Young Asian Stars Join Clint Eastwood in "Gran Torino"

Warner Bros.’ new critically acclaimed film “Gran Torino” marks the first major motion picture to portray characters from the Hmong community—an ethnic tribe of 18 clans spread among the hills of Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, even in the Philippines and other parts of Asia—who made a difficult transition to the United States following their involvement in the Vietnam War. 

“I didn’t know too much about them,” admits Clint Eastwood who directed and starred in the film. “Because they had helped the Americans during the conflict, they were brought here as refugees after the end of the Vietnam War.” 

In the film, Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, an iron-willed and inflexible Korean War veteran living in a changing world, who is forced by his immigrant neighbors to confront his own long-held prejudices.

“A lot of the Hmong people have been through many hardships following the Vietnam War,” says Eastwood. “Things weren’t very pleasant for them over there, so a lot of individual organizations worked hard to get them over to America. But they withstood a lot of sadness, so they’re tough, very determined people.”

Eastwood wanted to portray the Hmong in “Gran Torino” as authentically as possible, starting with casting an exclusively Hmong cast for those roles in the film. From hundreds of prospects, Eastwood cast 16-year-old Bee Vang in the central role of Thao. At 5’5”, Bee Vang’s Thao stands in stark contrast to Eastwood’s 6’2” Walt. “Thao is literally always looking up to Walt,” says Vang. The Fresno-born teen attended a private audition for the film in the Twin Cities. When he found out he’d won the key role of Thao, “I got down on my knees and started crying,” he relates. “The whole thing was really life-changing. I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.”

Though initially intimidated, Vang soon grew comfortable with Eastwood’s low-key style. “Growing up, I’d seen him in Westerns and other films, like ‘Dirty Harry,’ but I never imagined that I’d ever even meet this guy, and then there he was,” he says. 

Sixteen-year-old Ahney Her beat out hundreds who auditioned for the role of Sue. Her’s confidence and humor made her a natural for the role of the Thao’s older sister. “We wanted the sister to have a slightly tougher edge. She’s protective of Thao, who is more vulnerable,” says casting director Ellen Chenoweth. “Ahney definitely had that along with a great kind of youthfulness about her that we all loved.”

Her’s rapport with Eastwood was not much different from Sue’s and Walt’s, giving the acting novice added confidence in her first big role. “He’s very humble and easygoing,” she says. “He likes to make you comfortable and is not the type to tell you exactly what to do. He wants you to do whatever you feel is right, and if it’s not right in his eyes, then he’ll tell you. He’s a great man, and it was amazing to work with him.”

Opening soon across the Philippines, “Gran Torino” is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.