Between Home and the Unknown: Behind the Scenes with Actress and Model Yu Duong

TM: To get us started, can you tell us about your journey? What made you want to enter the world of modeling?

YD: I am a child from a family of artists. I still remember everyone asking me, “Will you be an actress?”, “Do you like to be a model?”. I guess it is really something that stuck in my head as a child with no doubt or awareness. As I grew up, I discovered it is not always like that little girl’s dream, but still, I’m in love with the job.

TM: When viewing your body of work, we often see a balance between the intimate and private with the bold and public. In the works where we see you out amongst the cityscape, what kind of inspiration do you draw from the cities and countries where you shoot?

YD: I love to travel, but I have only been to Southeast Asian countries. So most of the inspiration I have is from Asian culture with colorful cities, warm weather, friendly people, and lots of random tiny cool things. Hopefully, I will be able to explore more in the future. I can’t wait to see all the other parts of the world.

TM: Diving deeper into your own experiences as a model, actress, and artist based in Vietnam, can you share with our readers what is it about the Vietnamese arts scene that makes it distinct and unlike others around the world?

YD: We had a long and rich history with some main turning points. We have also been influenced by other foreign countries, so it is a mix of cultures through time. We are living a modern life nowadays, but you still can see that the traditional art is blending with the modern in our artwork. This is what makes the Vietnamese arts scene distinct.

TM: With all of these accomplishments within your body of work, what project has been your favorite and why?

YD: It is a Thriller/Mystery movie titled “Darkness”. The project began as a series but for some reason, it was turned into a movie. The story is about a spiritual journey of a girl, who is trying to find the answers to her mother’s disappearance. I’m always curious about the spiritual world and I love to work on projects like that.

TM: You have also gained fame with your recent film projects. What role do you feel that acting and film will play in your career moving forward?

YD: I’m trying to do modeling as well, but mostly my work is acting in movies and series. I love doing both of them. Now I’m looking for chances to expand my work, not just in Vietnam but in any other country.