All posts tagged: Sydney Viengluang

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: Lao Films and Films about Laos

Published by Bryan Thao Worra

This week kicks off Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, so you can expect lots of Celebrasian puns in various news articles. Not to be confused with Celebraisin, which would be one of those dancing claymation raisins from the 80s. This year marks the 40th anniversary since the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Month was recognized by Congress and the White House in 1978. For those of you who were curious, the month of May was chosen to commemorate the immigration of the first Japanese to the United States on May 7, 1843, and to mark the anniversary of the completion of the transcontinental railroad on May 10, 1869. The majority of the workers who laid the tracks were Chinese immigrants. And of course, everyone knows the significance of May to Lao because of the incredible lessons we all get about our journey to America in history class, right? Recently, community members have been asking Little Laos on the Prairie for movie recommendations involving Laos, especially in the aftermath of that Angelina Jolie movie about our …

Zombies and Lao Stories: Interview with Z Nation Actress Sydney Viengluang

Published by Bryan Thao Worra

It’s been a big year for Lao American actress Sydney Viengluang, who has been on the rise, from short films to a recurring role on the popular SyFy zombie horror show Z Nation, where, to many viewers surprise, she made it all of the way to the end. Currently based in Los Angeles, her roots took her from Vientiane, Laos to life in the refugee camps of Thailand and the Phillipines and a Midwestern childhood in Wichita, Kansas. She starred as the daughter Phon in the short film The Letter, about a Lao American family, which took home three awards at the Different Faces Different Voices Film Festival including Best Drama in 2016. Little Laos on the Prairie had a chance to catch up with her recently before the upcoming premiere of season 4 of Z Nation. Congratulations on surviving the 3rd season of Z Nation! Were you surprised? Thanks! Yes and no. I knew my story arc was going towards the direction of being a part of the core hero group called Operation Bitemark …