Doua Moua

Doua Moua (RPA: Duas Muas, Pahawh: ; born February 7, 1987) is an American actor and writer best known for his roles as Spider in the 2008 film Gran Torino and Po in Disney's live-action Mulan.

Background Doua Moua was born in a refugee camp in Thailand to Laos-born parents of Hmong descent who had fled their homeland because of the Laotian Civil War. Six months after his birth, his family entered Minnesota as refugees, and he was raised in the city of St. Paul. While in middle school, Doua joined the choir and theater classes at a teacher's suggestion; he also participated in community theater. He was graduated from the International School of Minnesota, in Eden Prairie.

Amongst Doua Moua's cousins are former state senator Mee Moua and dancer-actor Aidan Prince.

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. Moua worked in an Italian restaurant to finance his career. The film's casting was considered "a catalyst for more Hmong to get into filmmaking". 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." The film, The Harvest, was written by Doua and was to be directed by Dan Ireland starring Doua alongside Russell Wong and Ellen Wong. with Li Lu reportedly directing. The movie is still in development.

Doua was cast in the live action Disney adaptation of Mulan as Po. 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."

Filmography