Meet Thien Nguyen: Talking about Cleo Bachelor of the Year 2014, working hard, community fundraising & more

Thien Nguyen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHO: Thien Nguyen was born in Australia.  He is a black belt in Hapkido as well as the equivalent for Northern Shaolin Kung fu and studied at Dong Thanh Alliance Training Academy.  He is also the founder of Hard Personal Training and an ambassador the Lenovo and The Protein Bread Co.  As an actor, he won an award for the ‘Best Villian’ at the short action film festival in LA and was nominated for best actor for the feature film Change of Our Lives. AAFFN is stoked to talk to Thien Nguyen for our last feature of the year for 2014.  Interview below by Indigo Willing:

 

To reach my dreams, I break down the task that I have to completed and just do one thing at a time, day after day. It is easy to be discouraged if we want results too quickly. It is critical to love what you do. Never use money as a motivator. Follow your passion is my motto. Success will flow from passion.

 

IW:
This has been a big year for you, including winning the Cleo Bachelor of the Year 2014. We are also very proud to have seen Andy Trieu, another Asian Australian with Vietnamese heritage, be a nominee for the Cleo Bachelor of the Year a couple of years before. Amongst your many other achievements, one of the perks is that your high profiles open up the door for many more multicultural Australian males to be in the modelling, presenting and acting worlds. In terms of other Asian Australians with high profiles in the media, entertainment and arts worlds, who are some of your mentors, role models and inspirations who you feel opened doors for you?

TN:
It has been an amazing year. I was Andy’s Personal Trainer not long ago, and we spoke about how great it was that we were both nominated to be a Cleo Bachelor. To actually win the competition was something beyond my wildest dreams! I have to thank my family for the support. My mum, dad, brother and sister in law, without them nothing would be possible. Maria Tran and Trung Ly have been always there to support me in Martial Arts and Acting. Both are very motivated and are inspiring people. I have never seen anyone else that is so dedicated to their craft. Thang Ngo who is a food blogger for Noodlies is my mentor which I also owe a lot to. He has helped me with my direction and has kept me focused and driven. 

 

IW:
One of the great things about the Vietnamese community is their fundraising not only for Viet related causes, but also for the general community of Australians. Like when the bushfires hit, and floods hit, the Vietnamese community got right in there to lend a helping hand to everyone. What kinds of charity work and fundraising do you do, and why is it an important part of how you spend your time and use your profile?

TN:
I really love how the Vietnamese community gets together to help anyone in need. I have always vowed to use any success that I have to be able to help others that are less fortunate.

I run my own business, Hard Personal Training. Through this I have run charity events for The Fred Hollows Foundation, The Children’s Sunrise Villages and am currently organising an event for Bear Cottage. I believe that every little bit counts. I have also become an ambassador for Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets. There will be a campaign for 2015 which I am fortunate to be apart off.

The best thing in life to me is to be able to give and help others as much as possible. Very few people are ‘overnight successes’. One of the keys to success for most people is hard work.

 

IW:

What’s a typical day’s hard work for you and how do you keep positive and motivated?

TN:

It is quite normal to have good and bad days. The key to being motivated for me is to have a vision that is greater than yourself.

I want to make and impact on the world and to be able to help others that don’t have the basic needs to survive or families that are going through tough situations. To reach my dreams, I break down the task that I have to completed and just do one thing at a time, day after day. It is easy to be discouraged if we want results too quickly. It is critical to love what you do. Never use money as a motivator. Follow your passion is my motto. Success will flow from passion.

 

IW:
What projects in the entertainment world have you been working on and can you tell us about one of your favourite memories and some wisdom you took away from them?

TN:
Change of Our Lives was a community project that was sponsored by The Cancer Council NSW. The feature film was screened at Hoyts cinemas with over 600 people attending the premier. Being able to connect with passionate people and those that want to make a difference in the world was very memorable for me. I am blessed to have made friends for life though the project and have to credit them for helping me succeed.

 

IW:

What are you working on next?

 

TN:

I am signed now to London Management Group and am waiting for what exciting things that have planned for me. So far it has been parties and photoshoots. I guess things can only get better from here.

IW:
If you had a dream project to work on next, say in acting, what type of role would it be and what kind of story?

TN:
My dream role is to be in the Fast and Furious series. I have always looked up to the actor that plays the character Han. It would be cool if I could play his little martial art fanatic brother that enters the car scene and gets caught in all sorts of dramas.

IW:
What advice would you give anyone wanting to get into the arts, modelling and entertainment world?

TN:
Always remember where you came from and the people that got you there. Aside from that, it is a tough world. Keep your head up high, work on your craft and remember that success takes time.

 The best thing in life is to be able to give and help others as much as possible.Very few people are ‘overnight successes’. One of the keys to success for most people is hard work. 

 

 

IW:
More broadly, who have been some of the most important people to you in your journey so far?

TN:
My friends, family and mentors are the most important people in my life. They give me motivation and courage to keep moving forward. Success can often be a lonely path. I am grateful to have people supporting me on my journey.