. It took 20 takes, because the scene is really tough, coordinating with the lighting and sound sectors in the tunnel.

Working in the small tunnel made us feel suffocated, with the crew following us with a camera on their shoulders.

The scenes focusing on the psychology were also difficult. I was asked why, when Bảy Theo knows that his comrades, including his daughter have died, he didn't cry.

I think that it’s part of war. Soldiers including commanders like Bảy Theo keep back tears in the most painful situations. They can’t let themselves be moved by their emotions to the point of affecting their comrades.

You are dubbed a 'million-dollar actor', do you like it?

Honestly, I feel pressured by the title instead of proud. I try to work my best in the film and how it appears to the audience, how to earn revenues, that is another story.

For me, each role has its own separate life. Bảy Theo's role is something I can't classify. I love acting whatever the role, in mainstream or entertainment movies.

I have had a passion for acting since I was a film student. Some directors say they are lucky to have me in their projects, but I don't see it that way. I am happy that filmmakers have sought me out, perhaps they see my love for the cinema. VNS