Ger Duany was born in Akobo, South Sudan, as the fifth child of ten children to mother Nyathak Muon Weng and father Thabac Duany Wunbiel.
He was forcefully recruited as a child soldier during the Second Sudanese Civil War, but successfully fled to Ethiopia at the age of 14, then to Kenya, and finally sought refuge in the United States when he was just 16, becoming one of the Lost Boys of Sudan.
Duany made his acting debut in the 2004 philosophical comedy film "I Heart Huckabees," playing the role of a refugee named Stephen Nimieri. He was chosen for the part because the film's producer and director, David O. Russell, wanted someone who had experienced the real-life ordeal of being a refugee.
In 2010, Duany made an uncredited appearance in another Russell film, "The Fighter," starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale. He later had a significant role in the 2011 drama "Restless City."
In 2010, he produced and starred in the documentary "Ger: To Be Separate," which chronicles his search for his family after 18 years apart, his journey from being a war child to a refugee to a Hollywood actor and international model, his return to South Sudan, voting for the first time, and celebrating the country's newly acquired independence on July 9, 2011.
Biography:
Ger Duany was born in Akobo, South Sudan, to Nyathak Muon Weng and Thabac Duany Wunbiel.
