On screen, artist Giang Coi brought laughter and tears to audiences with his simple, tragic and comedic roles. Off screen, in his final years, the artist chose a life far from the city, enjoying the countryside but still harboring a passion for art.
the artist rose from the wild card
In his youth, Hanoi native Le Hong Giang (real name of artist Giang Coi) dreamed of becoming an actor. However, his modest height made him ineligible to apply. Luck smiled on him, and perhaps on Vietnamese audiences many decades later, when Le Hong Giang was allowed to take the exam and become a new student at the University of Stage and Cinema, in the same class as many big names such as director Bui Thac Chuyen or actress Chieu Xuan.
After graduating, artist Le Hong Giang worked as a freelance actor while continuing his studies as a director. He has acted in many television series that are loved by small screen audiences such asA Projector (2000),When the Birds Return (2003),White Road (2014)… In 2020, the artist played a ghost hunter in the movieThe Secret of the WindThe role marked artist Le Hong Giang's last appearance on the big screen.
In contrast to his humorous image on stage, the dramatic roles of actor Le Hong Giang are often the type of characters with unfortunate fates. However, the image of artist Le Hong Giang with roles that bring tears to the audience is somewhat unfamiliar to the general audience. The man truly left an impression in the memories of many generations when he stepped onto the comedy stage and became comedian Giang Coi.
Talking about the birth of comedian Giang Coi, we must mention the contribution of his colleague, also his most compatible co-star, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Tien Quang - also known by the stage name Quang Teo. Sharing about his close friend, Meritorious Artist Nguyen Tien Quang said: "When Giang finished studying at the Academy of Theatre and Cinema, he did not return to any unit to work but continued to study directing. Then fate made me and Giang become close friends. I pulled him into the comedy profession and until now, the audience still remembers the inseparable duo Giang Coi - Quang Teo".
On the comedy stage, Giang Coi and Quang Teo played the roles of two farmers who were not only ignorant but also jealous and always ready to take revenge on each other. This was a light satire of the bad habits of the Northern farmers, but at the same time depicted a part of their hard-working life as well as their desire to change their lives.
During his lifetime, besides his role as an actor, Giang Coi also devoted himself to behind-the-scenes film production. The artist was once the Director of the private company Hanoi Film Studio and cherished many long-running film projects. With concerns about problems in school life, artist Giang Coi made a 500-episode series entitledSchool DevilsHe is the one who wrote the script as well as directed.
a simple life
Despite receiving much attention and care from fans, in real life, artist Giang Coi is always secretive about his personal happiness. The audience knows that he has gone through two failed marriages and has four children. But the story surrounding those two failed marriages has never been revealed by the artist.
In 2015, when asked about his second wife, who was 25 years younger than him, artist Giang Coi only said that their marriage had ended. He took responsibility for his mistakes and did not share anything more. Since then, the audience has not seen artist Giang Coi mention his wife or his past marriage. The entire time of his life is devoted to his artistic work and his lush garden.
On January 15, not long after the news of artist Giang Coi having cancer was announced, the late artist shared an optimistic message on his fanpage: “Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural in life. God is so merciful that with my work intensity, I get sick at this age, so why complain? If I can't 'copy' or 'act', then I'll write. Criticism, scriptwriting, editing, as long as I can do my job, then my existence can be called 'living'.”
On screen, artist Giang Coi is associated with the roles of country people who are attached to their fields and gardens all year round. Off screen, in the last years of his life, the image he left in the hearts of the audience is also associated with the vast garden that he planted and cared for with his own hands.
During his lifetime, artist Giang Coi once shared with the press that he started to renovate the vacant land he owned into a farm in 2001. In 2011, artist Giang Coi officially moved here to live. Over the past decade, except for the times when he performed, made films or needed to go into the city to handle work, the artist's entire life was confined to this green space.
For the late artist, the farm was a source of pride that no material thing could measure. It was the land he had devoted so much effort to cultivating and building; a place to welcome and meet precious friends; a home to return to when tired and weary; and a place to unleash the creativity of an artist…
In the last years of his life, artist Giang Coi often shared with the audience simple stories that happened in his life. Today, the comedian recorded a video instructing the audience on how to grow lemons, another day, the artist sat down to tell stories about his loyal dogs… Those simple and rustic stories gave the audience the impression of an artist Giang Coi who was friendly, simple and close like a sincere neighbor.
The late artist's son shared: "In my father's will, he wanted to be buried with his guitar, cigar, his favorite song and the applause of his loved ones as a farewell. Complete - a life of dedication."
Farewell, late artist Giang Coi!
