Whitney Cua Her (born 1992), better known by her stage name Ahney Her, is an American actress. She is of Hmong descent.

Early life and education

Ahney Her was born and raised in

Lansing, Michigan Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, making ...

, where she had completed high school at Sexton High School when cast for '' Gran Torino''. She had studied drama in a local talent school for three years.

Career

Her first film role was in the 2008 film ''Gran Torino'', directed by

Clint Eastwood Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western TV series '' Rawhide'', he rose to international fame with his role as the "Man with No Name" in Sergio Leone's "''Doll ...

. In ''Gran Torino'', Eastwood plays a Korean War veteran who helps a Hmong American family in his Detroit neighborhood. She plays

Sue Lor The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film ''Gran Torino'', directed by Clint Eastwood. Casting calls were held in Fresno, California, Detroit, Michigan, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, from which Eastwood selecte ...

, the intelligent, witty older sister of

Thao Vang Lor The following is a list of significant characters who feature in the 2008 film ''Gran Torino'', directed by Clint Eastwood. Casting calls were held in Fresno, California, Detroit, Michigan, and Saint Paul, Minnesota, from which Eastwood select ...

, who was portrayed by

Bee Vang Bee Vang ( RPA: ''Npis Vaj'', Pahawh: ', Chinese-Mandarin: 王陛; born November 4, 1991) is an American actor and activist of Hmong descent. He is best known for starring in Clint Eastwood's 2008 film ''Gran Torino'' as Thao Vang Lor. Early l ...

. She was 16 years old at the time of the film's opening in wide release on January 9, 2009. She was cast in the film after responding to an open casting call sign-up at a

soccer tournament This is a list of the association football competitions past and present for international teams and for club football, in individual countries and internationally. Confirmed future competitions are also included. The competitions are grouped b ...

. The open call was specifically looking for potential Hmong actors. In a 2009 interview with '' The Grand Rapids Press'', she recalled, "I didn't believe it, 'cause the tent said, you know, 'Clint Eastwood movie' or something like that, 'Hmong people needed.' And I'm like, 'OK, yeah right. Like this would happen.' Out of all people, Hmong people? No." Ahney Her was in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to watch the first screening of ''Gran Torino''. The film made its

Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

debut at the Theater One at Celebration! Cinemas North on January 9, 2009. In 2011, she was cast in the action comedy movie '' Night Club'' as Nikki, alongside Zachary Abel, Natasha Lyonne, Ernest Borgnine, and

Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney (born Joseph Yule Jr.; other pseudonym Mickey Maguire; September 23, 1920 – April 6, 2014) was an American actor. In a career spanning nine decades, he appeared in more than 300 films and was among the last surviving stars of the ...

Filmography

* '' Gran Torino'' (2008) - Sue Vang Lor * '' Night Club'' (2011) - Nikki * '' Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' (2016) - Hostage Girl #1

References

External links

* American people of Hmong descent American film actresses Actresses from Lansing, Michigan J. W. Sexton High School alumni Living people 1992 births American child actresses Date of birth missing (living people) 21st-century American women American actresses of Asian descent {{US-film-actor-1990s-stub