Doua Moua facts for kids

Doua Moua (born February 7, 1987) is an American actor and writer. He is famous for playing the character Spider in the 2008 movie Gran Torino and Po in Disney's live-action movie Mulan.

Early Life and Family

Doua Moua was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. His parents were Hmong people from the country of Laos. They had to leave their home because of a long conflict called the Laotian Civil War.

When Doua was only six months old, his family moved to Minnesota in the United States as refugees. He grew up in the city of St. Paul. In middle school, a teacher suggested he join the choir and take theater classes, which sparked his interest in performing. He also acted in local community theater.

Doua's family includes other well-known people. His cousin is Mee Moua, a former state senator, and another cousin is the dancer and actor Aidan Prince.

Acting Career

Getting Started

To follow his dream of becoming an actor, Moua moved to New York City. His first job was a small part on the TV show Law and Order: SVU. To support himself, he worked at an Italian restaurant while looking for acting roles.

He auditioned for many small parts until he got a chance to try out for the movie Gran Torino. It took three long months before he heard back that he had gotten the role. This movie was important because it helped more Hmong people get involved in making films.

Famous Roles

In Gran Torino, Moua played a gang member. He said he wasn't worried about playing this type of character. He explained that growing up, he saw how some young people without strong role models could get into trouble, similar to what his own brother experienced.

After Gran Torino, Moua appeared in other movies and TV shows. He was later cast as the fun-loving character Po in Disney's live-action movie Mulan.

Writing and Filmmaking

Moua is also a talented writer. He wanted to see more stories about Hmong Americans in movies, so he wrote a screenplay called The Harvest. The script is about his own experiences growing up in Minnesota. His script was so good that it became a semi-finalist for a special award from the Academy's Nicholl's Fellowship. The movie is still in development.

Selected Film and TV Shows

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Doua Moua has appeared in:

• Gran Torino (2008) as Spider
• Blue Bloods (2010) as Big Eyes
• The Last Airbender (2010) as an Earthbender Guard
• Tracers (2015) as Skinny Jeans
• Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders (2016) as an Unsub
• Marvel's Iron Fist (2017) as a Warrior Guard
• Mulan (2020) as Po