Duan Sanderson, a multitalented actor and model, has established himself as a versatile performer by taking on both leading and supporting roles in independent films. His most recent and notable appearance was as the crack addict "Azu" in the opening scene of Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning film "Moonlight", where his voice is the first to be heard. Born in Manchester, Jamaica, in 1977, Duan migrated to New York at a young age and grew up in Westchester.
As a child, Duan was fascinated by people and their behaviors, which sparked his initial interest in acting. His parents, an accomplished engineer who worked on the "Lunar Rover" with NASA and a nurse, had hoped he would pursue a career in STEM. However, Duan caught the acting bug at the age of 10, when he appeared in a play called "Trapped", and his desire to become a thespian was soon reinforced when he was cast in The Learning Team's nationally distributed educational film, "Green Power: Photosynthesis".
By the age of 15, Duan began studying under acting coach Tina Sattin of the Open Cage Theater, and he continued to make theatrical appearances. At the age of 16, he was cast in a pivotal role in a play called "20th Century Slave", which sealed his decision to pursue a career in acting.
Throughout his career, Duan has remained passionate about his craft, persevering in the industry and landing a variety of roles in Off-Broadway plays, feature films, commercials, and music videos. In addition to his acting work, Duan is also a practitioner of Wing Chun and Wu style Tai-Chi. His most recent credits include fight choreography in a film, in which he also played the lead assassin.
