Ha Vy

Hạ Vy (1967-    ) is a popular overseas Vietnamese singer.

Given the full name at birth as Nguyễn Lê Tường Vy, she was born and raised in the coastal beach city of Nha Trang.  From an early age, her parents had taken notice of her vocal talents and had encouraged her to study music.  By the time she was 19, Hạ Vy had become a professional singer after winning a local talent competition held in her hometown.  She collaborated with prominent local bands, Hải Đăng and Sao Biển, during the last 5 years she remained living in Nha Trang.  In 1991, Hạ Vy along with her family were able to immigrate to the United States under the Humanitarian Operation immigration act.  For the first two years in the United States, they lived in Boston, Massachusetts before she and her family relocated to Orange County, Southern California in 1993.  That same year she signed with Asia Entertainment as a member of an all-girl singing quartet which also consisted of Nini, Vina Uyển Mi and Quỳnh Hương.  After several appearances on the popular live show video series produced by Asia Entertainment, Quỳnh Hương went solo and the group became a trio.  Among the trio's most popular performances for Asia Entertainment's live show video series were of the following songs, Mùa Thu Trong Mưa (written by Trường Sa), I Wanna Dance Cha Cha, Trả Lại Em Yêu (written by Phạm Duy), Chiều Một Mình Qua Phố (written by Trịnh Công Sơn) and Bài Không Tên Số 2 (written by Vũ Thành An).

In 1996, Hạ Vy left the Asia Entertainment label to pursue a solo career.  She collaborated with Hải Âu, Diễm Xưa, New Castle Entertainment and Tình Productions releasing a string of well-received solo studio albums.  Hạ Vy appeared as a frequent performer on the live show video series produced by Tình Productions, Quê Hương Tình Yêu Và Tuổi Trẻ.  Among her most popular songs performed on Quê Hương Tình Yêu Và Tuổi Trẻ include Tội Tình (written by Hàn Châu), Khi Không (written by Cô Phượng), Đừng Trách Em Tội Nghiệp (written by Vinh Sử), Đừng Nói Yêu Tôi (written by Anh Bằng), a duet with Johnny Dũng, Mưa Phi Trường (written by Việt Anh), a duet with Huy Vũ, Có Anh Rồi (written by Đồng Sơn) and a duet with Don Hồ, Cuộc Tình Chôn Dấu (written by Lãnh Ngọc Tâm).  In 1999, Hạ Vy made her debut appearance on volume 50 of the popular live show video series, Paris By Night, produced by Thúy Nga with a performance of the song, Ngoại Tôi (written by Song Ngọc).  Two years later, she was invited back on Paris By Night Volume 60 in a duet performance with Don Hồ of the song, Lời Tỏ Tình Dễ Thương (written by Ngọc Sơn).  As of 2011, Hạ Vy has become a regular performer on the Paris By Night stage and has since appeared in a total of 27 volumes.  She has recorded duets with numerous other artists for the Thúy Nga label including Duy Trường, Mạnh Quỳnh, Quang Lê, Hương Thủy, Minh Tuyết, Tuấn Vũ and Tâm Đoan.  Hạ Vy has also appeared on music videos for Vân Sơn Entertainment.  Since the late 1990s, she has recorded and released studio albums under her own label, Hạ Vy Music Works.

Hạ Vy standing at her pharmacy

Hạ Vy is married to musician/songwriter Đồng Sơn.  On June of 2014, Hạ Vy went on her first concert tour of Vietnam.  In Hanoi, she performed to a sold out crowd in a live concert show called Ngày Nắng alongside fellow overseas Vietnamese singers Quang Lê and Duy Trường and local headliners Quang Hiếu, Hồng Nhung and Tuấn Hưng.  During the fall that same year, Hạ Vy partnered with her older sister, who is a licensed pharmacist, opened Coastline Care Rx, a pharmacy located inside Orange Coast Memorial Hospital in Fountain Valley, California.  

Kim Nguyen

Kim Nguyễn (1974-    ) is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker.

He was born and raised in Montreal, Canada to a Vietnamese father and a French Canadian mother.  In 1997, Kim Nguyễn earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from Concordia University in Montreal and began to pursue his career in filmmaking.  He has since directed a total of 6 feature films including Truffe (2008), La Cité (2010), Le Nez (2014) and Two Lovers and a Bear (2016).  His most popular feature film, War Witch (Rebelle), released in 2012, earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.  Kim Nguyễn had not only directed War Witch (Rebelle), but had also produced and written the original screenplay.  At the 1rst annual Canadian Screen Awards held on March 3, 2012 in Toronto, Kim Nguyễn took home a total of 3 trophies winning in the categories of Best Original Screenplay, Best Director and Best Motion Picture.

Kim Nguyễn Holding 1 of His 3 Trophies
Won at the 1st Annual Canadian Screen Awards

Kim Nguyễn's latest feature film, Eye on Juliette, premiered worldwide at the 74th annual Venice Film Festival on September of 2017.  

25 More Equals 400

Here are the next 25 Viet celebs to be featured....

1. Chi Tâm:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor

2. Hạ Vy:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

3. Kim Nguyen:  Canadian Filmmaker of Vietnamese and French-Canadian Descent

4. Ngọc Lan:  Vietnamese Actress of Film and Television 

5. Đơn Dương:  Late Vietnamese Film Actor

6. Trang Mỹ Dung:  Vietnamese Singer 

7. Huy Vũ:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

8. Michelle Phan:  YouTube Personality and Entrepreneur

9. Nhan Phúc Vinh:  Vietnamese Actor

10. La Sương Sương:  Late Overseas Vietnamese Singer

11. Thanh Phong:  Vietnamese Singer

12. Việt Hương:  Overseas Vietnamese Comedienne

13. Stephen Huynh:  Hong Kong Film Actor of Hoa Descent

14. Thanh Thúy:  Vietnamese Actress

15. Billy Shane:  Late Vietnamese Singer of French Love Songs

16. Trang Thanh Lan:  Vietnamese Singer and Actress

17. Mai Quốc Huy:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

18. Helen Thanh Đào:  Cinema of Taiwan Actress of Vietnamese Origin 

19. Trấn Thành:  Vietnamese Comedian

20. Trúc Quỳnh:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

21. Việt Hùng:  Late Legendary Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor

22. Mai Thiên Vân:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

23. Kym Purling:  World-Renowned Australian Pianist/Composer of Vietnamese Origin

24. Nhã Phương:  Vietnamese Actress of Film and Television

25. Kỳ Anh:  Overseas Vietnamese Singer

Ngoc Quyen

Ngọc Quyên (1988-    ) is a Vietnamese model and actress. 

Huỳnh Khương Ngọc Quyên was born on April 24, 1988 in Ho Chi Minh City.  At the age of 16, she began her modeling career.  Standing at five feet eight inches in height, unusually tall among Vietnamese females, coupled with a unique, somber look, Ngọc Quyên from the time of her adolescence easily stood out from her peers growing up in Vietnam.  At the age of 16, she was selected in a modeling search competition to study abroad at Model Academy in South Yarra, Victoria, Australia and was crowned Miss Vietnam of Fashion by the Vietnamese Fashion Models Association.  By the time Ngọc Quyên turned 18, she had established a career as one of Vietnam's most successful fashion models and was voted as Vietnam's most favorite fashion model.  She graced the covers of countless fashion magazines published in Vietnam and became one of the highest paid runway models of Ho Chi Minh City.  Already a bona fide star on the catwalk of Ho Chi Minh City, Ngọc Quyên's celebrity status as a fashion model would expand internationally with bookings on the runways of London, Beijing and Kuala Lumpur for couture houses overseas.  In 2012, she was ranked as one of the five top Vietnamese models of the year by Thanh Niên Magazine.

Trailer Poster for Ngọc Quyên's
Upcoming Feature Film, Mẹ Chồng

As her modeling career had turned her into a national celebrity in Vietnam, Ngọc Quyên simultaneously embarked on a successful acting career.  Among her television acting credits include Tuyết Nhiệt Đới (2006) starring Lương Mạnh Hải and Thanh Hằng, Hoa Dã Quỳ (2008) starring Ngọc Diệp, Khương Ngọc and Huy Khánh, Có Lẽ Nào Ta Yêu Nhau (2009) starring Ngọc Diệp, Trung Dũng and Diễm My, Cô Nàng Tóc Rối (2010) starring Midu, Phi Thanh Vân, Ốc Thanh Vân and Xuân Lan, Gia Đình Số Đỏ (2010) starring Quang Minh, Hồng Đào, Don Nguyễn and Nhã Phương and Những Thiên Thần Nhanh Nhạy (2013) starring Trấn Thành and Tâm Tít.  Ngọc Quyên has also starred in a string of feature films including 14 Ngày Phép (2009) starring Thái Hòa, Ngọc Lan, Bình Minh and Trịnh Hội, Lệ Phí Tình Yêu (2012) starring Huy Khánh, Minh Hằng, Hiếu Hiền and the late Minh Thuận and Mỹ Nhân Kế (2013) starring Tăng Thanh Hà and Thanh Hằng.  Her latest feature film, Mẹ Chồng, starring Thanh Hằng, Tăng Thanh Hà, Midu, Diễm My, Lan Khuê and Kim Dung, was released in theaters throughout Vietnam in December of 2017.

On January 25, 2014, Ngọc Quyên married Dr. Richard Nguyen, a Vietnamese-American citizen, in a lavish wedding ceremony held in Huntington Beach, California.  The following year, she and her husband welcomed the birth of their son.  Ngọc Quyên currently lives in Costa Mesa, California with her husband and child. 

Link(s):

• Vietnamese Celebrity Homes Part 6a
• 20 Hottest Viet Celebs of 2017

Ha Anh Tuan

Hà Anh Tuấn (1984-    ) is a famous Vietnamese R&B singer.

Born on December 17, 1984 in Ho Chi Minh City, Hà Anh Tuấn was blessed with a privileged upbringing.  His father was the owner and CEO of Hồng Hà, Inc., a major tourism promotion company in Vietnam.  Hà Anh Tuấn attended Lê Hồng Phong High School.  During his senior year, he entered and won first prize in two prestigious talent competitions, Chú Ve Con and Liên Hoan Tiếng Hát Học Sinh - Sinh Viên.  After his high school graduation, Hà Anh Tuấn went onto study abroad at Technik Universität in Darmstadt, Germany for 4 years.  After earning his bachelor's degree in computer science, Hà Anh Tuấn returned to Vietnam in 2006 to compete in the nationally televised talent competition, Sao Mai Điểm Hẹn, where he placed among the top 3 vocalists along with Hoàng Hải and Phạm Anh Khoa.  He then teamed up with singer Phương Linh to record their duet studio album, Ngày Hát Đôi, which was released at the beginning of 2007.  Toward the end of that same year, Hà Anh Tuấn released his debut solo studio album, Cafe Sáng, an avant-garde collection of R&B songs written by Võ Thiện Thanh and Hồ Hoài Anh.  Both albums were well received making Hà Anh Tuấn into one of the hottest new singing sensations of Vietnam.  His next solo studio album, Saigon Radio, another compilation of R&B recorded tracks released in 2009, would go onto win the Giải Cống Hiến, Vietnam's equivalent to a Grammy, for Album of the Year and a Làn Sóng Xanh Award for Best Album.  Among his other  studio albums, all of which were both commercial, as well as critical successes, include Acous'84 (2010), Cock-tail (2010), Anh Yêu Em (2011) (recorded with Phương Linh), Lava (2014), Street Rhythm (2015) and Fragile (2017).

Since 2010, Hà Anh Tuấn has been president and CEO of Viet Vision Entertainment, a music production company he had founded.  In addition to producing albums recorded by himself and other artists, Viet Vision Entertainment has also produced highly successful live concert shows in Vietnam for such big names among overseas Vietnamese entertainers like Bằng Kiều, Khánh Ly and Thu Phương.  Viet Vision Entertainment has also promoted concert tours in Vietnam for major Western pop artists such as Super Junior, II Divo, Ronan Keating and Kelly Clarkson.  Since 2015, Hà Anh Tuấn and Viet Vision Entertainment have produced an annual live concert event, The Master of Symphony, held at the Hòa Bình Concert Hall in Ho Chi Minh City.  The first annual live concert event in 2015 was headlined by divas Thanh Lam, Hồng Nhung, Mỹ Linh, Trần Thu Hà and Thu Phương.  The second annual live concert event held in 2016 featured performances by Ý Lan, Tuấn Ngọc, Bằng Kiều, Tùng Dương, Uyên Linh and Trần Thu Hà.  The third annual of The Master of Symphony live concert series will take place at the end of November in 2017 and will be headlined by 6 legendary Vietnamese female singers:  Hương Lan, Cẩm Vân, Lệ Quyên, Ý Lan, Hồng Nhung and Thu Phương. 

Link(s):

Vietnamese Celebrity Homes Part 6a