Beauty Queen in Film: Should the Actress Also Be a Beauty Queen?

The Vietnamese film "First Promise" is generating buzz, but not entirely for the right reasons. While audiences are praising the increasingly captivating script, a significant debate has erupted over the casting of the lead role. The film centers on Vi Minh, a young woman from a mountainous region who unexpectedly wins the title of "beauty queen for the community." However, many viewers argue that the actress portraying Vi Minh fails to embody the expected aura and grace of a pageant winner, with some finding her dialogue delivery difficult to follow.

The movie delves into the cutthroat world of beauty pageants, portraying Vi Minh as a pawn in a larger game. Her journey takes a dramatic turn as she faces disqualification, a hefty compensation claim from her management company, and contract breaches with sponsors. Recent episodes have escalated the conflict, leaving audiences on the edge of their seats. Online comments reflect a divided opinion: some initially disliked the film but grew to appreciate its evolving narrative and Vi Minh's character development, describing her as "real, innocent, and carefree" amidst the "treacherous business traps" set by unscrupulous individuals.

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Initially I didn't like this movie, but the script gets better and better. It talks about Vi Minh's journey of growth - the beauty queen chosen because the first runner-up, the one pre-selected to be the beauty queen, got into a scandal.

This casting controversy echoes past Vietnamese films that have explored the lives of beautiful women, such as "Mỹ nhân Sài thành" and "Người đẹp Tây Đô." These productions often featured actresses with striking looks or pageant titles. For instance, "Người đẹp Tây Đô" starred Việt Trinh, known for her beauty, while "Mỹ nhân Sài thành" showcased a cast of renowned beauties. "Âm tính," another film, initially sought Miss Vietnam 2006 Mai Phương Thúy for its lead, a role that involved a tragic fate and sensitive themes. Many beauty queens reportedly declined the part due to concerns about their public image, but Mai Phương Thúy eventually accepted, marking her sole film appearance and significantly contributing to the movie's success.

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Vi Minh wins back affection with her realness, innocence, and carefree nature as an ethnic minority beauty queen facing many treacherous business traps set by unscrupulous individuals using her title.