Recently, Nhu Quynh garnered attention for her role as a kind mother in "Trai buon nguoi" (Human Trafficking Camp), a current box office hit. In the film, her character tracks down a crime syndicate and voluntarily enters its lair after learning her child has become a victim.

Nhu Quynh began her career in her twenties. As the daughter of cai luong artists Tieu Lang and Kim Xuan, she was invited by director Tran Dac in the early 1970s to play her first role in the film "Bai ca ra tran". She quickly rose to fame, celebrated for her elegant beauty, charming smile, and distinct East Asian features.

The artist on the poster for director Tran Vu's film "Den hen lai len" (1974). The actress played Net, a Quan Ho village girl in the work set during the anti-American resistance war. The film achieved great success at the Vietnam Film Festival 1975, earning Nhu Quynh the award for best lead actress.

Nhu Quynh in a scene from "Den hen lai len". During this period, she attracted the attention of many directors, becoming one of the screen's beauty icons of the 1970s. Director Luu Trong Ninh once commented that her strength was her gentle beauty with monolid eyes, full of emotion.

Following "Den hen lai len", Nhu Quynh continued to be invited to a series of films such as "Moi tinh dau", "Ha Noi mua chim lam to", and "Hy vong cuoi cung".

Nhu Quynh with photographer Huu Bao at their wedding in 1980. The artist wore a deep red ao dai and styled her hair in curls. The dress was made from velvet fabric, sent by her relatives from France.

For Nhu Quynh, she and her husband came together through destiny. They met when she already had a boyfriend, and had even planned to marry. However, Nhu Quynh's boyfriend, a circus performer, later decided to go abroad to start a career. The failed wedding left her saddened for a long time. At that time, Huu Bao frequently visited, cared for, and encouraged her, and the two gradually developed feelings for each other.

Nhu Quynh said she still cherishes the memory of her wedding during the subsidy period. The family hosted a simple reception with tea, sweets, and a few trays of food for relatives.

In the 1990s, Nhu Quynh (center) focused on mature roles with psychological depth. In 2000, she made her mark starring in director Tran Anh Hung's film "Mua he chieu thang dung" (The Vertical Ray of the Sun). She played the eldest sister, Suong, who suffered greatly when her husband had a child out of wedlock, acting alongside Le Khanh (left) and Tran Nu Yen Khe.

Nhu Quynh in her 40s. Now, at 72, the artist still maintains her passion for acting, even though many contemporaries have retired from the screen. She expressed a desire to play new types of roles, such as a villain with a kind nature who is forced to do bad things due to a turbulent life. "At my age, I should limit my 'shows', but I'm too eager to act, so I still have to keep going," the actress said.

Tam Ky

Photos: Courtesy of Nhu Quynh