In 2005, the long road took her “home”: Vietnam, that is.

The land of her foremothers, Vietnam is still home to Quigley’s maternal half siblings, but she did not visit for family reasons.

With the country in full market-economy swing and large multinationals reaping the benefits of Vietnam’s two-decade-old reform process, Quigley was here not to find herself, but rather for a Louis Vuitton ad campaign.

By that time, Quigley had made a name for herself as an international model and actress, most notably after starring opposite Tom Cruise in “Mission Impossible III.” Her career has been on the rise ever since as she featured alongside Bruce Willis in “Live Free or Die Hard” and recently took the Chinese-epic movement by storm with roles in Daniel Lee’s “Three Kingdoms,” opposite Andy Lau, and in Tian Zhuangzhuang’s recent “The Warrior and the Wolf.”

An outspoken animal rights activist and PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) supporter, Quigley’s next Vietnam trip was worlds away from her mission for Louis Vuitton, a fashion line that has long been criticized by animal rights advocates for its fur products.

When Quigley arrived in her homeland once more in May 2009, it was as Animals Asia’s official Moon Bear Rescue Ambassador for Vietnam. During the trip she spoke out against the cruel bear bile trade in the country.

She told local media she was happy and proud to be Vietnamese and vowed to return in the not-too-distant future.

Playing his part

Considered one of Hollywood’s premiere Asian-American actors, Dustin Nguyen laid the groundwork for a solid career early on as Johnny Depp’s costar in the 1980s hit undercover-cop drama “21 Jump Street.”

But it was co-starring in 2005’s “Little Fish” with Academy Award-winner Cate Blanchet in 2005 that gave the now 42-yearold Nguyen the status he currently enjoys.

It was then that he decided to return to Vietnam because he “wanted to be a part of national film industry.”

He’s since become an indispensible part of Vietnam’s rising film industry, starring in the 2008 blockbuster Dong mau anh hung (The Rebel) and then staring in Huyen thoai bat tu (The Legend Is Alive). The later role, directed by art-house favorite Luu Huynh, saw Nguyen depicting the troubles of an Agent Orange victim and garnered him the Best International Actor title at the annual Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Film Festival in China last October.

Runway winner

Born in 1972 to Vietnamese parents in Laos, Chloe Dao (aka Dao Mong Tuyet) soon moved to the US with her family and ended up studying at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology.

But the decision didn’t please her tradition-minded family who did not want to see their young Chloe waste time and money becoming a “tailor.”

But after graduating, Dao worked in top boutiques and eventually opened her own “LOT 8,” named for her eight sisters, which became one of Houston’s premiere shops in the summer of 2000. The shop drew a diverse clientele of local celebrities, fashion stylists, club crawlers and modern career women.

But she really hit the big time after winning Project Runway, a reality show in which designers compete to win support and funding for their work.

Since winning in 2006, she’s become a regular fashion superstar.

Speaking with Thanh Nien, Dao’s mother Hue city said she was proud of both her daughter and her homeland.

“At first, my family forbad her to study to be a tailor in New York, because we thought that the job would have no future in such modern society like the US. But she still ignored everything and followed her dream. She depended on no family support but finally graduated. The resilient Vietnamese spirit has given her such success.”

Dao returned to Vietnam in 2000 and said she was mesmerized by the beauty of the country during her travels. She also said that the Vietnamese fashion industry was blooming and she intended to infuse her designs with the charm of the classic Vietnamese ao dai (traditional tunic).

Since then, she said she would soon visit Vietnam again to hold a fashion show for charity.

Compiled by Kim