From selfies to the silver screen, Ho Thu Anh’s journey into acting has been anything but conventional. In much the same way as she ventured into the world of high fashion and photo shoots, the Ho Chi Minh-based model-turned-actress made her acting debut on a whim. As she puts it, “I tend to say yes to new things.”
The camera adores her. Thu Anh’s ability to deliver edgy poses with ease belies years of experience in front of the lens. Her intuitive and cerebral approach allows her to seamlessly transition between characters and moods, often without much direction.
Whether wearing 12kg of firefighting gear in the TV series Towards The Fire or stepping into a soldier’s boots for the upcoming epic war movie Tunnels, she’s proving that saying “yes” can lead to extraordinary places.
How did you get started in acting?
Since I never thought I would be a model or actress one day, my career has been full of surprises. As a student at university, I studied hospitality and tourism management. After that, I worked as a hostess and waitress in a hotel, and in those days, I posted a lot of selfies on Instagram. Somehow, a photographer found me and asked me to do a shoot, and I tend to say yes to new things.
I want to try new things. It was how I got into modelling. It’s the same with acting, like when someone asked me if I wanted to try acting in music videos. I said, “Okay, why not?” So that’s the first time I tried acting. For my first movie, I got a role because I said yes to a casting. Luckily enough, I got the role, so I started from there till now.
What can you tell us about Towards The Fire?
It is a 10-part series for a streaming website in Vietnam. It’s about a group of firefighters, and I’m the only female firefighter. It focuses on their family life and how they sacrifice for the job. It was a meaningful project for me.
Filming was tough as I had little time to prepare for the role. I had to climb 25 floors wearing about 12kg of clothing and an oxygen tank on my first day of training for the part. Luckily, I do Muay Thai about three to five times every week, which helped significantly. My body eventually got used to the training.
How has your experience as a high fashion model influenced your approach to acting?
It helped significantly. As someone who has a lot of experience in front of the camera, I am not shy in front of it. I am very confident. The second most important thing is teamwork. It’s something I learned from doing photo shoots. Film sets are 10 or 20 times larger and more complicated, so teamwork is essential.
Do you have a memorable moment from your acting career that stands out?
Since I haven’t received any training as an actress, I’m always learning. There is always something new to learn on set every day. The process is so different from working on music videos, which focus more on creating beautiful images than acting.
There was one time, though, when I was on a music video with a rapper. Listening to those lyrics as he rapped close to my ears, I suddenly burst into tears. Because I know I can be vulnerable on set, it was a memorable moment for me. Being vulnerable and honest with yourself is so important for actors.
How do you usually prepare for a role?
There are many things to do to prepare for a role. For example, I put my other activities, such as modelling, on pause. I don’t take on modelling work or attend events during such a time. Secondly, I immerse myself in the character. Like, I want to know everything about my character—her background, relationships, how she moves her body or physical state, basically everything! Then, when I go on set, I try to forget everything I know and relax.
Describe the kinds of roles or genres you are most excited to explore as an actress.
I am open to anything. The characters in my roles tend to be based on my imagination, so I would like to act in a biographical movie about a real person. I’ve never tried playing someone real; I’d like to have that model as a reference.
If you could design your dream movie set, what would it look like?
It would take place inside an aeroplane. As I usually travel alone, I have a strong affinity for aeroplanes. Whenever I board one, I experience different emotions. I have time to think a lot because I cannot use my phone. Then, I might start to overthink the trip or the past. For instance, when I landed in Singapore, I was very excited and nervous at the same time.
What projects are you working on now?
I just finished filming Tunnels, which was about the Vietnam War in 1967. I played a soldier who hides underground in the Cu Chi tunnels to fight with the Americans. Special effects and equipment were required for the movie, such as guns, bombs, tanks, and helicopters, things that are rarely seen. Every day on set, there was a bomb sound, which made you feel like you were in a war. On set, we were in 1967, and then when you walked off, you were back in 2024. That was quite beautiful, I thought. The movie will be released on 30 April, 2025, and I can’t wait to watch it.
Photography Stefan Khoo
Styling Chia Wei Choong
Hair Sean Ang
Makeup Wee Ming Using Chanel Beauty
Manicure Rebecca Chuang/Fluttery Tips
Photography Assistant Alif
Fashion Assistant Julia Mae Wong
