Mai Chau: The young lady who abandoned luxury to follow the revolution, the master of villainy, has just passed away.

Mai Chau is known as one of the veteran actors of Vietnamese Revolutionary Cinema. She devoted more than 4 decades to the art with a series of big and small roles, and recently passed away at the ag.e of 98.

Mai Chau Mai's full name is Mai Thi Chau (born January 10, 1927 in Vinh city, Nghe An) is a famous actress from the 60s and 70s of the 20th century. In nearly 50 years of artistic activities, she left her mark with about 30 large and small roles, spanning from wartime to the country's renovation.

Mai Chau was the youngest chil.d in a family with a business tradition in Vinh city. The August Revolution in 1945 created a major turning point in the life of the rich young lady. She joined the Women's National Salvation Force and then the Vinh city self-defense force.

In December, Mai Chau set off to "go South". After completing her mission, the artist continued to stay in the South and participated in artistic work in the Propaganda Corps of the Liberation Army. In 1947, she became an actress in the Tien Tuyen Drama Troupe.

In 1956, Mai Chau was officially accepted into the Vietnam Film Studio (now the Vietnam Feature Film Studio) and began working in the dubbing department for foreign films with actors Trinh Thinh and Duc Hoan.

When the Vietnam Film School (now Hanoi Academy of Theatre and Cinema) opened its first actor training course, she and some of her colleagues participated and still had to complete their studies like full-time students. From 1959, she was chosen as an official actress of the Film Studio.

Some time later, Mai Chau appeared in the film "Chung Mot Dong Song" (1959) - the first work of Vietnamese Revolutionary cinema, opening a series of roles in many famous films released in the early stages of the industry.

Along with the actors who graduated from the Actors Class K1 and K2 of the Vietnam Film School, Mai Chau played about 30 roles, big and small, in television and film. Notable ones include: Construction Gir.l (1960), Sister Tu Hau (1963), "Di Buoc Nua" (1964), especially the main role in the famous work "The Battle Still Continues" (1966)...

To get this role, Mai Chau had to pass a rigorous selection round with the advice of the Ministry of Public Security - a rare thing at that time when actors were often invited directly. With the help of artists Lam Toi and Ngo Nam, the artist transformed herself into a beautiful, cunning female spy so well that when the film was released, the late Minister Tran Quoc Hoan had to praise her.

Since then, Mai Chau's acting career has flourished, and she has been continuously invited to take on villain roles. "Although there are times when I crave to play the protagonist, I am still very happy," the artist once shared.

Thanks to her elegant beauty, Mai Chau is even more suited to sharp, somewhat formidable roles such as Pho Doan (Sao Thang Tam), Ba Kien's wife (Lang Vu Dai Ngay Ay), Hoang Thai Hau (Dem Hoi Long Tri) or the scheming mother in La Ngoc Canh Vang.

The role of Mrs. Nghi Que in "Chi Dau" (1981) is considered the peak of Mai Chau's career. Her scheming, domineering but attractive character became a symbol of villain roles in Vietnamese cinema. Many older audiences still remember the sharp eyes and steely voice of this character. The artist said that thanks to her experience living during wartime, she understood the atmosphere and spirit of Nghi Que, thereby perfectly portraying the role.

In addition to acting, Mai Chau also regularly participates in dubbing foreign works, and then, with experience, becomes a voice-over director. The resourcefulness and industriousness of this rich young lady is also shown in the extra work she takes on for radio drama programs of the Voice of Vietnam.

Mai Chau worked hard in film and remained in the profession until she was over 80 years old. The last work she participated in was "Bi! Dung So" by director Phan Dang Di. She was also awarded the title of Meritorious Artist by the state in the early 1990s.

Besides her artistic talent, Mai Chau's beauty once made many people admire her when she was considered a screen beauty. People say that beauty is short-lived, but she is a living proof of the opposite. The artist got married at the ag.e of 19 while working in a frontline theater troupe.

Mai Chau and Mr. Vu Ky Lan, an artist and soldier, had a very happy marriage. They built a happy home where love and mutual support were the solid foundation. Mr. Lan always respected Mai Chau's work and was never jealous or critical of her roles. During difficult times, he always stood behind her to support her so that she could devote herself to art.

Mai Chau and her husband have 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, but none of them are in the arts. Not only is she good at housework and taking care of her children, her mother and mother-in-law, but the artist is also very good at business. Since the 90s of the 20th century, she has owned a chain of wedding dress stores bearing her name in Hanoi, in parallel with her acting career.

This decision came from a time when Mai Chau went to Saigon to attend a Film Festival. In her free time, she walked around Saigon looking at the wedding dress rental shops on Dong Khoi Street and suddenly had a business idea. Entering a few shops, the owners knew she was an actress so they welcomed her very enthusiastically, and also showed her how to import original goods, choose models... And she was determined to pursue a side job.

With the first 6 imported wedding dresses, combined with bridal makeup promotions, Mai Chau has successfully built the Mai Chau Wedding Dress brand, famous throughout Hanoi. The Meritorious Artist and her 2 daughters and 2 daughters-in-law later expanded the Mai Chau Wedding Dress system 2, 3. Thanks to the successful business, her family was able to buy a house in Hang Bong to open a shop. Currently, the shop is still operating well and she handed it over to her eldest daughter to manage.

In the past 20 years, Mai Chau has not been active in the arts much, mainly spending time with her children and grandchildren as well as enjoying her old ag.e even though her partner is no longer by her side. The artist's 4 children are all successful and have happy lives.

On the morning of May 24, the Vietnamese film industry was shocked to receive the sad news of Mai Chau. She breathed her last at 3:10 a.m. at the Vietnam-Soviet Friendship Hospital, at the ag.e of 98. According to information from VNExpress, the artist's grandson said that her last days were peaceful and serene.

Mai Chau did not suffer from a serious illness, but gradually declined with ag.e. When the artist's health became too weak, her family took her to the hospital so she could receive better care. However, the law of birth, aging, sickness and deat.h is inevitable, so she passed away peacefully.

It can be said that Mai Chau was not only a talented artist, but also a resilient woman, dedicating her whole life to art. Although she has passed away, her roles will forever live in the hearts of Vietnamese cinema lovers, as an unforgettable part of their memories.