VietNamNet Bridge - Pham Linh Dan has received the noble Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres Medal (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) of the French Government.

Linh Dan (first from the right).

From France, the famous actress informed VietNamNet of her good news. The medal awards ceremony was organized solemnly in Paris on April 5.

Since 1957 many world famous stars have received the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters medal, including legendary singer Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Hollywood stars George Clooney, Leonardo Di Caprio, Clint Eastwood, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Sharon Stone, Bruce Willis, etc.

She is known most for her role as an orphan of the Nguyen Dynasty adopted by a French plantation owner in the 1992 Oscar-winning French epic Indochine, starring alongside Catherine Deneuve. Linh Dan received a César nomination for most promising actress for that performance.

Despite appearing in a few other productions afterwards, Linh Dan eventually decided to take a decade off from acting, focusing instead on her studies. She studied commerce and worked as a senior marketing manager in Vietnam after graduation.

In 2005, Linh Dan made a return to acting with her role in the BAFTA and César winning French film The Beat That My Heart Skipped, opposite Romain Duris for which she was nominated again for the most promising actress César award and won.

Since then she has appeared in lead or supporting roles mostly in films such as Dante 01, Pars Vite et Reviens Tard (Have Mercy on Us All), Mr. Nobody, Le Bruit des Gens Autour, Le Bal des Actrices and Tout Ce qui Brille.

She starred in her first Vietnamese production when she appeared as Cam in the 2009 film Choi Voi (Adrift) by director Bui Thac Chuyen, which won the FIPRESCI award at the 66th Venice International Film Festival.

She had a cameo role in the 2010 Wachowski brothers produced action thriller Ninja Assassin, playing an assassin sent to kill the film’s hero played by the Korean singer Rain.

Linh Dan returned to Vietnam last October to attend the first Vietnam International Film Festival in Hanoi. She may play in another Vietnamese movie in the near future.

Hoang Vy