Ger Duany
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Ger Duany (born 1978 in Akobo, Greater Upper Nile in South Sudan) is an actor. He is a self-described “village boy”.


Early life

Duany was born in Akobo (then part of
Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...
) on November 9, 1978. He had his first experience of war at the age of seven. His family and community were uprooted. At age 13, war separated him from his mother, and he resorted to becoming a child soldier as a means of survival during South Sudan’s struggle for independence. Duany later became a refugee in Ethiopia and then Kenya, and was resettled to the United States from
Dadaab Dadaab ( so, Dhadhaab) is a semi-arid town in Garissa County, Kenya. It is the site of a UNHCR base hosting 223,420 registered refugees and asylum seekers in three camps (Dagahaley, Hagadera and Ifo) as of 13 May 2019, making it the third-largest ...
camp at the age of 15. Duany went on to earn a college degree. He built a career as an actor and fashion model.


Career

Duany made his debut as an actor in the 2004 philosophical comedy film '' I Heart Huckabees'', in which he played a
refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.
called Stephen Nimieri. Duany was picked for the role because the film's producer and director David O. Russell wanted someone who had endured the real-life experience of being a refugee. In 2010, Duany made an uncredited appearance in another Russell film, '' The Fighter'', starring Mark Wahlberg and
Christian Bale Christian Charles Philip Bale (born 30 January 1974) is an English actor. Known for his versatility and physical transformations for his roles, he has been a leading man in films of several genres. He has received various accolades, including ...
. He later had an important role in the 2011 drama ''
Restless City ''Restless City'' is a 2011 independent drama film written by Eugene M. Gussenhoven and directed by Andrew Dosunmu. It stars Sy Alassane, Sky Nicole Grey, Tony Okungbowa, Stephen Tyrone Williams, and Danai Gurira. The film premiered on January 23 ...
''. In mid-2011, he co-produced and starred in the documentary ''Ger: To Be Separate'', about his journey from war child to refugee to Hollywood actor and international model. The film also showed his return to South Sudan, voting for the first time and celebrating the country's newly acquired independence on 9 July 2011. Duany played a limo driver in the 2012 film, ''Isn't It Delicious?'' by director Michael Patrick Kelly. In 2014 he appeared alongside other refugees and award-winning Reese Witherspoon in '' The Good Lie'', inspired by the story behind the
Lost Boys of Sudan The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the ...
. The film tells the story of three refugees who are resettled from Kakuma camp to the United States, and their struggles to integrate. As a model, Duany has appeared on the cover of numerous magazines such as ''Heed'', ''Bleu Magazine'', and ''
Numéro ''Numéro'' is an international fashion magazine published by Paul-Emmanuel Reiffers. It has a circulation of 80,000, and the French edition reached its 100th issue in February 2009. The magazine covers international fashion, beauty, design, h ...
''. During the 2015 World Refugee Day, Duany was announced as the UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador for the East and Horn of Africa Region by the Kenya Country Representative, Raouf Mazou in Kakuma. Duany is currently one of the UNHCR's high profile supporters as its Goodwill Ambassador. In his role as UNHCR High Profile Supporter, he has helped to spread awareness about the plight of refugees and other populations that the UN refugee agency serves.


Filmography


References


External links

* * United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees profile: http://www.unhcr.org/pages/556834296.html {{DEFAULTSORT:Duany, Ger 1978 births Living people South Sudanese expatriates in the United States South Sudanese actors University of Bridgeport alumni People from Bieh American people of South Sudanese descent South Sudanese refugees Refugees in Ethiopia Refugees in Kenya South Sudanese models