Mai is the daughter of playwright and poet Le Dai Thanh, an active member of the Central Drama Troupe alongside contemporaries such as The Lu and Song Kim. In addition to his creative work, Le Dai Thanh was also a teacher, having mentored many renowned figures like novelist Nguyen Hong, author Nam Cao, and Lieutenant General Bang Giang.

Le Mai’s mother, Dinh Ngoc Anh, was the daughter of a bourgeois family from Hai Phong and once an actress in the Gio Bien (Sea Breeze) drama troupe. Continuing the family tradition, Le Mai’s younger brothers also pursued the arts: painter Le Dai Chuc and director - People's Artist Le Chuc.

Le Mai spent her youth at the Central Drama Troupe, where she not only worked but also met and married People’s Artist Tran Tien - a veteran of Vietnamese theater.

Tran Tien began his artistic journey with cheo (Vietnamese traditional opera) in 1954, later transitioning to stage drama and cinema. He studied in a prestigious acting class in 1961 alongside notable names such as The Anh, Doan Dung, and Thanh Tu.

Throughout a career spanning more than half a century, he left a lasting mark with iconic roles: Dai Cat in Desperate, De Thich in Truong Ba’s Soul in a Butcher’s Body, and the Love Advisor in Choosing a Son-in-Law… These performances became so famous that audiences often forgot his real name and simply referred to Tran Tien by his character names.

Not only a talented performing artist, he was also known for his creative input in shaping roles - unafraid to “challenge” the director’s decisions to make the character more coherent, even when the directors were Luu Quang Vu or Nguyen Dinh Nghi. In cinema, he appeared in over 20 films, including Thang Bom, The Story of Nho Village, and Hanoi: 12 Days and Nights.

Despite their shared love for the arts, Le Mai and Tran Tien’s personal life faced many hardships. They eventually separated, and he passed away a few years ago. However, their marriage bore three artistically gifted daughters - a beautiful outcome of a union rooted in creativity.

Three daughters of grace and talent

The eldest, Meritorious Artist Le Van (born 1958), began as a dancer before rising to fame in cinema with unforgettable roles: Duyen in When the Tenth Month Comes, Dau in Mrs. Dau, and Lo in The Scent of Green Papaya. Her performance in When the Tenth Month Comes earned her the Golden Lotus Award in 1985. In October 2006, Le Van released her memoir Le Van: Love and Life, a candid and controversial bestseller chronicling her personal and family life in the arts.

The second daughter, People’s Artist Le Khanh (born 1963), was awarded the prestigious People’s Artist title at just 38 years old - a rare feat. With an extensive portfolio in both theater and film, she made lasting impressions in roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Desdemona in Othello, and Ly Chieu Hoang in Bamboo Forest. On screen, she captivated audiences in The Vertical Ray of the Sun, The Things He Didn’t Say, and The Tricky Ladies.

At over 60, Le Khanh remains the most active of the three sisters, frequently appearing in television shows, films, and mentoring numerous artistic programs. Her husband, director and Meritorious Artist Pham Viet Thanh, also continues to work passionately in the field.