Doua Moua

Doua Moua (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. 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. 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." Moua added that many first generation Hmong are affected by gangs and drift into gangs due to a lack of father figures.