Diem left all the glory behind to go back to Cetana PSB Intellis and complete her marketing degree. She graduated and became a marketing freelancer, but the memory of the bright lights stayed uppermost in her mind.

Singing and acting

Overturning her decision to quit the stage, Diem became a singer with the stage name Baby J and landed the main role in Le Bao Trung’s bleak drama Nhat ky Bach Tuyet (Snow White’s Diary).

In the film, which is being shot this month for release early next year, she plays a paranoid young woman trapped in a fairy tale.

Diem says she always wanted to be a singer but never had enough time or confidence to try making it a reality.

“Once you decide to tackle something, you must give it your all. I used to sing in front of the mirror and wonder why I wasn’t trying to make that dream come true. So finally I just did it!” says Diem, who does not mind being dubbed a “singing beauty.”

“Maybe my voice isn’t unique but, if I approach singing the right way and choose the right music, I am surely the ‘right’ entertainer.

“Anyway, what’s wrong with ‘singing beauties?’ I think they devote themselves to their art and deserve more than snide comments. I like being a beautiful woman who can sing, I really do!” she says.

Diem adopted the English name Baby J to improve her chances of international success.

“About the stage name, I chose it to differentiate the model Truc Diem and the singer Truc Diem. Anyway, if my music can cross the national border, the first thing I need is a name that’s easy to remember.”

She says she sees herself as “a mature 22-year-old with a youthful, friendly style, and a little bit of charm.”

Diem is certainly ambitious, and not afraid of being forward at all. And she knows what it takes.

“Native talent is not enough. Artists must fix their shortcomings and know where they are. That’s what I am prepared to do. It’s the professional way,” says Diem.

Getting the most out of life

Now a professional singer and actress, Diem seems to be fast-forwarding to the top yet with her feet firmly planted on the ground. She is in control.

“An intelligent person catches all of life’s moments, and I want to be that person, dynamic whenever possible.

“If film is the game, I do it wholeheartedly. I beat a lot of others to get the role and deserve it given the effort I put in.”

In “Snow White’s Diary,” Diem plays Anh Tuyet, a girl scarred in an accident who thinks she is Snow White being harmed by her step-mother (actually her mother).

She waits for a handsome prince to rescue her but the “prince” that does show up is a con artist named Hoang, played by model Vinh Thuy.

To prepare for her role, Diem spent time at Bien Hoa Psychiatric Hospital to learn more about the mentally ill.

Director Le Bao Trung says he chose Diem partly for her figure and partly for her ability to get under the character’s skin.

“In real life, Diem and Vinh Thuy are good friends, so it’s easy to co-star with him but difficult to do the delicate scenes. Maybe I’ll just try to “love” him when we shoot those bits,” says Diem with a laugh.

Her boyfriend is also a big part of her life.

“He understands me and is very supportive in all my endeavors. I am so happy to have found Mr. Right. I think the most important thing is our mutual trust. Affection is a private matter. I just want to be loved for who I am; that is enough,” says Diem.

Reported by Thu Thuy