Vietnamese star lacks screentime in new Hollywood film

In this movie about the battle between humans and AI, Van plays the role of the android Kami. She did not put any lofty expectations on this supporting role, she said, explaining that she knew many of her scenes could be cut.

"Although I only appeared fleetingly, I still hope my character will leave some impression," she said. In her previous movies Star Wars and The Old Guard, Van’s characters were also not given much screen time.

According to Van, few Asian actors have the opportunity to shine in Hollywood movies. She feels lucky to have an American agency to support her in choosing the right script.

"I’m still taking small steps to prove my worth," she said. "Being able to appear in prominent projects is a chance for me to reflect and plan my next steps."

In the process of filming The Creator, the leading lady action star said she had spoken at length with director Gareth Edwards about adding depth to her character.

At first, Kami only had a few lines in English until Van asked for some Vietnamese lines to be added.

"Whenever I’m in an international film, I usually find any opportunity to express myself as an actress from Vietnam. I jokingly call it adding some ‘fish sauce’ into my performance. For example, I suggested changing the character’s name to a Vietnamese name," she said.

For Van, age is not a barrier when it comes to developing her career in an international environment. The 44-year-old actress was inspired by many of her seniors in Hollywood, including Michelle Yeoh, who starred alongside her in "Crouching Tiger", "Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny" (2016).

Van was particularly emotional when Michelle Yeoh received the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2023.

She said she was particularly inspired when Yeoh said in her speech: "And ladies, don’t let anybody tell you that you are ever past your prime."

After finishing "The Creator", Van said she had yet to think about acting in a science fiction film in Vietnam, as such movies rely on both technology and screenwriting. "I don’t have any new plans at the moment. I’m just enjoying married life and focusing on my family," she said.

In "The Creator", Ngo Thanh Van appears in three scenes. Her character Kami has some interaction with the main character, the android Alfie (played by Madeleine Yuna Voyles), and acts as her maternal figure.

At the end of the film’s pre-release screening for the press at HCMC on Sept. 25, the audience was delighted at the scenes where Kami spoke Vietnamese. For example, in one scene, she says in Vietnamese: "Here’s the money. Keep the change. Just leave."

Ngo Thanh Van was born in Tra Vinh Province and immigrated to Norway as a child. In 1999, she returned to Vietnam and began her career in the entertainment industry.

Starting in 2015, Van began cutting her teeth at film production, helping to create movies. She has appeared in many Hollywood movies, such as "Crouching Tiger", "Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny", "Bright", "Star Wars: The Last Jedi", "Da 5 Bloods", and "The Old Guard", all under the name Veronica Ngo.

"The Creator" is a story set in the future when artificial intelligence has taken over the world. At first, the AI was created to protect humankind. However, after the AI detonates a nuclear warhead in Los Angeles, the American government decides to classify the machines as a threat and establishes a force to destroy them.

Among the AI, Alfie is regarded as a superweapon that can destroy millions and threaten all of mankind. In a twist of events, Alfie falls into the hands of the male lead, the mercenary Joshua (John David Washington).

Now, they have to navigate this world as both the humans and AI hunt Alfie down in the hopes of using her to turn the tide of the war. The film also features performances from Ken Watanabe and Gemma Chan.