Thanh Hằng Faces Pressure Over Intimate Scenes in "Mesdames Thanh Sắc"

Actress Thanh Hằng expressed significant pressure while filming intimate scenes for the upcoming Vietnamese film "Mesdames Thanh Sắc." The drama noir, crime, and romance film draws inspiration from a real event that shocked Saigon in 1963.

The movie centers on the life of Cầm Thanh, portrayed by Thanh Hằng, and Madame Sắc, played by Hồng Ánh, a wealthy owner of the Kim Đô nightclub. Once close, the two women become rivals over a man, played by Lương Thế Thành. Hằng stated that her biggest concern during these scenes was not her own comfort but ensuring her co-star, Lương Thế Thành, felt respected and comfortable, praising his professionalism.

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What I worried about most was not myself but my co-star's feelings. I feared that even a slightly insensitive reaction could make the other person uncomfortable. Fortunately, Lương Thế Thành was very professional and always respected his co-stars.

"Mesdames Thanh Sắc" also reunites Thanh Hằng and Hồng Ánh, who previously starred together in "Tháng năm rực rỡ" eight years prior. This time, however, they portray rivals in both love and business. Hồng Ánh revealed that she initially thought Thanh Hằng's strong personality would suit the role of Madame Sắc, but the director guided them to play against their typical personas, with Hằng needing to soften her demeanor and Ánh to be more assertive.

The film strives to meticulously recreate the atmosphere of old Saigon, featuring vibrant nightclubs and cityscapes. The production team invested heavily in set design and visual effects, with CGI playing a crucial role, accounting for approximately 20% of the total production cost. This effort aims to immerse viewers in the historical setting of the city.

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Thanh Hằng naturally has a very strong personality, so the director often reminded her to be softer and more restrained. Conversely, I was asked to be stronger and more decisive. Both of us were very aware of this, so we worked very seriously and wholeheartedly from the training phase to the actual filming.