My Favorite Films featuring Nadao Bangkok Actors
This was supposed to be a reply to an ask but Tumblr glitched and somehow I can't find that ask anymore so this list is a reply to anon who asked for my favorite films from Nadao actors.
I feel like I gonna preface this list that although I know I said in my previous asks that Nadao actors are trained to be in GDH films, the reality is not many of the 'younger'/newer gen Nadao actors actually ended up leading GDH-produced films except Tor Thanapob =))))) (but like also this you can't blame them because it's the casting directors / directors / producers who make the final call of course). Nonetheless, here are some of my favorite Thai films featuring Nadao actors, in both leading and supporting roles.
1. Bad Genius
Lynn, a genius high school student who makes money by cheating tests, receives a new task that leads her to set foot on Sydney, Australia. In order to complete the millions-Baht task, Lynn and her classmates have to finish the international STIC (SAT) exam and deliver the answers back to her friends in Thailand before the exam takes place once again in her home country.
Notable Nadao actor(s): Nonkul Chanon gives a poweful performance as Bank, the other gifted student whose ideals were compromised as the film goes on and James Teeradon plays Pat - the obnoxious character you'll simply want to punch.
2. How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
A young man quits his job to look after his dying grandmother. However, it is not out of love that he assumes the role of a devoted grandson but for a substantial inheritance worth millions, going to great lengths to become the apple of his demanding grandmother’s eye before time runs out.
Notable Nadao actor(s): Billkin Putthipong gives the performance of his life as Em in this beautiful family drama tearjerker masterpiece.
3. One For The Road
Boss lives a seemingly charmed life as a popular bartender in New York City, with an endless line of female customers after hours. One night, his estranged friend Aood calls from Bangkok with the news that he’s dying and asks Boss to come home. As the two travel down memory lane throughout Thailand, returning items to Aood’s exes, their pasts and reasons for their broken brotherhood are exposed. But Boss doesn’t know the whole story, and when Aood has one last gift to return, it might destroy their relationship forever.
Notable Nadao actor(s): Tor Thanapob plays enigmatic Boss, the deuteragonist whose character arc is gradually revealed in the second half of the story.
4. OMG! Oh My Girl
This is the chaotic love story of a man and a woman who keep falling for each other, but in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Their chemistry is strong. However, when Guy is single, June's in a relationship. When they break up, Guy has a partner. He breaks up with them and June's in another relationship. This is the rhythm of their love. Guy endeavours to give up the pursuit, but moving on is an endless cycle. Finally, he's determined to just once give it his all and fight fate.
Notable Nadao actor(s): Sky Wongravee proves that he's meant to play these "losers in the love" characters for his leading feature debut role. The audience may hate Guy but I could never. Most GDH 559 male leads are self-aware, selfish, problematic jerks so you just gotta... accept those characters as is.
5. Love Stuck
Toy, an aimless illustrator, is trapped in a time loop, repeating New Year’s Eve over and over. While trying different ways to escape this cycle. Toy meets Vee, a mysterious young woman stuck in the same predicament. Together, they search for hidden Perfect Moments during the day. The two grow closer, eventually learning to accept life’s little imperfections and cherish every minute.
Notable Nadao actor(s): James Teeradon plays Toy - the most charming and crazy guy stuck in a time loop. Watch this if you want to see him butt-naked in literally the opening sequence of this film. This is the first film on my list that wasn't produced by GDH 559.
6. Homestay
A mysterious man called the Guardian tells me I’ve been granted a prize, standing on the side of a hospital building that seems to defy gravity. He explains that I now live in the body of Min, a high schooler who died at the hospital. I have 100 days to find out who caused Min's death or I’ll die and be stuck in this "homestay" forever. While adjusting to my new life with a family and friends, I find myself drawn to Pie, Min’s tutoring peer, who makes me wish I could stay in this body forever. But I must solve the mystery before time runs out.
Notable Nadao actor(s): James Teeradon gives his oscar-worthy performance as Min in this film. Homestay is a great blend of mystery, psychological and drama with nice twists and turns.
7. Suddenly Twenty
Parn is a stubborn old woman in her 70's whose only pleasure in life is to brag about her son who she single-handedly raised to be a professor. One day, she learns that her son is planning to send her off to a nursing home. While wondering the street in shock and grave disappointment, she is drawn to a mysterious light and walks into a photo studio called 'Chaya Lumruek.' She puts on a makeup for the first time to get her portrait take, but when she leaves she is shocked to see her reflection. Skin fair and supple and slender figure, she's gone back to being a vibrant 20-year-old young woman again! With no one recognizing her, she sees it as a second chance at life and decides to take advantage of her new-found youth that she never got to enjoy in her old days.
Notable Nadao actor(s): JJ Krissanapoom plays Boom - the fun and loving grandson of our protagonist Parn. Although this is a remake of a popular Korean film Miss Granny, this Thai adaptation certainly has its own charm and JJ excels in his most comfortable element - the funny and playful supporting character with impeccable comedic timing.
8. Suckseed
Ped is a geeky boy who is secretly in love with his classmate Earn since he was a young boy. When Ern moves away, Ped is crushed. Later in high school, Ped finds out that Earn has returned. Ped's best friend Koong decides to create a plan to get Earn and the other girls' attention by making a rock band. The boys find out that Earn is a talented guitarist and let her join their band. Ped learns that his best friend is pinning for Earn as well.
Notable Nadao actor(s): Peach Pachara plays the adorable Koong; Toptap Napat plays Tuang and Tonhon Tantivejakul plays young Ped. Suckseed is basically Sing Street meets Scott Pilgrim featuring punk and contemporary Thai rock music scene.
9. May Who?
Pong belongs to the lowest social class of high school outcasts, the "invisibles." He enjoys letting his imagination run wild, drawing cartoons of Mink who's out of his social class. Because a notebook containing Pong’s newest comic is mistakenly placed in the wrong hands, he gets to know a secretive schoolmate named May. May's nickname is so common that whenever a girl named May is discussed, whoever is listening will ask, “May who?
Notable Nadao actor(s): Punpun Sutatta, Bank Thiti, Tor Thanapob and Frung Narikun form the main love square between Pong, May, Fame and Mink. But we also got a few Nadao actresses in this like Thanaerng Kanyawee and Praew Narupornkamol. It's just one of the cutest teen romcoms from GDH that can instantly lighten your mood. It's the followed up/second film for GDH director Moo Chayanop Boonprakob after Suckseed. He later went onto direct some of the best known GDH romcoms like A Gift, Friend Zone, and BKPP's The Red Envelope.
10. Ghost Lab
After witnessing a haunting in their hospital, two doctors become dangerously obsessed with obtaining scientific proof that ghosts exist.
Notable Nadao actor(s): I'm not the biggest fan of horror but when I found out that Ice Paris and Tor Thanapob were leads in the first Netflix original x GDH film, I knew I had to check this out. Some of the all-time best performances from Tor and Ice, even if the story started out a bit slow. Their characters are pretty insane in this and I think it's best to come into this blind to fully enjoy the twists of the film.
11. Operation Undead
1941: World War II in Chumphon, Mek, a new sergeant, and Mok, his younger brother in the Youth Soldier unit, face a mysterious threat when "something" belonging to the Japanese goes missing during their landing. This leads Mok and his fellow youth soldiers to encounter horrors far worse than war. Even after Thailand and Japan declare a ceasefire, Mek receives a special covert mission to clean up the area alongside a Japanese combat unit, unaware that this might include his own brother.
Notable Nadao actor(s): The reason that this is last on my list is simply because I spent the rest 1/3 of the film covering my eyes in fear of the gory zombie makeup they've put on Nonkul Chanon and Ud Awat. I thought this film was a pretty unique take on zombie films even if I don't watch that much zombie films to be fair.
