وهناك من الجيل الثاني الفيتنامية الأمريكية ، داميان نجوين نشأ شعور محاصرين من قبل العالم القديم والعادات والتقاليد. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting without telling his parents. انتقل الى لوس انجليس لمتابعة يتصرف بدون علم والديه. Now an emotional new film has him searching for his identity once again, and sharing the screen with some of Hollywood’s major players. الآن عاطفية جديدة الفيلم له البحث عن هويته مرة أخرى ، وتقاسم الشاشة مع بعض من اللاعبين الرئيسيين في هوليوود.

In Hans Peter Molland’s new film, The Beautiful Country , Damien Nguyen plays the title role of Bình, a social outcast in Viet Nam who is called ugly and “bui doi” (less than dust) because of his mixed race. في هانز بيتر Molland الجديد للفيلم ، البلد الجميل ، داميان نجوين يلعب دور البطولة من بينه ، اجتماعية منبوذة في فييت نام هو الذي دعا والقبيح “بوي دوي” (أقل من الغبار) بسبب وضعه الأعراق المختلطة. Bình travels from Viet Nam to Malaysia to New York City, and eventually makes his way to Texas, where he is reunited with his American father. بينه يسافر من فييت نام إلى ماليزيا لمدينة نيويورك ، ويجعل في نهاية المطاف في طريقه الى تكساس ، حيث انه لم شملهم مع نظيره الأمريكي الأب.

Damien’s own experience was less traumatic. داميان نفسه تجربة كان أقل من صدمة. In many ways, he is a typical Gen X Vietnamese American. في نواح عديدة ، وهو جنرال النموذجية العاشر الفيتنامية الأمريكية. Damien’s parents came to the United States from Viet Nam when he was 3. داميان والدي جاء الى الولايات المتحدة من فيتنام عندما كان 3. Although they settled in Orange County, Damien spent most of his youth outside of Little Saigon, and had little understanding of Vietnamese culture. على الرغم من أنها استقرت في مقاطعة أورانج ، داميان قضى معظم شبابه خارج من ليتل سايغون ، وكان القليل من فهم الثقافة الفيتنامية.

Yet his passion for acting has led him to become reacquainted with his Vietnamese roots. ومع حبه لبالنيابة عنه وقد أدى إلى أن تصبح محاط علما مع جذور الفيتنامية. Damien’s title role in the film The Beautiful Country gave him a chance to relearn Vietnamese, and immersed him in the daily realities of living in Viet Nam. داميان عنوان دور في فيلم البلد الجميل وقدم له فرصة لتتعلم الفيتنامية ، ومغمورة له في الواقع اليومي من الذين يعيشون في فييت نام. The experience has also given him a new awareness of his evolving identity. تجربة كما قدمت له وعيا جديدا من تطور الهوية.

Despite the film’s success, and the pressures of “making it” in fickle Tinseltown, Damien, with his chiseled face and handsome good looks, remains grounded. على الرغم من نجاح الفيلم ، وضغوط من “صنع” في تنسلتاون متقلب ، داميان ، مع محفور وجه وسيم تبدو جيدة ، لا تزال على الارض. Here, he talks to NHA about his acting career and working with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. هنا ، كان يتكلم بالنيابة عن الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان الوظيفي ، والعمل مع بعض من أكبر الأسماء في هوليوود. He also shares how The Beautiful Country helped him learn some things about himself and changed his perspective on life. كما أسهم كيفية البلد الجميل ساعدته فى معرفة بعض الأمور عن نفسه وتغيير وجهات نظره في الحياة.

NHA: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : هل تستطيع أن تخبرنا قليلا عن نفسك والخلفية الخاصة بك؟ How did you become interested in acting? كيف تصبح مهتمة في العمل؟

DN: I grew up in Orange County with six other siblings, my mom, dad, and grandmother, so it was a crowded house. DN : لقد نشأت في مقاطعة أورانج مع ستة آخرين من الأشقاء ، أمي ، أبي ، وجدة ، حتى أنها كانت مزدحمة المنزل. I did a lot of things most kids did growing up, surfing, sports, school, partying, etc. I was attending college at Cal State Fullerton when I first discovered acting. فعلت الكثير من الاشياء معظم الاطفال لم أشب عن الطوق ، تصفح ، الرياضة ، المدرسة ، التي يشارك فيها ، وما كان لي حضور في الكلية كال الدولة فوليرتون عندما اكتشفت أول بالنيابة. I needed to fulfill an elective so I took a theatre class. كنت بحاجة لانجاز اختيارية حتى أخذت مسرح الطبقة. My first choices were ceramics and drawing but those classes were closed, so it was by chance that I got involved in acting. بلادي أول الخيارات والسيراميك ورسم ولكن هذه الطبقات كانت مغلقة ، لذلك كان من قبيل المصادفة أن حصلت على المشاركة في العمل. I really felt a great connection to acting from the start, but it was only a hobby at first. لقد شعرت فعلا كبير الصدد إلى يتصرف من البداية ، لكنها كانت هواية فقط في البداية. I continued to take theatre classes at a local junior college (Orange Coast College). After a few more classes I realized that it was a lot more than just a hobby. واصلت لاتخاذ مسرح محلي في صفوف صغار الكلية (كلية أورانج الساحل). وبعد بضعة فصول أدركت أنه كان كثيرا أكثر من مجرد هواية. So I dropped out of school, moved to Los Angeles and pursued the lifestyle of a struggling actor. حتى أنا تسربوا من المدارس ، وانتقلت الى لوس انجليس ، والسعي إلى أسلوب حياة مناضل فاعل. I’ve been going at it for seven years now. لقد الذهاب في ذلك لمدة سبع سنوات الآن.

NHA: You recently had a lead role in The Beautiful Country , co-starring with Nick Nolte, Bai Ling, and Tim Roth. Was this your first lead role? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : أنت في الآونة الأخيرة قد يؤدي دورا قياديا في البلد الجميل ، والمشاركة في بطولة مع نيك نوتل ، باي لينغ ، وتيم روث. فهل كان هذا الدور القيادي الأول الخاص بك؟ What are some other roles you’ve played? ما هي بعض الأدوار الأخرى التي قمت لعب؟

DN: The Beautiful Country was my first opportunity to be the lead, but hopefully not my last. DN : البلد الجميل كان لي أول فرصة لتكون الرائدة ، ولكن نأمل أن لا بلدي الماضي. Before this, I really had just bit parts here and there. قبل هذا ، أنا حقا كان قليلا فقط أجزاء هنا وهناك. I’d done a guest star spot on a TV show called 10-8 about cops on patrol, where I played a gangster. فما استقاموا لكم فاستقيموا لهم القيام به ضيفا على الفور نجم تلفزيوني ودعا 10-8 عن رجال شرطة في دورية ، حيث لعبت العصابات. I was on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries where I played a man who was murdered. كنت على الحلقة التي لم تحل الألغاز حيث لعبت الرجل الذي اغتيل. I had done music videos, and a lot of student films, so you could say that The Beautiful Country was my big break. أنا فعلت الموسيقى وأشرطة الفيديو ، وطالب الكثير من الأفلام ، لذلك يمكن القول ان البلد الجميل كان بلدي كسر كبير.

NHA: Can you give readers the premise of The Beautiful Country and describe the character that you played? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : هل تستطيع إعطاء القراء فرضية من البلد الجميل ووصف طابع لكم أن تلعبه؟

DN: The movie is about a young man named Bình who is the product of the Viet Nam War, born to an American father and a Vietnamese mother. DN : هو فيلم عن شاب يدعى بينه الذي هو نتاج للحرب فييت نام ، ولدت لأمريكا الأب والأم الفيتنامية. My father in the movie disappears one day and left me with my mother. والدي في فيلم يختفي يوم واحد وترك لي مع والدتي. After the war, I am taken away from her as punishment for fraternizing with the enemy. وبعد الحرب ، وأنا أبعد منها على سبيل العقاب ليختلط مع العدو. I’m forced to live with a foster family that does not want me. أنا اضطر إلى العيش مع أسرة حاضنة التي لا تريد لي. I’m raised in a very bad environment. أنا التي أثيرت في بيئة سيئة للغاية. All I know about love is a picture that I have of my mother, father, and me as a child standing in front of a barbershop. كل ما اعرفه عن الحب هو الصورة التي لدي من أمي ، الأب ، ولي وهو طفل يقف امام من الغناء. As I come of age as a young man, I am forced to leave my foster home. وكما قلت تأتي من العمر عندما كان شابا ، وأنا اضطر لترك بلدي تعزيز المنزل. So I go to the city in search of my mother. حتى أذهب إلى المدينة بحثا عن أمي. I find her in the city, and come to learn of the existence of a half brother. أجد لها في المدينة ، وتأتي لمعرفة من وجود نصف الشقيق. But trouble soon finds me in the city and I’m forced to leave again, but this time with my half brother. ولكن المشاكل سرعان ما يجد لي في مدينة وانا اضطر الى الخروج منها مرة أخرى ، لكن هذه المرة مع الاخ غير الشقيق لبلدي. We find a boat to take us to America, but it ends up shipwrecked in Malaysia. ونحن نجد قارب لنقلنا الى أمريكا ، لكنه ينتهي من السفن الغارقة في ماليزيا. We are forced into a refugee camp, where I meet my love interest played by the beautiful Bai Ling. نحن مضطرون إلى مخيم للاجئين ، حيث يجتمع حبي الأول الذي تضطلع به مصلحة جميلة باي لينغ. We develop a relationship of sorts, and she helps us to escape the camp. نحن إقامة علاقة من نوع ما ، وأنها تساعدنا على الفرار من المخيم. We find our way onto another bigger boat, which is supposed to take us to America. ونحن نجد لنا اقتحموا اكبر قارب آخر ، الذي يفترض فيه ان يأخذ لنا لأمريكا. The boat is under the control of a deviant captain played by Tim Roth. القارب هو تحت سيطرة قائد أ المنحرف الذي تضطلع به تيم روث. We endure much suffering and many trials on this passage to America. نحن تحمل الكثير من المعاناة والعديد من المحاكمات على هذا المقطع لأمريكا. When we finally arrive on American عندما يصل في النهاية نحن على أمريكا

شواطئ ، ونحن على بيع تعاقديا الخدمة لسداد ديوننا لهذه الرحلة. انا المحاصرين في الحب مع شخصية باي لينغ ، ولكن حان لفهم أنه لا يمكن أبدا. So I make my final journey to Texas to find my father played by Nick Nolte, to find out why he left my mother and me so long ago. حتى يمكنني أن أجعل النهائي رحلة الى تكساس لإيجاد والدي الذي تضطلع به نيك نوتل ، لمعرفة لماذا تركت والدتي ولي ذلك منذ فترة طويلة.

NHA: How did you get involved with The Beautiful Country ? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : كيف التورط مع البلد الجميل؟

DN: As a struggling actor, you just don’t have a lot of choices in the roles that you play. This project came along and I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the part. DN : ونتيجة لتكافح فاعلة ، انك لا تملك الكثير من الخيارات في الأدوار التي تقوم به لكم. وهذا المشروع جاء على طول وكنت محظوظا بما فيه الكفاية ليتم اختيار لجزء. I did have to go to the audition and meet with the director on several occasions to convince him that I was the right guy for the job. لقد فعلت الذهاب إلى الاختبار ويجتمع مع المدير في مناسبات عدة لاقناعه أن الأول هو الرجل المناسب لهذا المنصب.

NHA: Perseverance paid off for you. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : المثابرة يسدد لك. How was it working with heavyweights like Nick Nolte, Tim Roth, and Bai Ling? كيف كان العمل مع الضخمة مثل نيك نوتل ، تيم روث ، وباي لينغ؟ What was the atmosphere on the set like? ما هو الجو على مثل مجموعة؟

DN: Working with Nick, Tim, and Bai was great. DN : العمل مع نيك ، تيم ، وكان باى كبيرة. They all were very generous with their time, advice, and support. وهي كلها كانت سخية جدا مع الوقت ، وتقديم المشورة ، والدعم. They all helped me in their own special way to bring the character of Bình to life. انهم جميع ساعدني في مصالحها الخاصة وسيلة لايصال الطابع بينه في الحياة. Working with them was always a new adventure every day. العمل معهم كان دائما مغامرة جديدة كل يوم. You just didn’t know what was going to happen. أنت فقط لا يعرف ما سيحدث.

NHA: In previous interviews, you mentioned a quiet strength that your character projected in the film. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : في المقابلات السابقة ، ذكرتم أن قوة هادئة الطابع الخاص بك المتوقعة في الفيلم. How much do you (Damien Nguyen) relate to your character Bình? كم لكم (داميان نغوين (تتصل بينه الطابع الخاص بك؟

DN: The quiet strength that my character Bình possesses is a rare quality that you just don’t see in average people in everyday life. DN : القوة الهادئة أن بلدي هو الطابع بينه يمتلك نوعية نادرة انك لا نرى في المتوسط الناس في الحياة اليومية. He has that rare spirit that if you are lucky enough to come across it you consider yourself very fortunate to know this person, if only for a short while. انه من النادر أن الروح إذا كنت محظوظا بما فيه الكفاية لأنها تأتي عبر تعتبرون نفسك محظوظة جدا لمعرفة هذا الشخص ، ولو لفترة قصيرة. I wish I could say that I was very much like Bình, but I suffer too from the trappings in life. كان بودي أن أقول أن الأول كان يشبه كثيرا بينه ، لكني أيضا تعاني من زخارف في الحياة. I get impatient. أحصل على الصبر. Sometimes, I get angry in traffic. أحيانا ، أنا تغضب في حركة المرور. And sometimes I’m petty. وأحيانا أنا صغيرة. I wish I could be more like Bình and share his strength. أتمنى أن تكون أكثر مثل نصيب بينه وقوته.

NHA: What has being in The Beautiful Country taught you? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : إن ما يجري في البلد الجميل هل تعلم؟

DN: Being in the film has shown me how fortunate I am to live the life that I have. DN : إذ في الفيلم وقد أظهرت لي كيف أنا محظوظة ليعيش حياة أن لدي. There are so many people in the world that suffer so much on a regular basis. We have so much. هناك الكثير من الناس في العالم التي تعاني من الكثير على أساس منتظم. لدينا الكثير. Sometimes it’s hard to keep perspective on that, because we live in a society that always wants more, a society of consumerism. أحيانا أنه من الصعب إبقاء على أن منظور ، لأننا نعيش في مجتمع دائما تريد المزيد ، والنزعة الاستهلاكية للمجتمع.

NHA: You were born in Viet Nam and left at the age of 3. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : أنت ولدت في فييت نام وترك في سن 3 سنوات. Your Vietnamese in the film was flawless. الفيتنامية الخاصة بك في الفيلم كان لا تشوبه شائبة. Did you have a speech coach? هل لديك كلمة مدرب؟

DN: Thank you for complimenting my Vietnamese [laughs]. DN : شكرا على المدح بلدي الفيتنامية [يضحك]. I thought my Vietnamese was okay. اعتقدت الفيتنامية كان بلدي بخير. And yes, I did work a lot with a speech coach. ونعم ، فعلت الكثير العمل مع كلمة مدرب. I didn’t have to learn the whole language but the director was adamant that I try to get the pronunciation of the words as authentic as possible. لم يكن لدي لتعلم اللغة كامل ولكن المدير كان يصر على أن أحاول الحصول على نطق الكلمات كما في الحجية ممكن. He assigned me a speech coach, and I’d spend hours every day just having conversations with people on the streets and such to build on that. وقال اتاحوا لي كلمة مدرب ، وكنت كل يوم يمضي ساعات فقط بعد حوارات مع الناس في الشوارع ومثل هذا البناء على ذلك.

NHA: For this movie, filming locations were New York, Texas, and Viet Nam. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : وبالنسبة لهذا الفيلم ، كان يصور مواقع نيويورك ، تكساس ، وفييت نام. Had you been back to Viet Nam before? لو كنت في العودة إلى فييت نام من قبل؟ What was the experience like for you? ما هو تجربة مثل للكم؟ Did it change your acting in any way? هل تغير التصرف بأي طريقة؟

DN: This was my first time back in Viet Nam since I was a child. DN : كانت هذه أول مرة أزور فيها يعود في فييت نام منذ كنت طفلا. At first, I was very hesitant to be there. في البداية ، كنت مترددة جدا ليكون هناك. I was very afraid of not being able to acclimate to being in Viet Nam, and it showed in the character I was playing, making the character not believable. كنت خائفة جدا من عدم القدرة على تأقلم ليجري في فييت نام ، وأنها أظهرت في الطابع الأول كان اللعب ، مما يجعل الطابع لا للاعتقاد. But after a couple of weeks I got past that and it became one of the best experiences of my life, personally and professionally. ولكن بعد بضعة اسابيع حصلت في الماضي أن أصبح واحدا من أفضل التجارب في حياتي ، شخصيا ومهنيا. Being in Viet Nam was completely necessary for me to play Bình, and allowed me to give him a life that couldn’t have happened anywhere else. ويجري في فييت نام وكان من الضروري تماما بالنسبة لي أن ألعب بينه ، وسمح لي لمنحه الحياة لا يمكن أن يحدث في أي مكان آخر.

NHA: The number of films made by Vietnamese American directors and producers has increased significantly in the last few years. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : عدد من الأفلام التي قدمتها الإدارة الأمريكية الفيتنامية والمنتجين زيادة كبيرة في السنوات القليلة الماضية. Vietnamese American actors are also gaining tremendous support from the community. الفيتنامية الأمريكية الجهات الفاعلة هي أيضا الحصول على دعم هائل من المجتمع. VIFF (Vietnamese International Film Festival) is now a biennial event. VIFF (الفيتنامية مهرجان السينمائي الدولي) هو الآن كل سنتين. Have you been involved with VIFF in the past? هل شاركت مع VIFF في الماضي؟ Do you plan to work with Vietnamese Diaspora filmmakers? هل خطة للعمل مع صناع السينما الفيتنامية الشتات؟

DN: I haven’t been involved with the VIFF community in the past and was not aware of them until you just mentioned it in this interview. DN : أنا لم يشاركوا مع VIFF المجتمع في الماضي وليس لديه علم لهم حتى مجرد ذكر أنه في هذه المقابلة. As far as working with any filmmaker in the future, I think it will depend on the quality of the project and story. وفيما يتعلق بالعمل مع أي مخرج في المستقبل ، وأعتقد أنه سوف يعتمد على نوعية المشروع وقصة.

NHA: Does being Vietnamese American affect your acting career in any way? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : هل يجري الفيتنامية الأمريكية تؤثر في حسابك مهنة بأي شكل من الأشكال؟

DN: Being in this profession is very difficult, and being a Vietnamese American is even that more difficult. DN : إذ في هذه المهنة من الصعب جدا ، وكونها الفيتنامية أن أمريكا هي حتى أكثر صعوبة. The quantity and quality of roles for ethnic actors are very limited. كمية ونوعية لأدوار الجهات الفاعلة العرقية هي محدودة جدا. But I think that’s slowly beginning to change. ولكن اعتقد ان هذا بدأ يتغير ببطء.

NHA: You mentioned that The Beautiful Country gave you new perspectives on being Vietnamese American and on life in general. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : أنت ويذكر أن البلد الجميل منحكم منظورات جديدة بشأن يجري الفيتنامية الأمريكية وعلى الحياة بشكل عام. Can you elaborate on that? هل يمكنك توضيح ذلك؟

DN: Being in the movie has opened my horizons. DN : كونها في بلادي الفيلم قد فتحت آفاقا. I’ve been able to travel abroad to film festivals and do press junkets. لقد تمكنت من السفر إلى الخارج لالمهرجانات السينمائية والقيام الصحافة الحلويات. I’ve met people from all over the world who have shared their thoughts about the movie, and all these experiences I will always hold dear to me in my heart. لقد اجتمع الناس من جميع أنحاء العالم الذين تقاسم أفكارهم عن الفيلم ، وجميع هذه التجارب سوف دائما العزيزة لي في قلبي.

Damien Nguyen [p.3] داميان نجوين [p.3]
1 1 | 2 2 | 3 3 NHA: Being a second-generation Vietnamese American, what are your thoughts about having dual cultures and identities? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : ونظرا لأن الجيل الثاني الفيتنامية الأمريكية ، ما هي أفكارك عن وجود الثقافات والهويات المزدوجة؟ Do these issues influence you or your work? هل لهذه القضايا تأثير أو لكم عملكم؟

DN: Being second-generation Vietnamese American has always been an interesting experience. DN : كونها من الجيل الثاني الفيتنامية الأمريكية كانت دائما تجربة مثيرة للاهتمام. When I was growing up, I always felt trapped by the Old World customs and traditions. Trying to find my identity in this new world was hard when I felt labeled a certain way because of how I looked, talked, and dressed. Then when I became older, I began to wonder why I never took the time to really understand all those things, like my family and my ancestors, the things that made me who I really am. عندما كنت أشب عن الطوق ، لقد شعرت دائما محاصرين من قبل العالم القديم والعادات والتقاليد. محاولة ايجاد هوية بلدي في هذا العالم الجديد كان من الصعب عندما شعرت بأنها بطريقة معينة بسبب الطريقة التي نظرت ، تحدث ، ويرتدون ملابس. ثم عندما الأول وأصبح كبار السن ، بدأت اتساءل لماذا لم يجر قط في الوقت حقا لفهم كل تلك الاشياء ، مثل عائلتي وأجدادي ، والامور التي جعلتني الذي أنا حقا الساعة. However, as an actor, I really am given ومع ذلك ، كعنصر فاعل ، أنا حقا أشعر نظرا لل
a chance to search, to some degree, for who I really am. فرصة للبحث ، إلى حد ما ، الذي لفعلا الساعة الأول. I realized it is possible for me to find the characters that I portray within myself. أدركت أنه من الممكن بالنسبة لي أن تجد الشخصيات التي تصور داخل نفسي.

NHA: How do your parents feel about your acting career? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : وكيف يشعر الاهل لديك مهنة؟
Were they happy about your involvement with The Beautiful Country ? كانوا سعداء لديك مشاركة مع البلد الجميل؟

DN: My parents were very skeptical at first when I decided to pursue acting as a career. DN : والدي كان متشككا جدا في البداية عندما قررت مواصلة العمل الوظيفي. I knew this, so I didn’t even tell them that I had dropped out of college until a week before I moved to Los Angeles. كنت أعرف هذا ، حتى لم أكن حتى أن يقول لهم إن كنت قد تسربوا من الكلية حتى قبل اسبوع انتقلت الى لوس انجليس. Things have changed. الأمور تغيرت. My parents are very proud of me now. والدي فخورون جدا لي الآن. I think that the whole acting thing is beginning to settle in for them. اعتقد ان كل شيء هو يتصرف بداية لتسوية في للهم.

NHA: How has your life changed with the success of the film? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : كيف تغيرت حياتك مع نجاح الفيلم؟ What’sa typical day like for you now? What’sa في اليوم العادي مثل للكم الآن؟

DN: Life after the film is very much like life before the film. DN : الحياة بعد الفيلم تشبه إلى حد كبير في الحياة قبل الفيلم. There is very little certainty in this industry. وهناك القليل جدا من اليقين في هذه الصناعة. If you want to succeed, you need to hustle and do whatever that is required of you, so that you’ll be around tomorrow. إذا كنت تريد أن تنجح ، تحتاج إلى صخب والقيام بكل ما ما هو مطلوب منكم ، ذلك أن عليك أن يكون حول الغد. Because of that, I still go to auditions and meet people for possible jobs. I guess I’m just fortunate, now the people that I meet are people who can help my career along. وبسبب ذلك ، ما زلت أذهب الى الاختبارات ويجتمع الناس لاحتمال وظائف. أعتقد أنا فقط من حسن الحظ ، فإن الناس الآن أن ألتقي الناس الذين يمكن أن تساعد على طول حياتي المهنية.

NHA: You’re currently represented by US Talent. الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : أنت ممثلة حاليا من جانب الولايات المتحدة والمواهب. Do you find that having an agent is absolutely necessary in Hollywood? هل تجد أن لها وكيل من الضروري تماما في هوليوود؟

DN: Yes, I’m represented by US Talent. Without their help and support, I don’t think that I would have had the success that I’ve had. DN : نعم ، أنا ممثلة الولايات المتحدة المواهب. وبدون مساعدتها ودعمها ، ولا أعتقد أن الأول كان من شأنه أن يساعد النجاح الذي اشعر به. Having representation in the industry is imperative, especially good representation. وبعد أن التمثيل في هذه الصناعة أمر حتمي ، ولا سيما حسن التمثيل. It’s the formula right now in the industry. انها صيغة الحق الآن في هذه الصناعة. Maybe that will change someday. ربما من شأنها أن تغير يوما ما. For now, if you’re an actor, you better hope that there are people looking out for you. لالآن ، إذا كنت فاعلا ، ولكم أفضل الأمل في أن هناك أشخاصا يبحثون عن لكم.

NHA: What do you think about Hollywood’s racial stereotypes? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : ما رأيك في هوليوود العنصري والأفكار النمطية؟

DN: Hollywood is a business. DN : هوليوود هي الأعمال التجارية. It puts out products that have shown to make money. يضع خارج المنتجات التي أظهرت لكسب المال. It probably will continue to use that same formula. ومن المحتمل أن تواصل استخدام نفس الصيغة. It is my job and the job of other ethnic actors to change that. ومن وظيفتي والوظائف العرقية الأخرى من الجهات الفاعلة لتغيير هذا. We are the ones who will direct Hollywood onto a different course, a course with many different ethnicities and perspectives. ونحن الذين سوف المباشر هوليوود في الصعود إلى مختلف بطبيعة الحال ، بطبيعة الحال مع العديد من مختلف الأعراق والمنظورات. Hollywood will have no choice but to recognize us. هوليوود فلن يكون أمامنا خيار سوى الاعتراف لنا.

NHA: What is your idea of a perfect role? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : ما هي فكرتك مثالية للدور؟

DN: I don’t know what a perfect role would be. DN : لا أدري ما دور مثالية سيكون. I just hope that the next role will be the perfect role for me at that time. أتمنى أن الدور القادم سوف يكون مثاليا للدور لي في ذلك الوقت.

NHA: What advice do you have for aspiring actors? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : ما النصيحة التي لديكم لتطمح الجهات الفاعلة؟

DN: My first advice to an aspiring actor is to be passionate about everything that you do. DN : بلادي أول المشورة لطموح هو الفاعل ليكون هذا التعاطف مع كل ما عليك القيام به. Because it may be a while before anything happens. لأنه قد يكون بعض الوقت قبل أي شيء يحدث. Be the best at everything that you are doing at the time on the road to your big opportunity, so that when it finally happens, you’ll be you’ve learned up to that point will be talents, resources, and skills at your disposal. My second advice is to be patient. يكون أفضل في كل ما تقومون به في ذلك الوقت على الطريق الى حسابك فرصة كبيرة ، حتى أنه عندما يحدث أخيرا ، سوف يكون لك المستفادة حتى ذلك الوقت سيكون المواهب ، والموارد ، والمهارات تحت تصرفكم . تعليقي الثاني هو تقديم المشورة الى التحلي بالصبر.

NHA: What are your interests outside of acting? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : ما هي اهتماماتك خارج العمل؟

DN: Outside of acting, I enjoy sports, especially surfing and basketball. DN : من يتصرف خارج ، واتحملها الرياضة ، وخاصة في تصفح الانترنت وكرة السلة. I enjoy spending time with my friends and doing simple things like going to dinner or a movie. On occasion I still enjoy going out dancing and being a little crazy. I think it’s nice to have that outlet. أنا أستمتع إنفاق الوقت مع أصدقائي وتفعل اشياء بسيطة مثل تناول العشاء أو الذهاب إلى السينما. وفي هذه المناسبة ما زلت تتمتع الخروج والرقص ويجري مجنون قليلا. اعتقد انه من الجميل أن يكون منفذ.

NHA: Are you in a committed relationship? الهيئة الوطنية للإسكان : هل ارتكبت في العلاقة؟

DN: No, I’m not in a committed relationship. DN : لا ، أنا لست ملتزما في العلاقة.

NHA: I’m sure that’ll make a lot of female fans out there happy. الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : أنا متأكد أن سوف يجعل الكثير من الإناث المشجعين هناك سعيدة. Another personal question, where do you want to be in 10 years? آخر مسألة شخصية ، حيث أنك تريد أن تكون في 10 سنوات؟

DN: In 10 years, I don’t really know where I’ll be. DN : في 10 سنوات ، أنا حقا لا نعرف أين سأكون. I just hope that it’s in a good place. If I’m still in Hollywood plugging away, I hope that I’ll still love doing it then too. أتمنى انه في مكان جيد. إذا ما زلت في طريقي في هوليوود ، وآمل أن الحب لا يزال سوف نفعل ذلك بعد ذلك أيضا.

NHA: What projects are you working on now? الهيئة الوطنية للصحة : ما هي المشاريع التي تعملون عليها حاليا؟

DN: Right now I’m in meetings with a lot of different studios and people to work on the next step in my career. DN : الحق الآن انا في لقاءات مع الكثير من الناس واستديوهات مختلفة للعمل على الخطوة التالية في حياتي المهنية. I guess you could say that I’m navigating the waters carefully before I decide to settle in. أعتقد يمكن أن أقول لكم أن أنا الملاحة في المياه بعناية قبل اتخاذ قرار لتسوية فيها.

by DO LE ANHDAO

photos courtesy of DAMIEN NGUYEN
1 | 2 | 3 A second-generation Vietnamese American, Damien Nguyen grew up feeling trapped by Old World customs and traditions. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting without telling his parents. Now an emotional new film has him searching for his identity once again, and sharing the screen with some of Hollywood’s major players.

In Hans Peter Molland’s new film, The Beautiful Country, Damien Nguyen plays the title role of Bình, a social outcast in Viet Nam who is called ugly and “bui doi” (less than dust) because of his mixed race. Bình travels from Viet Nam to Malaysia to New York City, and eventually makes his way to Texas, where he is reunited with his American father.

Damien’s own experience was less traumatic. In many ways, he is a typical Gen X Vietnamese American. Damien’s parents came to the United States from Viet Nam when he was 3. Although they settled in Orange County, Damien spent most of his youth outside of Little Saigon, and had little understanding of Vietnamese culture.

Yet his passion for acting has led him to become reacquainted with his Vietnamese roots. Damien’s title role in the film The Beautiful Country gave him a chance to relearn Vietnamese, and immersed him in the daily realities of living in Viet Nam. The experience has also given him a new awareness of his evolving identity.

Despite the film’s success, and the pressures of “making it” in fickle Tinseltown, Damien, with his chiseled face and handsome good looks, remains grounded. Here, he talks to NHA about his acting career and working with some of Hollywood’s biggest names. He also shares how The Beautiful Country helped him learn some things about himself and changed his perspective on life.

NHA: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and your background? How did you become interested in acting?

DN: I grew up in Orange County with six other siblings, my mom, dad, and grandmother, so it was a crowded house. I did a lot of things most kids did growing up, surfing, sports, school, partying, etc. I was attending college at Cal State Fullerton when I first discovered acting. I needed to fulfill an elective so I took a theatre class. My first choices were ceramics and drawing but those classes were closed, so it was by chance that I got involved in acting. I really felt a great connection to acting from the start, but it was only a hobby at first. I continued to take theatre classes at a local junior college (Orange Coast College). After a few more classes I realized that it was a lot more than just a hobby. So I dropped out of school, moved to Los Angeles and pursued the lifestyle of a struggling actor. I’ve been going at it for seven years now.

NHA: You recently had a lead role in The Beautiful Country, co-starring with Nick Nolte, Bai Ling, and Tim Roth. Was this your first lead role? What are some other roles you’ve played?

DN:The Beautiful Country was my first opportunity to be the lead, but hopefully not my last. Before this, I really had just bit parts here and there. I’d done a guest star spot on a TV show called 10-8 about cops on patrol, where I played a gangster. I was on an episode of Unsolved Mysterieswhere I played a man who was murdered. I had done music videos, and a lot of student films, so you could say that The Beautiful Country was my big break.

NHA: Can you give readers the premise of The Beautiful Country and describe the character that you played?

DN: The movie is about a young man named Bình who is the product of the Viet Nam War, born to an American father and a Vietnamese mother. My father in the movie disappears one day and left me with my mother. After the war, I am taken away from her as punishment for fraternizing with the enemy. I’m forced to live with a foster family that does not want me. I’m raised in a very bad environment. All I know about love is a picture that I have of my mother, father, and me as a child standing in front of a barbershop. As I come of age as a young man, I am forced to leave my foster home. So I go to the city in search of my mother. I find her in the city, and come to learn of the existence of a half brother. But trouble soon finds me in the city and I’m forced to leave again, but this time with my half brother. We find a boat to take us to America, but it ends up shipwrecked in Malaysia. We are forced into a refugee camp, where I meet my love interest played by the beautiful Bai Ling. We develop a relationship of sorts, and she helps us to escape the camp. We find our way onto another bigger boat, which is supposed to take us to America. The boat is under the control of a deviant captain played by Tim Roth. We endure much suffering and many trials on this passage to America. When we finally arrive on American

Damien Nguyen [p.2]
1 | 2 | 3 shores, we are sold as indentured servants to pay off our debt for the trip. I’m caught up in love with Bai Ling’s character, but come to understand that it can never be. So I make my final journey to Texas to find my father played by Nick Nolte, to find out why he left my mother and me so long ago.

NHA: How did you get involved with The Beautiful Country?

DN: As a struggling actor, you just don’t have a lot of choices in the roles that you play. This project came along and I was fortunate enough to be chosen for the part. I did have to go to the audition and meet with the director on several occasions to convince him that I was the right guy for the job.

NHA: Perseverance paid off for you. How was it working with heavyweights like Nick Nolte, Tim Roth, and Bai Ling? What was the atmosphere on the set like?

DN: Working with Nick, Tim, and Bai was great. They all were very generous with their time, advice, and support. They all helped me in their own special way to bring the character of Bình to life. Working with them was always a new adventure every day. You just didn’t know what was going to happen.

NHA: In previous interviews, you mentioned a quiet strength that your character projected in the film. How much do you (Damien Nguyen) relate to your character Bình?

DN: The quiet strength that my character Bình possesses is a rare quality that you just don’t see in average people in everyday life. He has that rare spirit that if you are lucky enough to come across it you consider yourself very fortunate to know this person, if only for a short while. I wish I could say that I was very much like Bình, but I suffer too from the trappings in life. I get impatient. Sometimes, I get angry in traffic. And sometimes I’m petty. I wish I could be more like Bình and share his strength.

NHA: What has being in The Beautiful Country taught you?

DN: Being in the film has shown me how fortunate I am to live the life that I have. There are so many people in the world that suffer so much on a regular basis. We have so much. Sometimes it’s hard to keep perspective on that, because we live in a society that always wants more, a society of consumerism.

NHA: You were born in Viet Nam and left at the age of 3. Your Vietnamese in the film was flawless. Did you have a speech coach?

DN: Thank you for complimenting my Vietnamese [laughs]. I thought my Vietnamese was okay. And yes, I did work a lot with a speech coach. I didn’t have to learn the whole language but the director was adamant that I try to get the pronunciation of the words as authentic as possible. He assigned me a speech coach, and I’d spend hours every day just having conversations with people on the streets and such to build on that.

NHA: For this movie, filming locations were New York, Texas, and Viet Nam. Had you been back to Viet Nam before? What was the experience like for you? Did it change your acting in any way?

DN: This was my first time back in Viet Nam since I was a child. At first, I was very hesitant to be there. I was very afraid of not being able to acclimate to being in Viet Nam, and it showed in the character I was playing, making the character not believable. But after a couple of weeks I got past that and it became one of the best experiences of my life, personally and professionally. Being in Viet Nam was completely necessary for me to play Bình, and allowed me to give him a life that couldn’t have happened anywhere else.

NHA: The number of films made by Vietnamese American directors and producers has increased significantly in the last few years. Vietnamese American actors are also gaining tremendous support from the community. VIFF (Vietnamese International Film Festival) is now a biennial event. Have you been involved with VIFF in the past? Do you plan to work with Vietnamese Diaspora filmmakers?

DN: I haven’t been involved with the VIFF community in the past and was not aware of them until you just mentioned it in this interview. As far as working with any filmmaker in the future, I think it will depend on the quality of the project and story.

NHA: Does being Vietnamese American affect your acting career in any way?

DN: Being in this profession is very difficult, and being a Vietnamese American is even that more difficult. The quantity and quality of roles for ethnic actors are very limited. But I think that’s slowly beginning to change.

NHA: You mentioned that The Beautiful Country gave you new perspectives on being Vietnamese American and on life in general. Can you elaborate on that?

DN: Being in the movie has opened my horizons. I’ve been able to travel abroad to film festivals and do press junkets. I’ve met people from all over the world who have shared their thoughts about the movie, and all these experiences I will always hold dear to me in my heart.

Damien Nguyen [p.3]
1 | 2 | 3 NHA: Being a second-generation Vietnamese American, what are your thoughts about having dual cultures and identities? Do these issues influence you or your work?

DN: Being second-generation Vietnamese American has always been an interesting experience. When I was growing up, I always felt trapped by the Old World customs and traditions. Trying to find my identity in this new world was hard when I felt labeled a certain way because of how I looked, talked, and dressed. Then when I became older, I began to wonder why I never took the time to really understand all those things, like my family and my ancestors, the things that made me who I really am. However, as an actor, I really am given
a chance to search, to some degree, for who I really am. I realized it is possible for me to find the characters that I portray within myself.

NHA: How do your parents feel about your acting career?
Were they happy about your involvement with The Beautiful Country?

DN: My parents were very skeptical at first when I decided to pursue acting as a career. I knew this, so I didn’t even tell them that I had dropped out of college until a week before I moved to Los Angeles. Things have changed. My parents are very proud of me now. I think that the whole acting thing is beginning to settle in for them.

NHA: How has your life changed with the success of the film? What’s a typical day like for you now?

DN: Life after the film is very much like life before the film. There is very little certainty in this industry. If you want to succeed, you need to hustle and do whatever that is required of you, so that you’ll be around tomorrow. Because of that, I still go to auditions and meet people for possible jobs. I guess I’m just fortunate, now the people that I meet are people who can help my career along.

NHA: You’re currently represented by US Talent. Do you find that having an agent is absolutely necessary in Hollywood?

DN: Yes, I’m represented by US Talent. Without their help and support, I don’t think that I would have had the success that I’ve had. Having representation in the industry is imperative, especially good representation. It’s the formula right now in the industry. Maybe that will change someday. For now, if you’re an actor, you better hope that there are people looking out for you.

NHA: What do you think about Hollywood’s racial stereotypes?

DN: Hollywood is a business. It puts out products that have shown to make money. It probably will continue to use that same formula. It is my job and the job of other ethnic actors to change that. We are the ones who will direct Hollywood onto a different course, a course with many different ethnicities and perspectives. Hollywood will have no choice but to recognize us.

NHA: What is your idea of a perfect role?

DN: I don’t know what a perfect role would be. I just hope that the next role will be the perfect role for me at that time.

NHA: What advice do you have for aspiring actors?

DN: My first advice to an aspiring actor is to be passionate about everything that you do. Because it may be a while before anything happens. Be the best at everything that you are doing at the time on the road to your big opportunity, so that when it finally happens, you’ll be you’ve learned up to that point will be talents, resources, and skills at your disposal. My second advice is to be patient.

NHA: What are your interests outside of acting?

DN: Outside of acting, I enjoy sports, especially surfing and basketball. I enjoy spending time with my friends and doing simple things like going to dinner or a movie. On occasion I still enjoy going out dancing and being a little crazy. I think it’s nice to have that outlet.

NHA: Are you in a committed relationship?

DN: No, I’m not in a committed relationship.

NHA: I’m sure that’ll make a lot of female fans out there happy. Another personal question, where do you want to be in 10 years?

DN: In 10 years, I don’t really know where I’ll be. I just hope that it’s in a good place. If I’m still in Hollywood plugging away, I hope that I’ll still love doing it then too.

NHA: What projects are you working on now?

DN: Right now I’m in meetings with a lot of different studios and people to work on the next step in my career. I guess you could say that I’m navigating the waters carefully before I decide to settle in.