My Star: 2009

Piseth Pilika

Piseth Pilika was very involved in movie making. That was when she met Khai Praseth, also a well-known actor. The two played together in many movies and music videos. As was meant to be, the love stories on screen between the two propagated into the love story off screen. In 1990, they became husband and wife. In 1992, their first child was born under the name Kai Seth Lesak. Everything went on very well. They were seen as a very happy family, a perfect couple. After marriage, Piseth Pilika continued on with her career as an actress and a traditional dancer. She starred in more than sixty movies and was in numerous advertisements. Some of her favorite movies are Somlaing Tro Khmer, Sromorl Anthakal, and Tok Pey Robos Keo Ning Neang Neth. Apart from making movies, she was also very active in stage performance. During her lifetime, she went out to perform in many countries such as India, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, China, Korea, Japan, Russia, France, Italy, Danmark, and the United States. It can be said that she had quite a busy life. Was she too busy with her career that she forgot about her family? There is no answer to this question or maybe this is not the question to be asked. However, the relationship between Piseth Pilika and Khai Praseth began to deteriorate. Rumors started to circulate in the country about their failing relationship. According to an unconfirmed source, Khai Praseth, was in a relationship with another woman. This woman was the daughter of one of the top ranking officials in Cambodia. Because of this, some people said Khai Praseth was forced into this relationship by this woman's father. (Sound weird? This kind of thing is possible in Cambodia) Being forced or volunteered, but seeing your own husband with another woman was very hard to swallowed. Besides, what would she tell the public if asked? Facing with this kind of pressure, on September 1998, she filed for divorce. There was no doubt that she still love her husband. Two karaoke songs that she was in seemed to describe her inner feeling, and her love story. Click the following to watch and listen.

Ly Rattanak

He is the famous child in the movie Orn Euy Srey Orn. It's not clear of how many films he had made, but he sure does have talents for his age. If there wasn't war in Cambodia, he would have become a great movie star. I was always wonder if he escaped the "Killing Field". But one day, a fan of Noko Khmer dropped me a note saying that Ly Rattanak is still alive and is currently owning a tattoo shop in the United States. The person who told me this claimed to be related to him. Well, I hope this is true.

Trente Deux

The famous comedians known for his skinny look and his unique country-side accent in all the films that he played in. Trente Deux starred in many films where laughter scenes were needed. He mostly starred as a supporting actor. One movie that he played as a leading role was called, Kondap Dai Daek 32 (Fist off Fury 32). I have not seen this movie but I guess this was an adaptation of Bruce Lee 's Fist of Fury. By the way did you know that "Trente Deux" means 32 in French? Why was he called that, I don't know. Trente Deux also died during the Khmer Rouge Era, fortunately he left a son behind who looks almost exactly like his father. His name is Vang Deux; it means 22 in French. Like his father, Vang Deux chose comedy to be his career. However, instead of having country-side accent like his father he choose to have Vietnamese accent instead when talking.

Vireak Dara & Nop Nem

Known to be husband and wife off screen; they both played in Orn Euy Srei Orn. Nop Nem played as "Ar Suos", the vilian, and Virak Dara played "Srey Orn", the main female character. As you can tell from her look, Virak Dara was not all Cambodian. She had the European look and in fact she was half French. She also has a French name which was called, Nathalie.

Virak Dara can also be found starring in another movie called, Sapraset. This is a movie based on a famous novel by the same name. In this movie, she played as a princess who was born with the mind set of not talking to men, even her own father. As it turned out, whoever could make her talk would be entitled by the king to be her husband. Many men in the kingdom tried but failed to make her talk. This was when Kong Som Eurn came to the rescue.

Dee Savait

Almost equally popular as Vichara Darny was Dee Savait. She was also one talented Khmer movie star. On top of that, she was the luckiest one that was able to escape death from the Khmer Rouge regime. It was hard to imagine a person as well-known as her could escape from that era alive. I thank god for her. Dee Savait had also made her mark in Khmer movie industry. She played in many great movies such as Poss Kaing Korng, Velveng Na Borng, and Bopha Angkor (This is her most recent movie and the popular one also because it was a joint production with Thai movie company and stars.) Currently, Dee Savait is living in France. She appeared a couple of times in recent Khmer concerts.

Chea Yutorn

Let me tell you the story that I have heard. In the 1960s, Cambodia was in need of educated people. Norodom Sihanouk, the king, decided to select a group of people to go study abroad and bring back education into Cambodia. A group of people was selected. Each person in the group study different field. Among the people in the group there was a man, and he was to study ceramic, how to make tiles, plates, bricks, and so on. Off they went to China. Five or six years later, the group returned. Everyone in the group did what they supposed to do, except the man that supposed to study ceramic. He came back not with the technique on how to make bricks, but how to break bricks, that is martial arts. By now you would have guessed who he was. Chea Yutorn quickly became a popular action star of Khmer movie. He starred in such movie as Krorper Charavan. This was the movie that made movie-goers think twice before taking a swim in the lake or river because of the fear of crocodiles. This movie tells a magical tale of why the crocodiles become so hostile and deadly nowadays. Chea Yutorn starred in such movies as Paov

Chuk Sor and Poss Kaing Korng.

Somvan Sodarny

One quite well-known female actress, Ms. Somvan Sodarny had all the charm and talents needed to be a great star. Usually, most of the movies that she made were dramas. In fact, her best movies were those that involved lots of crying. Thavory Meas Bong for example, she played as the big sister of Ms. Vichara Darny. In this movie, they fell in love with the same man, Thavory, however got married with him. Now, the drama part began as Thavory fell into the dirty plot set up by her own little sister to drive her away from her husband. However, when it came to non-drama, like the movie called, "Chnam Orn 16" (I am 16 years old), where Ms. Somvan Sodarny played a naive and confused teenager trying to grow up, the character did not seem to fit her at all. This movie was somewhat confusing to follow along. The only part that I like about this movie is the soundtrack. It is of course, Chnam Orn 16 sang by Sin Sisamouth. Other movies that she played in are Thavory Meas Borng and Enaw Bosba.

Tet Vichara Darny

Is it possible for a kingdom to have a king without a queen? Answer: Based on the recorded history, "No". Ms Vichara Darny was unquestionably the queen. Even though she was not known for her look, but Vichara Darny possessed the acting talent that placed her on the top among other female stars. In the movies, she could laugh or cry as the story line demanded her to and in a convincing fashion. She could play vilians or non-vilian roles. In fact, it did not matter what character she chose to play, her acting was just going to be the same, i.e. excellent. Her talents was so great that none of today's actresses can be compared with. Again, Muy Mern Arlai was one of her memorable movies. She played as a taxi driver, dressing up as a man. As it turned out, one of her customers happened to be a rich handsome man. Toward the end of this movie, her identity was revealed by this very customer, played by Kong Som Eurn. Other movies that she starred in were Tepsoda Chan, Thavory Meas Borng, and Sovan Panja.

Kong Sam Oeurn Past Star

www.mystar-cambo.blogspot.com

At the time when Sin Sisamouth was king of music, Kong Som Eurn ruled the movie sector. When one talks about Khmer movies, one would quickly think of the name Kong Som Eurn. It is so hard to avoid this name because of the many great movies with him staring in it. He was truely the icon of Khmer movie stars. According to public opinion, he was unquestionably the most gifted and handsomest Khmer actor back during his days. He made many great movies; some of his great ones are Orn Ery Srey Orn, Muy Mern Arlai (Missing You 10,000 Times), and Pail Dael Trov Yom (The Time to Cry).