Trần Thị Thanh Nhàn, better known as Lý Nhã Kỳ is a Vietnamese actress, model and businesswoman. She is known for portraying Diem Kieu in VTV's series Kiều nữ và đại gia (The Beauty and the Wealthy [vi]). Since 2011, she has been serving as the Tourism ambassador of Vietnam.[1][2][3][4][5] She was also ambassador for Operation Smile in Vietnam.
Trần Thị Thanh Nhàn's father, Mr. Trần Ngọc Lý was a North Vietnamese soldier who fought and was posted in Rừng Sác (now part of Cần Giờ District, Ho Chi Minh City) during the Vietnam War. He died in 2005 due to war injuries and was posthumously awarded the title of a Revolutionary Martyr. Her mother is originally from Thái Bình. At 16 with help of relatives she moved to Germany to study.
Aside from her native tongue Vietnamese, Kỳ is also fluent in English, German and Mandarin Chinese. Lý Nhã Kỳ explained the meaning behind her stage name: ‘Lý Nhã Kỳ is my stage name. ‘Lý’ is my father’s name (who has passed away), ‘Nhã’ comes from the name Nhàn (meaning gentle and refined), and ‘Kỳ’ was chosen by me because I believe that my life sometimes brings unexpected things!”[6]
At the age of 16, she moved to Germany to study with help of relatives. Where she claimed she graduated from ‘Real University’. When fans said there is no such academic institution in Germany. The actress explained that Real is just the nickname and the official name of the school is called Alexander Wiegand University. “We have a slogan: Real People - Real Work - Real Action, so we call it Real for short. Also, Real comes from Alexander where we get the letters ER and AL from,” she said. However, when googling “Alexander Wiegand” or a related word it does not show any valid information. Readers in Germany also said there is no school by this name, except for a training school for pets. In an interview in 2007, the actress also said her father is a Russian who met her mother while he worked as an oil and gas expert in Vung Tau. But in her application for the Vietnam’s Tourism Ambassador title, she declared that her father is a Vietnamese was a martyr. Tran Nhat Hoang, Director of the Center for Sports and Tourism Promotion under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, told an online newspaper that Ly Nha Ky’s father is confirmed a martyr. but nonetheless it sparked controversy regarding her false statements.[7]
She wore a revealing low-cut dress and skirt at a play of Vietnam’s National Hero General Võ Nguyên Giáp at the Điện Biên Symphony, sparking angry backlash of unprofessionalism in Vietnamese media.[8]
In April 2012, wedding photos and a marriage certificate dated August 18, 2000, surfaced online, showing a marriage between Trần Thị Thanh Nhàn (who shares the same birth name, birth date, and birthplace as her) and Dương Thiết Tâm a Vietnamese-German, leading to speculation that she had been married since the age of 18.[9]
Suspected of holding a fake university graduation certificate.
Title Year Role Note Tình yêu còn mãi / Love Prevails 2006 Trúc Chuyện tình yêu / Love Story 2007 Hoài Thu Ghen / Jealousy 2007 Ngọc Hoàn Giá mua một thượng đế / Prize To Buy A God 2007 Thạch Thảo Thám tử tư / The Private Invesgator 2007 Mười 2007 Young lady Em muốn làm người nổi tiếng / I'd Like To Be Famous 2007 Kiều nữ và đại gia / The Beauty and The Wealthy 2008 Diễm Kiều VTV Bước chân hoàn vũ (TV) / Universal Steps (Vietnamese version of 'Dancing With The Stars') 2009 Gió nghịch mùa / Wind From Different Season 2009 Nơi tình yêu bắt đầu / The Place Where Love Begins 2009 Shanghai 2010 Model Vàng trong cát / Mining Gold From Sand 2011 Producer Đại tướng Võ Nguyên Giáp và bản giao hưởng Điện biên 2011 Play Chiếc giường chia đôi / The Divided Bed 2011 Mỹ Anh Cold summer 2012- Mercedes-Benz[10]
- Avon Products[11]
- (in Vietnamese) Official Website
- (in Vietnamese) Entreprise of Lý Nhã Kỳ
- Tại sao Lý Nhã Kỳ trở thành Đại sứ du lịch Việt Nam? - QĐND
