Director Chanh Trực's heartfelt reflections on '25 years of silence behind the velvet curtain'
Jul 21, 2026
Hanoi [Vietnam], July 21: Having been involved in the profession for over two decades, director Chanh Trực's greatest joy is witnessing the scenes and situations he meticulously created being brilliantly portrayed by actors and applauded by the audience.
Director Chanh Trực recounts that he developed a passion for art at a very young age. At just 12 or 13 years old, he received formal training within the Tuổi Ngọc theater group. However, upon reaching adulthood, an unexpected psychological barrier arose: he felt he had shortcomings in his voice and that his appearance didn't meet the standards for an actor.
In the context of the art scene at that time, where opportunities were not as abundant as they are today, he chose a different path. He graduated from the Department of Oriental Studies (University of Social Sciences and Humanities), and then went on to apply to the Directing Department (Ho Chi Minh City University of Theatre and Film) with the simple thought: "If no one invites me to be an actor, then when I become a director, I will invite myself."
"But the process of directing and rehearsing with the actors helped me train and overcome my vocal weaknesses. I realized that being an actor isn't just about looks, so I oriented myself towards comedic, villainous, old-man, or strong-willed characters. Thus, acting became a part of directing," Chanh Trực shared.
The joys and sorrows of director Chanh Trực
Many people often see directors as those who hold the power of the stage, but for Chanh Trực, his love for the profession stems from an invisible attraction: the happiness of being hidden away. Having worked in the industry for over 25 years on numerous sitcoms, television plays, and stage productions (such as " Illusion and Reality," "Behind the Crime," "Million Dollar Girl, " etc.), Chanh Trực has realized that the glory of a director lies not in the glamorous surface but in the depth behind the curtain. According to him, the greatest reward for the person behind the scenes is when the meticulously crafted scenes and situations are brilliantly portrayed by the actors and applauded by the audience.
Source: Thanh Nein Newspaper
