Doua Moua

Doua Moua (born February 7, 1987) is an American actor and writer known for his role as Spider in the 2008 film Gran Torino and Po in Disney's live-action Mulan.

Doua Moua
Born (1987-02-07) February 7, 1987
Thailand
Alma materMarymount Manhattan College
OccupationActor, Filmmaker
Years active2004-present
Known forGran Torino, Mulan

Biography

Doua Moua was born in a refugee camp in Thailand to Laos-born parents of Hmong descent who fled their country due to the events of the Laotian Civil War.[1] Six months after he was born, his family migrated to Minnesota as refugees, and he was raised in the city of St. Paul.[2] While in middle school, Doua joined the choir and theater classes at the suggestion of his teacher. Aside from school theater, he also participated in community theater. He graduated from the International School of Minnesota in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.[3] He is cousins with former senator Mee Moua and dancer-actor Aidan Prince.[4][5]

Career

Moua moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting and booked his first acting job as an extra on Law and Order: SVU.[6] Moua worked in an Italian restaurant to finance his career.[3] He continued auditioning for minor roles until he decided to audition for Gran Torino. While most roles took about a week for call backs, Doua had to wait three months until he finally got a response.[7] His casting was considered "a catalyst for more Hmong to get into filmmaking".[8] Moua said that he had no regrets in playing as a gang member, since, in the words of Laura Yuen of Minnesota Public Radio, "gangs consumed his brother's life while they were growing up in St. Paul."[3] Moua added that many first generation Hmong are affected by gangs and drift into gangs due to a lack of father figures.[3]

After the release of Gran Torino, Doua continued to appear in film and television, noticeably as villains. When his parents asked why he continued to play "mean" people, he jokingly stated that his parents had given him "mean eyebrows" due to his heritage. He decided to create a movie based on his own personal life as a Hmong American in Minnesota due to the lack of Hmong representation.[9] The movie, entitled The Harvest, was written by Doua himself and was to be directed by Dan Ireland with Doua also starring alongside Russell Wong and Ellen Wong.[7] Ireland has since died[10] with Li Lu reportedly directing. The movie is still in development.

Doua was cast in the live action Disney adaptation of Mulan as Po.[11] He is also a writer and was a semi-finalist for the Academy's Nicholl's Fellowship for his coming-of-age script "The Harvest."[11]

Filmography
Television roles
Year Title Role Notes
2007 The Naked Brothers Band Chinese Thug Uncredited; Episode: "Alex's Clothing Line"
2008 The Captive Hmong Guard TV Movie
2009 Michael & Michael Have Issues Hakitori Uncredited; 1 episode
2010 Blue Bloods Big Eyes 2 episodes
2015 Chinese Food Young Park TV Pilot
2015 One Bad Choice KO Episode: "Meili Cady"
2016 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Unsub Episode: "The Harmful One"
2017 Marvel's Iron Fist Warrior Guard #1 Episode: "The Blessing of Many Fractures"
2017 Veep Questioner Episode: "Groundbreaking"
Film roles
Year Title Role Notes
2004 Pals Ming Short film
2004 Stealing Summer Foreign Guy
2005 Factotum Spectator Uncredited
2005 Don't Whistle Tou Short film
2007 PBI: Paranormal Bureau of Investigation Coco Short film
2008 Uncertainty Internet Cafe Clerk
2008 Gran Torino Spider
2008 Resolve Lieutenant Short film
2009 Karma Calling Chinese Restaurant Employee
2009 Lalo Chinese Food Delivery Person Uncredited; Short film
2009 Super Sunday Alex Short film
2009 Prisoners Danny Kim Short film
2009 Ex Schemes Aaron Short film
2009 Across Dot Ave. Coffee Shop Employee
2010 The Last Airbender Earthbender Guard Uncredited
2010 King's Man Hong
2011 Dirty Movie Wing Thai
2011 I Am Julia Noah Short film
2011 hItec! Choggys West Short film
2012 Greencastle Nu Vang
2012 Sparrow Lane Bobby Miller Short film
2014 The City at Night Tsheej Short film
2014 Foodie Fight John Short film
2015 Tracers Skinny Jeans
2015 Memoria Takeshi Motoki
2016 Smartass Desk Clerk
2016 One Shot Scott Lawless Short film
2018 Tournament Lung
2019 Itsy Bitsy Wounded Man
2020 Reality Queen! Klarc Kim
2020 Mulan Po
Filmmaking credits
Year Title Director Producer Writer Other
2014 I Die, I Dim, I Shine Yes Yes No
2016 Static Yes Yes Yes
2016 Bedeviled No No No Special thanks
2017 Dining Table Yes Yes Yes
2017 Midnight Clear No Associate No
gollark: no pronouns > gender neutral pronouns
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Nobody is allowed any gender whatsoever.
gollark: We should abolish gender entirely. Nobody should be allowed to use any gendered language or gendered expression whatsoever.
gollark: By hacking eßobot.

References
  1. Yang, Kou (2017). The Making of Hmong America: Forty Years After the Secret War. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books. p. 100. ISBN 978-1498546454.
  2. "Actor Doua Moua in Gran Torino | Asiance Magazine". asiancemagazine.com. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  3. Yuen, Laura. "Hmong get a mixed debut in new Eastwood film." Minnesota Public Radio. December 18, 2008. Retrieved on March 18, 2012.
  4. "Doua Moua on Instagram: "Hanging with my cousin Senator Mee Moua!! Named one of the most powerful woman in Washington!! . . . #cousins #family #hmong #hmongpeople…"". Instagram. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  5. "Aidan Prince aka BAHBOY™️ on Instagram: "My uncle @douamoua is Po in Disney's @mulan What an awesome movie. Go watch it because you will love it too. What an awesome night! .…"". Instagram. Retrieved 2020-03-12.
  6. "Doua Moua, Actor & Writer, on working with Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, Role on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, & Latest Film - The Harvest. | scottbonnie". scottbonnie. Retrieved 2018-11-21.
  7. Bonnie, Scott (December 9, 2015). "Doua Moua, Actor & Writer, on working with Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino, Role on Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, & Latest Film - The Harvest". Scott Bonnie. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  8. Schein, Louisa (November 26, 2008). "Hmong actors making history: Meet the Gran Torino family". Twin Cities Daily Planet. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  9. "HMONGTEENS: An engaging conversation with Doua Moua, actor and screenwriter". YouTube. 3 HMONG TV. August 24, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  10. Dagan, Carmel (April 15, 2016). "Dan Ireland, 'Whole Wide World' Director Who Co-Founded Seattle Film Festival, Dies at 57". Variety. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
  11. N'Duka, Amanda (August 14, 2018). "Disney's 'Mulan' Casts Jimmy Wong & Doua Moua". Deadline. Retrieved August 14, 2018.
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