| Johnny Trí Nguyễn | |
|---|---|
 Johhnny Tri Nguyen in 2024 | |
| Born | Nguyễn Chánh Minh Trí (1974-01-16) January 16, 1974 (age 50) Bình Dương, South Vietnam (present–day Vietnam) |
| Nationality | |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Occupation | Actor, martial artist, action choreographer, stuntman |
| Children | 2 |
Johnny Trí Nguyễn (Vietnamese name Nguyễn Chánh Minh Trí, born January 16, 1974) is a Vietnamese–American actor, martial artist, action choreographer and stuntman who is mainly active in the Vietnamese film industry.
Born in Bình Dương and raised in Trung An, Mỹ Tho, Nguyễn and his family immigrated to the United States of America when he was 9. He competed as a martial artist on the U.S. national team and then transitioned into a career as a stuntman in Hollywood, working on films such as Spider-Man 2 and Jarhead.
Nguyễn later returned to Vietnam and starred in The Rebel, a period martial arts film released in 2007 and directed by his brother Charlie Nguyễn. It was a massive success in Vietnam, garnering unprecedented attention for a locally made film. Nguyễn followed The Rebel by starring in a steady stream of hit films, many of which were directed by his brother, including Clash in 2009, Để Mai tính in 2010 and Tèo Em in 2013, all of which broke box office records at the time of release. In a controversial decision, Vietnamese censors banned Nguyễn's 2013 action film Bui Doi Cho Lon for its violent content.
Besides his work in Vietnamese films, Nguyễn has had supporting roles in major films from Thailand (Tony Jaa's Tom-Yum-Goong) and India (7 Aum Arivu and Irumbu Kuthirai).
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | We Were Soldiers | Young NVA Lieutenant | |
| 2003 | Cradle 2 the Grave | Ling's Henchman | Johnny Nguyễn's Hollywood film debut |
| 2003 | Buổi sáng đầu năm | Tuấn | |
| 2004 | Max Havoc: Curse of the Dragon | Quicksilver | |
| Ella Enchanted | Red Knight | ||
| 2005 | Color Blind | Kato | |
| Demon Hunter | Guard #5 | ||
| Tom-Yum-Goong (The Protector or Người bảo vệ) | Johnny | ||
| 2006 | Hồn Trương Ba, da hàng thịt [vi] | Trương Ba | |
| 2007 | The Rebel (Dòng máu anh hùng) | Cường | at the time the highest-grossing film in Vietnamese history |
| 2007 | Sài Gòn nhật thực | Trọng Hải | |
| 2008 | Kiss of the Death (Nụ hôn thần chết) | Thần chết Du | also set new box office records |
| 2009 | Power Kids (5 Huajai Hero) | Terrorist Leader | |
| 2009 | Clash (Bẫy rồng) | Quân / Hổ | |
| 2010 | Để Mai tính [vi] | Anh chàng đồng tính Johnny | |
| 2011 | 7 Aum Arivu (Seventh Sense) | Dong Lee | Indian Tamil-language film |
| 2012 | Cưới ngay kẻo lỡ [vi] | Hồ Sơn | |
| 2012 | Chuộc tội | Chưa có thông tin | |
| 2013 | Bụi đời Chợ Lớn [vi] | Phong bụi | |
| 2013 | Tèo em [vi] | Tí | held the record for highest grossing Vietnamese film of all time until Vengeful Heart dethroned it in 2014 |
| 2014 | Irumbu Kuthirai (Iron Horse) | Don Stoney | Biker, Indian Tamil Language film |
| 2014 | Để Mai tính 2 | Peddler | |
| 2016 | Fanatic (Fan cuồng) | Gia Nghị | |
| 2017 | Babysitters at Work (Vú em tập sự) | Trường | |
| 2020 | Da 5 Bloods | Vinh |
References
- SF Gate Johnny Tri Nguyen finds movie stardom in Vietnam G. Allen Johnson, Chronicle Staff Writer Sunday, March 6, 2011
- SJ mercury News Decades after fleeing, Vietnamese-American filmmakers return to a changed country John Boudreau, SJ Mercury News, November 24, 2012
- CNN Travel Celebrities' night out in Ho Chi Minh City Adam Bray, August 16, 2010
- Vietnamese film draws record crowds Archived October 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine VNS, March 5, 2007
- VN Express Bẫy rồng' sắp được chiếu trên kênh Star Movies Nguyen Minh, VN Express, April 1, 2012
- The Morton Report Where are they now? Dustin Nguyen David Everitt-Carlson, The Morton Report, June 21, 2011
- Thanh Nien News Low-brow comedy for high profits Kim Nga, Thanh Nien News, January 7, 2014
- The Hollywood Reporter Vietnamese censors ban local gangster film 'Chinatown' Patrick Brzeski, June 11, 2013
- Variety Review: Tom-Yum-Goong Derek Alley, Variety, January 16, 2006
- Times of India Suriya is a great actor: Johnny V Lakshmi, The Times of India, April 18, 2011
- Cưới ngay kẻo lỡ gây cười kiểu hài Hong Kong., VnExpress, April 17, 2012
- Khương Ngọc bầm giập vì "Chuộc tội" với Johnny Trí Nguyễn., Kenh.vn, March 29, 2012
- Bụi đời Chợ Lớn sẽ xoáy sâu yếu tố tình cảm., VnExpress, March 23, 2013
- Thái Hòa lắm lem khi làm nghề sửa xe., VnExpress, December 3, 2013