Actor Doua Moua in Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino”

“Gran Torino” is an upcoming film directed by and starring Clint Eastwood and a group of talented Hmong Asian American actors. It has been the first film since “Million Dollar Baby,” that Mr. Eastwood will star as a Korean War Veteran who is forced by his Hmong Asian American neighbor to confront his racial prejudices; after his teenager neighbor, Tao Vang Lor, attempt to steal his 1972 Gran Torino. The film also tells a story about a Hmong family in a situation with the Hmong actors' using many Hmong and English improvise dialogue to create an authentic film to help convey the Hmong culture. Controversy has already been brewing with in the Hmong community regarding the accurate portrayal of the Hmong culture. Actor Doua Moua plays, Fong/ Spider, the antagonist role in the film as Tao Vang Lor’s older cousin. Regardless of the controversy, Clint Eastwood has done so much for Asian actors and Asians in film. I loved “Letters from Iwo Jima”. Coming from someone of his Hollywood caliber, Mr. Eastwood has the ability to bring Asian influence into maintstream films. Thanks to him, more Asian actors are earning a paycheck in Hollywood today.