Top Vietnamese boxer turns thespian villain

He is one of the fighters that face the main character Phi (played by actor Peter Pham) on his way to vengeance. With a strong physical and hard-hitting punches, Hoang's character causes a lot of difficulties for the protagonist in the movie.

Speaking about his celluloid debut, Hoang said: "When I was invited for a role in this movie, I thought it would be easy, but it was the opposite when I got on the set. I have found it quite difficult to act in this movie, because it requires a combination of many skills, not just fighting skills."

Director Phan Anh said casting skilled fighters was a priority for the movie, but they also have to practice acting to make it work.

"The Foggy Mountain" will also feature other martial arts experts like Simon Kook from Thailand, who starred in Hong Kong blockbuster "Ip Man 3" in 2015 and Wing Chun master Peter Pham. The film started shooting in mid-2019 in the Central Highlands and other places in Vietnam. Its main plot revolves around a retired pro fighter forced to get back on the ring by a criminal mob.

The 30-year-old Hoang is known as the king of Vietnamese boxing, having won the national title for 11 years straight. He clinched the gold medal at SEA Games 28 (2015) and silver at SEA Games 30 last year.

The highlight of his career also came in 2019 when Hoang became the first Vietnamese to win the World Boxing Association (WBA) belt in Southeast Asia after beating South Korean Gyu Huyn Lee.