Having their wages withheld, many actors face insults and threats of violence when demanding overdue payments. Some have even considered quitting the profession due to financial desperation.

For many actors, encountering wage delays or being cheated out of their pay is all too common - almost a routine part of working in the industry. With no viable solution in sight, most are forced to accept their losses in silence. While frustration is widespread, there is a prevailing sense of resignation, as this persistent problem has remained unresolved for years.

Unpaid wages and contractual loopholes

A filmmaker told VietNamNet that actors typically sign contracts with production companies before beginning work. Based on these agreements, payments are made in stages - pre-production, filming, and post-production - according to agreed-upon percentages.

For television dramas, actors often receive 10% of their total pay initially, then an additional 20-30% as filming progresses, with the balance paid upon completion. Because TV budgets are often modest, payment schedules may vary depending on the production team.

In the film industry, projects usually wrap in about 45 days, and payments are more flexible depending on the production’s financial health. Despite seemingly clear contracts, many artists say delays and excuses are rampant.

Actor Ngoc Lan recounted that production companies often blame TV stations for late payments, using excuses like “The station hasn’t approved the film yet” or “They haven’t paid us.” She noted, “Whether those excuses are true or not is another story. As wage earners, we have no one to turn to but the heavens.”

T, a veteran backstage worker, shared that she had been cheated out of pay several times. She explained that some producers operate as investment collectives, and midway through a project, they might hand over production duties to others. When the project finishes, T would message them to collect the remaining payment, only to hear, “The investor went bankrupt and can’t pay,” or receive vague promises that drag on for years. She ultimately lost the earnings she had worked for over several exhausting months.

In another project titled M.R., the investment company delayed payments. Under pressure, they made small partial payments before defaulting on the remainder. Some of T’s friends lost hundreds of millions of dong (several thousand dollars) only to discover the company had dissolved and declared bankruptcy when they arrived to demand payment.

Much of the problem lies with fly-by-night operations. Lacking financial strength and experience, some companies collapse mid-project, affecting the entire chain of staff: actors, assistants, makeup artists, costume designers, and on-site crew - all left empty-handed.

Even directors have been known to cheat their own teams. A recent case involved director H.V., who took payment from the production company but pocketed the funds instead of paying the cast and crew. One victim was actor Ngoc Tuong, who, trusting their relationship, waited after H.V. promised to delay payment. Eventually, Ngoc Tuong found out the company had paid H.V. in full, but the director, burdened with personal debts, had vanished with the money.

Others including D.N.T., H.K., and D.C.L. have gone through similar ordeals, making desperate phone calls and sending texts begging to be paid.

The struggle to claim what’s owed

Most artists today still rely heavily on a production company’s reputation when accepting roles. Many even skip written contracts, trusting verbal agreements or messages, which leaves them vulnerable to scams and wage theft with no legal recourse.

Without contracts, taking legal action is nearly impossible. Facing hardships and financial strain, many artists choose silence. Reasons vary - some fear legal entanglements and public controversy, while others worry that studios will avoid hiring actors involved in legal disputes. So, they stay quiet and accept the loss.

Because of unpaid wages, many in the industry live in financial distress. Some take on side jobs like ride-hailing or online sales just to make ends meet and sustain their acting careers.

T, who has a child in school, described the pressure she faced. When cheated out of her pay, she struggled to cover household expenses and even had to ask her child’s teacher for tuition discounts. “Sometimes I feel like giving up. My husband and I thought about starting a street food cart. The income might be low, but at least we’d get paid right away instead of being cheated,” she said.

Even veteran actors aren’t immune. Artist Phi Dieu, now elderly, continues acting but has still experienced cases where production teams ignored their obligation to pay her.

The problem affects rising actors as well. Many recent graduates are lured into projects only to be cheated. Some are even threatened when they attempt to collect payment. Actor H.L. shared that despite being cheated, he still had to cover expenses like travel, costumes, and assistants’ salaries. He borrowed from friends and family to avoid damaging his reputation. “It’s easy for others to act unethically, but we must uphold our dignity, integrity, and professional reputation,” he said.

Experts suggest that while professional guilds and labor laws in Vietnam are still underdeveloped in protecting actors’ rights, individuals must take personal responsibility for self-protection. Solidarity within the filmmaking community is also essential in tackling this long-standing issue that has plagued the industry for years.

Tuan Chieu