Vietnamese star defends roles

Actor Don Duong, under virtual house arrest since he was labeled a traitor by authorities in his native Vietnam, is speaking out for the first time since his plight made him a Hollywood cause celebre.

Although he has not granted interviews, Duong has written an impassioned letter to his sons in which he decries the persecution of artists in Vietnam and defends his work in the movies that have drawn the attention of the government: “We Were Soldiers” (2002) with Mel Gibson, and “Green Dragon” (2001) with Patrick Swayze and Forest Whitaker.

The letter was made available to The Times by Duong’s family.

In September, the actor, once one of Vietnam’s top stars, ran afoul of authorities who viewed the films and seized his passport. Since then, Duong, who has worked as an actor for 20 years and is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, has been denied movie roles in his country.

The actor, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City with his two sons, 16-year-old Long and 11-year-old Linh, also faces jail time and may be prohibited from acting or leaving the country for five years.

He wrote the letter to his sons as one of them sobbed in the next room, seeking to give them courage and an understanding of why he is refusing to confess to the crime of which he is accused. Duong, 45, writes that since he has been “silenced,” he is writing so his children “can know the truth, to affirm ... that I am always and forever not a traitor.”

Duong’s sister, Susie Bui, who lives in the U.S., obtained the letter and released it with his permission because he has not been permitted to give his side of the story in the Vietnamese press, which is owned by the state.

“I believe there are a lot of people waiting to hear from him, and this is the only way for him to communicate to the outside world,” Bui said.

During the past few weeks, according to Bui, Duong’s children have been harassed and the 16-year-old was pulled out of his classroom and interrogated by school officials. Duong’s home and his actions are constantly monitored by the police, Bui said.

Duong’s plight has prompted many in Hollywood to send letters to U.S. and Vietnamese officials. Gibson, “Soldiers” filmmaker Randall Wallace, Swayze, Whitaker, and actor Harvey Keitel have rallied behind Duong, defending his patriotism and asking for leniency. U.S. officials also have contacted Vietnamese officials in an effort to find a resolution.

In his letter, Duong says Vietnamese officials have confused cinema and reality.

“Movies must reflect the portrait of history. ‘Green Dragon’ re-creates the refugee camps full of tragedy and chaos but still not lacking love and fellowship.... When I portrayed the character Tai, I had to assume the viewpoint of that character, not my own viewpoint. Only idiots who know nothing about movies would confuse Don Duong with the character Don Duong portrays.”

He cites lyrics of a song sung by his character in the film, and adds: “To attribute those sentiments to the actor Don Duong is truly ridiculous and extremely cruel.”

He said he took the role in “Green Dragon” -- which was produced, written and directed by Duong’s nephews, Tony and Timothy Linh Bui -- to offer a more realistic perception of Vietnamese refugees.

“Some conservatives ... have always considered those refugees as people who betrayed their country and their people,” he writes. “Now that the war is more than a quarter of a century removed, perceptions must change.... They are an integral part of the Vietnamese people.”

In his letter, Duong notes with irony that the other movie to draw government disapproval -- “We Were Soldiers” -- was condemned by the same Vietnamese official who lauded a Vietnamese film, “Farewell of River Ba,” even though that movie showed a “very negative image” of Vietnamese soldiers.

In the last month, Duong has been taken from his home and interrogated twice by Vietnamese government officials and ordered to sign a statement admitting his crime. Duong refused.

In the letter, Duong explains why he agreed to appear in “We Were Soldiers.”

“I had been invited by filmmaker Randall Wallace to Paramount to discuss Vietnamese soldiers as heroes and with an attitude of great respect,” he writes. Gen. Harold Moore, author of the book on which the movie was based, admired the leadership of the Vietnamese military leader Duong would portray and the courage of the troops he led.

“Filmmaker Randall Wallace made this film in that spirit. I was very proud and happy to be allowed to portray Lt. Col. Nguyen Huu An.This film was made out to honor the young soldiers who lost their lives in this war.”

In the letter, Duong concludes with an emotionally charged homage to his art, his country and his supporters.

“A film is a work of art, so each person can view it from a different perspective, but if you take the view of just a few people and condemn me as a traitor, that would be a precedent in the history of international cinema.

“I might be ‘naive’ about politics, but there’s one thing I’m sure of: I have done nothing that bothers my conscience, have done nothing that is untruthful, have done nothing that I would want to take back. I have [acted in these films] to erase hate and promote love.

“Luckily, in [Vietnam] I have encountered many people who share my views. They help me and encourage me not to give in, not to lose hope and humanity in our country.

“No matter where, at Sundance, Berlin, Japan ... I always am proud to be Vietnamese. I have never done or said anything that would have negative consequences for my homeland. I forever respect and value the spirit of the people of Vietnam, just as the sentiment of the people who are not limited by national borders who have supported me.

“My dear children, make sure you always remember that relationships between people, even if in other countries, have no border. Despite governments, people around the world have one heart.”

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Times staff writers Minh Dang and Mai Tran translated Duong’s letter.