‘Binh Tinh said he would take care of all the afterlife when I died’

The heyday of the cai luong stage, Artist Hong Sap attaching their life to lights, singing troupes, traveling to remote and isolated areas. Specializing in playing evil roles, her life is extremely pitiful. It seems that fate always pushes her to the extreme, but when she looks back on her past life, she calmly thinks that it is fate.

“Whoever loves, gives money to live through the day”

– Dear artist Hong Sap, in the past few years, the life of many people in Ho Chi Minh City has become extremely difficult. How did you spend those days?

I have a very hard life, but I dare not call anyone. I live with my son and grandson in a rented house at Kenh Te Bridge, District 7, having to pay 3 million VND for the house every month. My son is 62 years old but also unemployed, now living on only the few coins I earn.

The last epidemic was a hundred times worse. All 3 people live entirely on money and food allowance. The whole family only eats rice with soy sauce to live through the day. At that time, I just prayed to God to help everyone stay healthy. Some people who know me also help me a bit.

I’m poor, so I sympathize and love people like me. During the last epidemic, someone I knew asked for a rice subsidy, I asked for 17 portions to give to everyone in the neighborhood, but I missed my share, fortunately someone gave another one.

– How much money does the work of arranging costumes for the group bring you each month, artist?

This job does not have a monthly salary, income depends on the performances. I come here every day, if there’s a show, I’ll help with packing. When there is a program, I will help, otherwise, I have no money. Sometimes I get invitations to sing or play the role of an old mother. Sometimes a few sponsors come to support. Now who loves, give money to live through the day. The people in this family also love me very much. They’re doing the paperwork to get me a pension to get a little extra money.

– During the many years of acting, have you saved any money?

I started singing at the age of 20, more than 40 years old started performing for Huynh Long troupe. The artist at that time looked like that, but not as happy as imagined. In my time, I had to worry about how much to eat and how to dress. Sometimes it takes a few months for me to sing or act in movies, how can I save money? Income at that time was precarious, even eating rice had to be mixed with noodles and bo bo. Every time I act in a movie, I only get a few hundred thousand dong, so it’s good to just go to work to have enough to eat and wear. In my children’s time, they were all poor and had no jobs, so they couldn’t help.

Touched when the audience still recognizes me

– Is there a time when you feel heartbroken when many artists of your time are still famous and have a rich life?

Sometimes I feel very sad, but I don’t know what to do now. When I was young, I was wanted by many people, some of them very rich. I still remember a rich lieutenant who wanted to love me, but I didn’t like it and chose the poor musician. If I had listened to my father and married that person, perhaps my fate would have been different. Many times, people say, who said that they want to marry artists and then be so poor, but I am a person who lives a life of love. Sometimes I regret not choosing a better life, but when I think about it, art is already my career. If I choose, I must follow.

– At the age of 86, are you still passionate about acting?

I still love it! Whoever is filming tells me to go now, or whoever lacks a supporting role, just call. I’m still willing to do my best. Old is old, but I still have the blood of an artist. Many times when the performance is finished, people still love it.

Remember the last movie I was invited to shoot was “Ghost Story Near Home”. Had to shoot at night in Cu Chi until 5am. The crew was surprised to see that although I was old, my mind was still clear. People are very respectful because I still remember the lines, still remember the script, and even act well. Hearing such words, even though it was extreme, I still felt very happy!

– Now every time you go out, are you still recognized by everyone?

The time when I was most famous was when I sang tuong Tam Cam then play the role of a drunk old woman in Locust hamlet. At that time, I was famous and known by many people, people still called me “the movie witch”.

It was also thanks to the role of the old woman drinking alcohol that I won the gold medal. Now on the street, many people still remember that role. Some people even asked me to drink with them when they realized it, so I said it was just a movie, it’s actually all spring water. At that time, I was very emotional because at this age, people still remember me.

“Hoai Linh gives me money every time I meet her”

– Did the scandal related to Thoai My at the funeral of artist Ngoc Dang in early March affect her much?

Before going up to burn incense for Ngoc Dang, I met Thoai My downstairs. America hugged me and asked: “How are you?”. At that time, no one saw it. When I went up, I gave money to Binh Tinh to remove the envelope to worship and met Thoai My again. At that time, so many people, they misunderstood the US to despise and “ignore” me. After the rumor spread, Thoai My cried so much that my son asked his mother to correct it. While the mourners were confused, the ceremony was too crowded, so Thoai My had to worry a lot.

I’ve been singing before Thoai My for many years, so I consider it as a junior and a grandson. Many people also ask if Thoai My has apologized to me about it, but I don’t think it matters. I’m really poor but live emotionally, who cares what they think. Thanks to that incident, I know that there are still many people who love me. After that, there were also a few people who came to visit and support a little more money to live through the day.

– Are you still receiving much support from the next generation of artists?

Now Binh Tinh (Cai luong artist was born in 1987, belongs to Huynh Long’s ancient family of cai luong – PV) who cares about me the most. Binh Tinh is cute and loves me very much. When I started singing, Binh Tinh was still small, so she considered me like a family member. I was touched when Binh Tinh always said that I don’t have to worry, just live happily and comfortably. Binh Tinh promised that if I died, she would take care of everything.

– Besides artist Binh Tinh, did anyone else help her in the past?

I consider myself lucky because although I am poor, I am loved by many people. Formerly Viet Huong, Hoai Linh, Che Thanh… also helped me a lot. Hoai Linh once invited me to his Ancestral Temple when it was inaugurated. Hoai Linh was very polite when sending invitations, welcoming me carefully. Maybe I can’t see him now, but every time I see him, he gives me money. Before, when he was not famous, Hoai Linh also sang in the Huynh Long troupe, so he called me “ma”. Most recently, NS Ngoc Huyen came back from the US and also stopped by here to light incense and send me some money.

– At this age of 86, do you still have unfulfilled wishes?

I still feel that living in this moment is the happiest. In the past, I was only famous for a while, but life was still miserable and had to take care of many things. During the war, it was very hard, if you don’t work, you won’t get any money to support your children. Currently, although I am still poor, my life is peaceful, so I am more comfortable and happier. Now I just try to eat as much as I can.

Many people say that they want me to live to 90, 100 years old, but I don’t want to because the longer I live, the more miserable it becomes. Now I just hope that God loves me and lets me win the lottery so I can have a decent house. I’m not afraid of suffering, but I’m just worried that when I die, who will pay the rent for my son? I just hope that by the time I die, I can have a house so that my children and grandchildren no longer have to live in rent.