Nay Toe

Nay Toe (နေတိုး nè tó; born Nay Lin Aung on 9 September 1981) is a Arakanese film actor and comedian with the Burmese traditional anyeint troupe Htawara Hninzi. He won Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards for Best Actor three times: in 2009 with Moe Nya Einmet Myu, in 2015 with Nat Khat Mhar Tae Tite Pwal, and in 2017 with Tar Tay Gyi. He also won the Star Award for the film Bridge of Clouds in 2018. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Myanmar. Nay Toe was born on 9 September 1981 in Tawhtu village in Manaung Township, Cheduba Island, to ethnic Rakhine parents, U Aung Than and Daw Than Myaing. He is the second child of four siblings. His younger brother Min Thway is also an actor. He began his career as a model and eventually transitioned to cinema. He graduated from Yangon University with a B.Sc in Mathematics. Nay Toe moved to Yangon in 1999, where he joined the YIIK modeling agency and took singing lessons. He gained some titles in modeling contests. He modeled under the name Zin Min. He released an album in 2000, but without any success. He starred in music videos and began exploring acting. In 2001, he starred in his first movie, 3 Weeks. Since 2007, Nay Toe has been acting with the Htawara Hninzi (Eternal Rose) Burmese cultural dance show, in which he is one of the supporting comedians, along with Tun Tun, Moe Moe, Ye Lay and Kyaw Kyaw Bo. The director of the show is Maung Myo Min. In 2011, he won an Academy award for Best Leading Actor for his role in Moe Nya Einmet Myu. His role in the movie was said to be intricate, as the character he portrayed was suffering from multiple personality disorder and displayed three different personalities throughout the story. Nay Toe has appeared in several television commercials, including those for Myanmar Airways International, soft drinks, jewelry stores, fashion, and sports apparel. Nay Toe has appeared in a pro-regime propaganda film, Lotus at Dawn. He has been criticized for starring in the film, especially by Burmese pro-democracy groups in exile.