Nay Toe

Biography

Nay Toe (Burmese: နေတိုး; pronounced [nè tó]; born Nay Lin Aung (Burmese: နေလင်းအောင်; pronounced [lɪ́ɰ̃ aʊɰ̃]; on 9 September 1981) is a Rakhine film actor and comedian with the Burmese traditional anyeint troupe Htawara Hninzi. He won Myanmar Motion Picture Academy Awards for Best Actor four times: in 2009 with Moe Nya Einmet Myu, in 2015 with Nat Khat Mhar Tae Tite Pwal, in 2017 with Tar Tay Gyi and in 2024 with Bound. He also won the Star Award for the film Bridge of Clouds in 2018. He is one of the highest-paid actors in Myanmar.

== Early life == 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.

== Career == 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.

== Other projects ==

=== Television commercials === Nay Toe has appeared in several television commercials, including those for Myanmar Airways International, soft drinks, jewelry stores, fashion, and sports apparel.

=== Publications === Nay Toe released his autobiography and fashion book, Un Tightened Doors (ေစ့ထားေသာ တံခါးမ်ား), on 1 January 2011. The 21 chapters of the book review both his career and his personal life, including a large photo gallery. The book focuses on his religious insight into Buddhism as a devoted Buddhist.

=== Entertainment tours === Nay Toe traveled to Japan, Singapore and Malaysia in 2011 on entertainment tours. He has also been invited to Australia, Singapore, London, Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand.