Recently, Ngoc Ha, the 15-year-younger wife of People’s Artist Cong Ly, caught attention by sharing a video of her husband chatting with friends. In the clip, the artist mentioned the program Táo Quân, sparking widespread interest.
People’s Artist Cong Ly (sitting in a palanquin) in the “Táo Quân 2023” program (Photo: VTV).
Specifically, in the video, a friend asked, “When watching Táo Quân, do you remember your character Bac Dou?” Cong Ly immediately responded with a “no” and laughed heartily.
He then explained that because the character Bac Dou is so familiar, even without him playing it, he feels it is normal to see the role in the show.
“I don’t feel anything is lost, because everything remains intact. I still remember the emotions from working with my colleagues…” People’s Artist Cong Ly shared.
His wife revealed that Cong Ly enjoys the rehearsal time the most when participating in Táo Quân.
Sharing with Dan Tri reporters, People’s Artist Cong Ly once said that when playing “Cô Đẩu,” he faced significant pressure, as he had to ensure each performance was better and more engaging than the previous ones.
The actor repeatedly requested Director Do Thanh Hai to let him stop playing Bac Dou due to exhaustion, but his requests were always denied.
“It’s not that I’m arrogant, but I’m afraid the audience will get tired of seeing me too much. But Director Hai says, ‘Just play Bac Dou, I don’t need your pretentiousness, I need your spirit, Cong Ly…'”, the actor disclosed.
Regarding the script for Táo Quân, People’s Artist Cong Ly stated that the script is highly detailed and reviewed multiple times. He and his colleagues rehearse extensively before finalizing the script.
The script is written by several groups of writers, capturing the “hot” issues of society over the past year. Director Do Thanh Hai weaves these scripts into a coherent sequence of events.
The actor noted that makeup and styling for Bac Dou take significantly longer than other characters. In the photo are MC Thao Van, People’s Artist Cong Ly, and Van Dung (from left) backstage at “Táo Quân” (Photo: Provided by the artist).
People’s Artist Cong Ly added that during Táo Quân, he often paid attention to any memorable phrases from the past year that could be incorporated into the dialogue.
“There are some phrases that aren’t grandiose but create a chain reaction of laughter. This is the wit and intelligence of an artist on stage,” the actor recounted.
People’s Artist Cong Ly mentioned that the makeup process for “Cô Đẩu” takes longer than for other actors because he has to apply additional makeup, wear a wig, and carefully choose outfits for the stage.
“The character Bac Dou in future years must be more beautiful and graceful than in previous years. Therefore, ‘Cô Đẩu’ usually appears with different outfits and makeup, creating an impression on the audience,” Cong Ly shared.
The actor revealed that initially, Director Khai Hung wanted to create contrasting characters for Nam Tao and Bac Dou—one strong and one fragile—so he and Xuan Bac divided the roles accordingly. From there, the effeminate and flirtatious traits became the trademark of “Cô Đẩu.”
In the early episodes, the character “Cô Đẩu” was portrayed in plain clothes without excessive makeup, speaking in a more delicate manner. Over the years, the character became more beautiful and increasingly sharp and witty.
He explained, “At first, Director Khai Hung wanted Nam Tao and Bac Dou to be opposites—one strong and one fragile—so Xuan Bac and I split the roles. That’s how the effeminate and flirtatious traits became the hallmark of ‘Cô Đẩu’ as seen by the audience…”
The actor further shared that Táo Quân is filmed over several nights, and the team selects the best footage for broadcast. On the final night, after removing the wig, he feels relieved and happy having completed his task.
“The actors encourage each other to put in extra effort for smoother performances. Each actor must give 300% of their energy to deliver the best visuals for both the live audience and TV viewers,” People’s Artist Cong Ly said.
Artists: Tu Long, Quang Thang, Chi Trung, Van Dung (from left) in the “Táo Quân 2025” program (Photo: VTV).
He also mentioned that after each year’s program, he and his colleagues listen to audience feedback.
“There have been years when the show received harsh criticism, which made us very sad. They said the show was dull and unnecessary. But the following year, the audience would look forward to it and ask each other, ‘Is there a Táo Quân this year?’ This gives us the motivation to continue,” People’s Artist Cong Ly recounted.
