Actor going for gold with Thai baseball team

Hollywood actor Joe Daru is used to supporting roles in hit television series like The Brothers Sun alongside Michelle Yeoh, Long Bright River with Amanda Seyfried and in blockbuster films such as Guardians Of The Galaxy.

- Deepanraj Ganesan

At the 2025 SEA Games, the Thai-American is taking on a support role of a different kind, not as an onscreen talent but on the pitch as an outfielder for Thailand’s baseball team.

The 33-year-old and his teammates are chasing Thailand’s second SEA Games baseball crown, aiming to repeat the 2007 gold-medal triumph on home soil.

Silver medallists in 2005 and 2019 and third-placed finishers in 2011, Thailand’s latest campaign sees them in the final against the Philippines on Dec 12. Singapore take on Indonesia in the bronze-medal game on the same day.

All matches are played at the Queen Sirikit 60th Anniversary Baseball Stadium in Pathum Thani. On Dec 9, in a 6-4 preliminary-round triumph over Singapore, Daru’s widespread popularity among Thai supporters was evident as “Daru, Daru, Daru” echoed around the stadium.

This is his third Games appearance after competing in 2011 and 2019 — the last time the sport featured at the biennial event.

Daru said: “Firstly, I love Thailand. So any chance I get to come back and represent Thailand, I try to do it. I am so happy to be here.”

Born in Bangkok, Daru travelled the world at a young age.