Burmese-American celebrities
Celebrities with Burmese ancestry.
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- Born on October 1, 1896, in Rangoon, Burma, to Burmese-Jewish parents, and the son of a well-to-do merchant, distinguished veteran character actor Abraham Isaac Sofaer was a one-time schoolteacher in both Rangoon and London. He switched gears to acting after a short time and made his stage debut in 1921 as a walk-on in William Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice."
Sofaer scored his first prominent London appearance with "The Green Goddess" in 1925 and, from the 1930s on, alternated between the London and Broadway repertory stages playing an assortment of Shakespearean roles (Othello, Lear, Cassius, etc.) among other classical plays. He scored a personal triumph in New York as Benjamin Disraeli opposite Helen Hayes in "Victoria Regina" in 1936. The following year, he directed Ms. Hayes in "The Merchant of Venice", in which he played the title role of "Shylock". A theatre repertory player of note, he soon focused on the big screen and made his British film debut with The Dreyfus Case (1930). Subsequent noteworthy British film roles included his judge in A Matter of Life and Death (1946) and as Disraeli in The Ghosts of Berkeley Square (1947). Recognized for his bulgy, wide-eyed stare, resonant tones and imposing stance, he built up a solid reputation over the years playing odd and interesting Eastern ethnics -- sultans, swamis, high priests, witch doctors, foreign dictators and dignitaries, he was even convincing playing Indian chiefs on occasion. His characters ranged from wise and warm-hearted to cunning and wickedly evil.
In the mid-1950s, Sofaer settled in Hollywood wherein he became a main staple in exotic dramas and costumed adventure, appearing almost exclusively in movies and TV. Some of his better known U.S. films include Quo Vadis (1951), His Majesty O'Keefe (1954), Elephant Walk (1954), Taras Bulba (1962) and Chisum (1970). Throughout the 1960s, he could be counted on for guest appearances on all the popular shows of the day including Perry Mason (1957), Wagon Train (1957), Gunsmoke (1955), Daniel Boone (1964) and Star Trek (1966). On TV, he may be best remembered for his recurring role of Haji, the master of all genies, on I Dream of Jeannie (1965).
Married to wife Angela for nearly seven decades and affectionately called "Abe" to closer friends, Sofaer was the father of six children. Retiring from acting in 1974, Sofaer died of congestive heart failure at the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California at the age of 91 in 1988. - Actor
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Adrian Zaw was born on May 7th, 1984, in the picturesque countryside of Burma, now known as Myanmar. At the tender age of five, he made the journey to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen and began his pursuit of the American Dream.
Adrian's passion for acting was evident from an early age, and he embarked on formal training at the age of thirteen. He honed his craft through participation in academic activities such as Speech and Debate, where he earned an impressive 60 awards and was crowned the State Champion for Dramatic Interpretation in California in 2001.
At the age of 20, Adrian transferred from Pasadena City College to the University of Southern California, where he received a full tuition scholarship to study Theatre. However, with his sights set on a career in acting, he left before his final year and set out to make his mark in the industry.
Adrian's talent and dedication paid off in a big way, and in just ten months, he found himself holding an Emmy Award for Outstanding Broadband Drama of 2007 for his role as "Ariel Zim" in the web series "Satacracy 88." Inspired by his success, Adrian went on to launch "Arrowfall Entertainment," a New Media Company that continues to push the boundaries of broadband filmmaking.
Whether on the big screen, stage, or small screen, Adrian has made a name for himself as an actor, producer, and host. With over 40 independent film, television, and theatre credits to his name, he has shown time and time again that he is willing to take risks and break new ground.
Adrian's passion for his craft and his commitment to helping others succeed have made him a force to be reckoned with in the industry. As a TV correspondent for seven television shows, he has brought his expertise and energy to every project he has worked on. Whether in front of or behind the camera, Adrian Zaw is a true trailblazer, paving the way for a new generation of actors and filmmakers.- Producer
- Actress
Alex Wagner is the host of MSNBC's Now with Alex Wagner (2011) (weekdays at noon ET). She had been an MSNBC analyst and a frequent MSNBC guest since 2010. She was also a reporter with Huffington Post, where she covered innovation in the American economy, investigating the intersection of business, politics and new technology. Prior to this, Wagner served as the White House correspondent for Politics Daily, where she chronicled a number of international and domestic affairs ranging from the BP oil spill to the Egyptian revolution.
Wagner was the Executive Director of Not On Our Watch, an advocacy and grant making non-profit founded by George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt and Don Cheadle, from 2007 to 2009. With the goal of stopping and preventing mass atrocities, Wagner traveled to troubled hot spots including Burma, Sudan and Zimbabwe.
From 2004 to 2007 she was the Editor in Chief of the Fader Magazine, covering cultural movements around the globe from Brazil to China to South Africa. Prior to this, she served as the Cultural Correspondent for the Washington, DC-based think tank Center for American Progress.
Wagner is a native of Washington, DC, and attended Brown University.