Another 10 Equals 250 Total

+ 10 = 250

The next list of featured Vietnamese celebrities are from the Pre-'75 Saigon era.  As we honor the following with the completion of bios/tributes that will be published and accessible to all of our viewers, VietCeleb.BlogSpot.com will have a new grand total of 250 profiled celebrities.  The selected next 10 are as follows.

Tu Trinh:  Stage Actress and Voice Actress

Minh Vuong:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor 

Khanh Ngoc:  Film Actress and Singer

Minh Phung:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor

My Chau:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actress Most Famous for Her Portrayal of  "Lolita"

Minh Canh:  Southern Vietnamese Folk Opera Actor

Hong Van:  Singer  Mostly Famous for Her Exceptional Vocal Talents in Ngam Tho (Reciting Vietnamese Poems in Song)

Hoang Thi Tho:  Composer, Show Promoter and Filmmaker 

Son Ca:  Singer

Duy Trac:  Singer

Thanh Hang (Miss Vietnam Photogenic)

For the Vietnamese-American Model, see Thanh Hang (Vietnamese-American Model).

Thanh Hang (1983-    ) is a beautiful Vietnamese fashion model and film actress.

Born on July 22, 1983 as Pham Thi Thanh Hang, she began her modeling career at the age of 19. Immediately after winning the beauty pageant title of Miss Vietnam Photogenic sponsored by Phu Nu Viet Nam Magazine in 2002, Thanh Hang's modeling career was launched.  She was named Vietnam's Model of the Year in 2004.  The following year, Thanh Hang represented Vietnam at the Miss Earth Beauty Pageant held in Manila, Philippines.  She has worked the runway at fashion shows in Singapore, India and France.

Thanh Hằng at Film Premiere Party
 for Mẹ Chồng (2017)

In 2003 Thanh Hang made her film debut in Nhung Co Gai Chan Dai starring Xuan Lan and Duong Yen Ngoc.  On the small screen, she has starred in a string of highly rated television movies and mini-series including Tuyet Nhiet Doi (2006) with Luong Manh Hai, playing identical twins in Toi La Ngoi Sao (2007), Gia Tai Bac Si (2008) with Viet Anh and Nguoi Mau (2011) with Binh Minh.  In 2008 Thanh Hang won the Mai Vang Award (Golden Orchid) for best actress in the feature comedy film, Nu Hon Than Chet (Kiss of Death), with Johnny Tri Nguyen, Hoai Linh, Thanh Loc and Phuong Thanh.  The following year, she starred in her third feature film, Nhung Nu Hon Ruc Ro (2010), with Minh Hang.  In 2013, Thanh Hang enjoyed her biggest box office success in the blockbuster action feature film, My Nhan Ke, costarring Tang Thanh Ha.  Her last feature film to date was Sieu Nhan X (2015) starring Ngo Kien Huy.  Her latest feature film, Mẹ Chồng, starring Tăng Thanh Hà, Midu, Diễm My, Ngọc Quyên, Lan Khuê and Kim Dung, was released in December of 2017.

Thanh Hang has been a longtime official celebrity spokesmodel for Aquafina in Vietnam.  She has served on the panel of judges for the popular television show, Nguoi Mau Viet Nam:  Vietnam's Next Top Model, seasons 4 and 6.  In 2010, Thanh Hang also served as a judge for the Mister Vietnam Pageant.


Link(s):

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015

Ngan Khanh

Ngan Khanh (1985-   ) is a famous Vietnamese singer and actress.

She was born as Le Ngan Khanh on October 7, 1985 in Quy Nhon, Vietnam.  At the age of 12, she and her family relocated to Ho Chi Minh City.  In high school, she was very popular due to her good looks and active participation in theater.

In 2005, Ngan Khanh began her professional acting career when she landed her first role in the feature film, Mam Song.  The following year, she entered and won first prize in Ngoi Sao Ngay Mai, a talent search for cinema of Vietnam's future stars.  The year 2007 proved to be a major breakthrough year for Ngan Khanh after winning the lead role in the highly successful television drama, Goi Giac Mo Ve, costarring Huynh Dong and Minh Hang.  Since then, Ngan Khanh has been the leading actress starring in a string of wildly popular television dramas including Ghen (2007) with Ly Nha Ky, May Trang Ngang Troi (2008), Tuong Vy Canh Mong (2008). Song Tinh (2009) with Minh Luan, Hanh Phuc Co That (Vu Dieu Bella) (2009), Cho Yeu Thuong Quay Ve (2012), Quyen Ru (2014) and My Nhan Sai Thanh (2015).  In 2011, she starred in the Victor Vu-directed comedy blockbuster, Co Dau Dai Chien (Battle of the Brides), alongside Ngoc Diep, Van Trang, Le Khanh and Phi Thanh Van.  Two years later, Ngan Khanh would star in another blockbuster feature comedy film, Nha Co 5 Nang Tien (Five Fairies in the House) (2013), alongside Hoai Linh, Viet Huong, Miu Le and Chi Tai.  Among her other starring roles in feature films include Xin Loi Em Chi La (2010) with Lan Phuong, Viet Anh and Tu Trinh, Buoc Khe Den Hanh Phuc (2014) with Quach Ngoc Ngoan and Ma Dai (2015) with Hoai Linh, Hari Won and Thai Hoa.  She has also worked in modeling as the celebrity spokesperson in commercials and magazine ads for various international brand names.

Ngan Khanh in Co Dau Dai Chien (2011)

In addition to her accomplishments as a famous actress of Vietnamese television and film, Ngan Khanh has also found success as a Vietnamese pop singer.  In 2009, she signed with Music Box Entertainment, one of Vietnam's most prominent talent management firms in the music industry headed by singer Thanh Thao.  On December of that same year, Ngan Khanh released her debut solo studio album, Chi Yeu Minh Anh.  She has since recorded two more subsequent solo studio albums, Em Phai Lam Sao (2013) and Nguoi Tao Giac Mo (2015).  Among her most popular songs include Nu Hon Lua Doi, Tai Vi Sao and Nobody, a Vietnamese cover of the international monster hit single originally recorded by Korean all-girl pop group, The Wonder Girls, and duets with Ngo Kien Huy, Ta Mai Ben Nhau and Kiss Kiss.  

On February 9, 2015, Ngan Khanh got married to Do Thieu Quan.  To the surprise of millions of her fans, in 2015 while enjoying peaks in both careers as an actress and as a singer Ngan Khanh decided to go into early temporary retirement in order to pursue a degree in filmmaking.  At present she is studying film production overseas in Singapore.

Link(s):

30 Most Beautiful Viet Celebs of 2015
Ngan Khanh Facebook Fan Page

Phongchi

Phongchi (1990-    ) also known as Fonchi, is a famous Japanese singer/actress of Vietnamese origin.  She was considered the most popular member of Idoling, an all-girl group formed from the popular Japanese television show of the same name, and has often been dubbed as "Idoling No.8" by her fans.

Born on December 16, 1990 in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture of Japan to Vietnamese parents originally from Saigon, South Vietnam, Phongchi grew up speaking both Japanese and Vietnamese fluently.  In 2005, Phongchi entered the SMA Teen Auditions sponsored by Sony Music Artists and placed as runner up.  The following year, she became one of the original group members of Idoling and was taken under the wings of legendary Japanese Sayuri Kokusho as her protegé.  During her 5-year tenure as a member of Idoling, Phongchi released 2 photobooks, Fon Fon Chi (2008) and Ritual Heart (2010), and 5 DVDs, Cam On (2008), 10-dai Kara no Tegami (2009), F:  Angel's Wing (2010), if:  Boku no Imoto (2010) and Kaleidoscope (2012).

On September of 2010, Phongchi was a featured special guest at the Vietnam Festival held at Yoyogi Park in Shibuya, Tokyo and performed alongside Vietnamese pop stars Ho Quynh Huong and Nam Cuong.  The following year, Phongchi was invited back as host of Vietnam Festival 2011.

Phongchi graduated from Idoling on December of 2011 to focus on her career as an actress for Japanese cinema.

Link(s):

Phong Chi's Official Blog (Japanese)

Mary Jean Reimer

Mary Jean Reimer (1964-    ) also known by her professional stage name, Jung Zing-Zing, or in traditional written Mandarin Chinese, 翁静晶, is a former actress of Hong Kong cinema and television, and currently is a highly respected attorney at law in the former British crown colony.

Born on May 22, 1964 in Vietnam to an Anglo-American father and a Vietnamese-born mother of Hoa descent, Mary Jean Reimer was raised in Hong Kong from the age of one.  Throughout her adolescence, she clearly stood out from her peers due to her exotic Eurasian features.  In 1980, at the mere age of 16, Hong Kong television director Clifford Choi took a gamble by casting the young actress in the series, Encore, which also starred Danny Bak-Keung Chan and the late Leslie Cheung.  Two years later, Mary Jean Reimer was cast as the lead female role in the Hong Kong feature film, Tou Shou Zai, alongside Fung-Wah Choi and Deannie Yip.  That same year, she had a guest starring role as Xiaolongnu in the film, Ru Lai Shen Zhang (Little Dragon Maiden) (1982) starring Tung-Shing Yee, On-On Yu and Kara Hui.  It is believed that her portrayal of Xiaolongnu was the vehicle which catapulted Mary Jean Reimer to major stardom in Hong Kong.  In 1983, she starred in 4 more well-received movies in Hong Kong, The Enchantress, Di Yi Ci, Wu Lin Sheng Huo Jin and Yang Gao Yu Xiao Long Nu.  Mary Jean Reimer's last appearance on Hong Kong's silver screen was in the short feature film, City Girl (1987) which also then unknown actor Tony Ka Fai Leung in a small role before he would become a major international film star years later with lead roles in films such as L'Amant (The Lover) (1992) starring Jane March based on the novel written by Marguerite Duras.

Mary Jean Reimer married legendary Hong Kong cinema actor Lau Kar-Leung in 1984 who was 30 years her senior and decided to leave the film industry altogether.  She then set her focus on starting a family and pursuing an academic career.  Mary Jean Reimer and Lau Kar-Leung remained married until his death in 2013.  Together they had two daughters, Jeanne and Rosemary.  In 1989, Mary Jean Reimer embarked on a new career as an insurance consultant.  She graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1996 and became an attorney at law, or in British terminology, a solicitor.  Mary Jean Reimer opened her own law firm, Reimer & Partner, in Hong Kong.  Despite the success of her law firm, she decided to retire in 2014 due to a development of hypothyroidism caused by years of stress working as an attorney at law.  

Quang Minh

Quang Minh (1959-    ) is a famous Vietnamese comedian.  He is mostly known for being one half of the husband-and-wife comedy pair known as Quang Minh - Hong Dao.

Born as Vo Quang Minh on November 20, 1959 in Go Cong, a district belonging to Tien Giang, South Vietnam, he was educated and raised primarily in Saigon, which later became Ho Chi Minh City.  After graduating from high school, he was accepted into the prestigious Truong Nghe Thuat - San Khau 2, University of Ho Chi Minh City, Academy of Dramatic & Theatrical Arts.  In the mid to late 1980s, Quang Minh was among the leading actors with the Kim Cuong Theater Troupe.  He left his native homeland and took up permanent residence in the United States in 1989.  Quang Minh first resettled in Orange County, California and found work doing voice overs in the Vietnamese language for various films and soap operas originally produced in Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Although Hong Dao and Quang Minh had met and dated while back in Vietnam, it was when they had met up again by coincidence here in the United States that the two finally began a serious relationship.  At the time of their reunion in 1994, Quang Minh had just been recently divorced from his first marriage.  Their courtship led to their wedding shortly thereafter followed by the births of their two daughters, Vicky (b. 1996) and Sophia (b. 2002).  While Hong Dao was able to quickly resume her comedic acting career once resettled in the United States, Quang Minh, who had also established himself as a stage actor back in Vietnam, was not blessed with the same kind of luck for many years since leaving his native country.  An actor of diverse capabilities, however, Quang Minh had yet to really find his niche in comedy.  With the encouragement and suggestion from the late musician, Le Uyen Phuong, who had become his close friend as well as mentor, Quang Minh finally zeroed in on his career as a comedic actor.  As he and his wife began performing as a comedy duo act, receptive Vietnamese audiences everywhere just couldn't help but realize their natural chemistry on stage together.  The pair became one of the biggest Vietnamese comedy acts and were invited to perform at major live shows for Vietnamese audiences all over the world.  They have made many appearances on such popular live show video series produced by the most prolific overseas Vietnamese studios such as Thuy Nga, Asia Entertainment and Van Son Entertainment.

Hong Dao and Quang Minh 

In 2010, the couple traveled to Vietnam to star in the comedy feature film, Gia Dinh So Do, along with Van Hiep, Don Nguyen, Nha Phuong and Ngoc Quyen.  Despite the film's blockbuster success, three years later, Quang Minh and Hong Dao would be banned by the Vietnamese government from making any future live performances in Vietnam due to their recent participation in the controversial Asia 73:  Ky Niem 32 Nam Hoat Dong which had carried out allegedly sentiments of anti-communism.  Other performers also included on this list issued by the government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam were singers Thanh Tuyen, Tuan Vu and Gia Huy.  

Hong Dao

Hong Dao (1962-    ) is a famous Vietnamese comedienne.

Nguyen Thi Hong Dao was born on September 26, 1962 in Ban Me Thuot, South Vietnam.  Her parents had come from North Vietnam.  After graduating from high school, Hong Dao attended Truong Nghe Thuat - San Khau 2, University of Ho Chi Minh City, Academy of Dramatic & Theatrical Arts.  She began her career in the 1980s and reached national prominence in Vietnam as a comedic actress.  Her popularity level was in the ranks of other comedic talents of the day such as Thanh Loc and Hong Van.

In 1994, Hong Dao and her family moved to the United States resettling in San Jose, California.  Two years later, she would be featured on her first comedy sketch for Van Son Entertainment entitled as Ong Ning Ong Nang alongside Van Son, Hoai Linh and Be Map.  Hong Dao would star in many more comedy sketches for Van Son Entertainment alongside other performers such as Bao Liem, Giang Ngoc, Xuan Phat, Viet Thao, Kha Tu, Diem Lien and Truong Vu.  In 1998, she made her first appearance on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night Volume 43 in a comedy sketch, Chuyen Cam Dan Ong, written by Nguyen Ngoc Ngan and costarring Ai Van and Trang Thanh Lan.  In 2001, she along with husband, Quang Minh, made their first appearance for Asia Entertainment on Volume 35 of the popular live show video series in a comedy sketch, Ghen, with Tuy Hong and Chi Tai.  Like with Van Son Entertainment, Hong Dao has made many return appearances on both live show video series of Thuy Nga and Asia Entertainment.  Other guest performers who have acted alongside Hong Dao include My Huyen, Loan Chau, Ha Thanh Xuan, Quoc Anh, the late Kieu Linh, Johnathan Phan, Tam Doan, Y Phuong, Y Phung, Bang Kieu and Le Huynh.

In 2010, Hong Dao and Quang Minh traveled to Vietnam to star in the comedy film, Gia Dinh So Do, alongside Don Nguyen and Nha Phuong.  In 2013, Hong Dao and Quang Minh along with singers Thanh Tuyen, Tuan Vu and Gia Huy were banned from partaking on any future live performances in Vietnam by the Vietnamese government as a result of having participated on Asia 73:  Ky Niem 32 Nam Hoat Dong for its anti-communist theme.

Hong Dao has performed on stages for Vietnamese audiences all over the world.  Happily married to Quang Binh for over 20 years, together they are proud parents of two daughters, Vicky and Sophia.  

Anh Khoa

Anh Khoa (1948-    ) is a famous Vietnamese singer.

Born as Tran Cong Khai on May 20, 1948 in Phan Thiet, South Vietnam, he began his career at the age of 12 after entering the Chien Luoc National Talent Contest where he won first prize with his rendition of the song, Neu Mot Mai Anh Biet Kinh Ky.  At the age of 21, he began collaborating with Jo Marcel and the prestigious Ritz Nightclub in Saigon.  Anh Khoa recorded for various record labels in South Vietnam such as Jo Marcel, Thanh Thuy, Son Ca, Continental and Viet Nam.  Blessed with good looks and a soulful singing voice, Anh Khoa became quite a heartthrob in Saigon during the early 1970s.  Among his most popular hit songs included his interpretations of songs written by Vu Thanh An such as Mot Lan Nao Cho Toi Gap Lai Em along with the Bai Khong Ten series.

After the Fall of Saigon, Anh Khoa remained in Vietnam and continued with his singing career.  Throughout the 1980s, he along with Thanh Lan, Thai Chau and Nhat Truong were among the four most greatly missed artists by overseas Vietnamese audiences worldwide.  In 1989, he left Vietnam for Budapest, Hungary upon marrying a Hungarian citizen, Karsai Iren.  In 1991, Anh Khoa made his first appearance on Thuy Nga's Paris By Night live show video series performing a solo of Em Den Tham Anh Dem 30 written by Vu Thanh An.  Among his other appearances on Paris By Night include duet performances with Dalena, Thien Trang and Phuong Hong Que.  In 1994, Anh Khoa toured the United States for the very first time performing for overseas Vietnamese audiences in various cities.  A sold-out night was held in his honor, Dem Anh Khoa va Tinh Nghe Si, at the Diamond Nightclub in Fullerton on October of that same year.  In addition to Thuy Nga, Anh Khoa has recorded for numerous other overseas Vietnamese music production labels such as Giang Ngoc, Tu Quynh, Tinh Nho, Nguoi Dep Binh Duong and Mua Hong.

Since 2005, he has collaborated with Asia Entertainment appearing on many volumes of its popular live show video series.  To date, his latest appearance on video for Asia Entertainment was on volume 77 in a duet performance with singer Thanh Lan.

Link(s):

Anh Khoa Official Website