The actress plays Thu Hong, a woman who constantly uses her influence to mistreat others. During an audition, Minh, My Anh’s (Phuong Oanh) son, retaliates after being teased by Hong’s son, Bao. However, Hong insists that Minh attacked her son and seeks to make things difficult for My Anh and her son. In episode 12, which aired on 4/9, during Bao’s birthday party, Hong and her son deliberately bully Minh, locking him in the laundry room for an extended period. Upon learning of this, My Anh physically confronts Hong to protect her son.

From the first episodes, the role has drawn negative reactions. On a popular Vietnamese drama fanpage with 215,000 followers, many viewers commented that Truc Mai's convincing performance made some viewers dislike the actress herself.

Truc Mai's character in "Across the Blue Sky." Photo: VFC

Truc Mai is closely monitoring public reaction. According to the actress, compared to the original Chinese version, the character Thu Hong is more arrogant and haughty. While feeling that her portrayal has been successful to some extent, she's also saddened and didn't anticipate such strong negative feedback. "Some comments shocked me, but many others defended and praised me. This motivates me to love acting even more," Truc Mai said.

During filming, Truc Mai found the scene in episode 12, where Hong is physically confronted by My Anh, particularly memorable. She said that she and Phuong Oanh were both excited before filming, discussing how to coordinate their actions for a realistic and satisfying scene.

Truc Mai and Phuong Oanh (right) behind the scenes. Photo: Provided by the actresses

The actress continues to embrace antagonist roles, following her portrayal of the "other woman" in the project "Say the Word Love" (2021). She said that she has recently been drawn to strong, often unlikeable characters. Regardless of the role, she strives to give her best performance.

Truc Mai, whose real name is Dao Thanh Mai, was born in 1987 and currently works at the People's Police Theater. On stage, she has made her mark with several leading roles that showcase psychological depth. At the 5th National Professional Theater Festival on the Image of People's Police Officers, Truc Mai won a gold medal for her role in the play "The Third Person." On television, she is known for her roles in productions such as "The Second Woman," "Through the Shadows," "Village in the City," "Father's Gift," and "Near and Far Roads."

"Across the Blue Sky," directed by Le Do Ngoc Linh, is adapted from the popular Chinese drama "Nothing But Thirty." The drama explores the pursuit of happiness by My Anh, Hoang Lam (Quynh Kool), and Kim Ngan (Viet Hoa), each facing unique challenges in life and marriage.

Phuong Linh