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Mikail Leonard Moreau (born 17 August 1994), widely known as Kai Moreau or Kai, is a French-born actor who has built his career in Indonesia. He commenced his acting career at the age of 19, making his feature film debut in The Wanderer (2013), in which he starred alongside Faisal Ansor and portrayed the character Andaru. Following the film’s success, Kai’s reputation grew steadily, leading to a diverse body of work spanning both cinematic productions and television projects. His prominence rose significantly in 2014 when he delivered a notable performance as Pras in the film Sang Priyayi, further cementing his status within the industry.
Kai achieved international recognition for his portrayal of “Mana” in the 2017 film Five O’Clock, in which he took on an antagonistic role and shared a notable on-screen duel with Emma Watson. The film was a major commercial success and received the award for “Best Psychological Film” at the International Film Festival Awards.
In addition to his acting career, Kai has remained committed to his academic pursuits. He undertook his undergraduate studies in psychology at Universitas Indonesia, before furthering his education at Northern Illinois University, where he completed his studies in the same field in 2026.
Born Mikail Leonard Moreau, 17 August 1994 (31 years)
Alma mater Universitas Indonesia (S.Psi) Northern Illinois University (M.Sc)
Occupation Actor, Model
Years Active 2013 - Present
Works Roles and Awards
Signature
Mikail Leonard Moreau was born on 17 August 1994 in Paris to Louis Moreau, a French businessman, and Martha Jiana Mappiasse, an Indonesian model. Kai spent his early childhood in Paris before relocating to Jakarta at the age of 10, following his parents’ divorce.
In Indonesia, he pursued his primary through secondary education at Jakarta Intercultural School, where he excelled in social studies and the arts. He was consistently active in the school’s theatre extracurricular program and, together with his team, contributed to establishing the institution as one of the leading performers in the field of performance and arts.
Growing up, Kai explored several potential career paths. His father, Louis, had encouraged him to pursue a career in business; however, having been deeply involved in theatre from a young age, Kai ultimately realized that his true passion lay in the arts, following in his mother’s footsteps. Nevertheless, his journey was not without its challenges, as he was also expected to prioritize his academic pursuits at his mother’s insistence. He subsequently enrolled at Universitas Indonesia, majoring in psychology. Despite the demands of university life, Kai continued to actively pursue his acting career, balancing his studies with ongoing film projects.
*See also: List of roles and awards of Kai Moreau*
2013 : Early Stage Work and Film Debut
Kai made his feature film debut in The Wanderer, portraying the character Andaru. In an interview with Insert, he revealed that the role was particularly challenging, as Andaru’s personality was the complete opposite of his own in everyday life. Moreover, sharing the screen with Faisal Ansor, whom he had admired since childhood, motivated him to deliver his best performance and prove himself as a capable actor.
To fully embody his role as Andaru, Kai underwent three months of intensive dance training, an entirely new experience for him. His dedication ultimately paid off, as his performance earned him the nickname “Kai the Dancer,” a title that continued to follow him even after filming had concluded.
Portrayal of Andaru in the film The Wanderer
In the film Seribu Gugur Bunga (2014), Kai’s acting abilities were put to the test as he took on the role of Ilham. Unlike his experience in The Wanderer, Kai noted that he found Ilham’s character more relatable to his own life. To this day, Ilham remains his favorite role, as he stated in an interview at the Festival Film Indonesia (2024).
2017 - 2020: International Recognition
Kai Moreau with Emma Watson at the premiere of Five O’Clock in London, September 2017.
The film Black and Red (2016), starring Kai alongside Iko Uwais, garnered international attention and marked a significant turning point in his career. Following its release in July 2016, director Ben Charter personally approached Kai with an exclusive offer to portray the antagonist in his subsequent project, Five O’Clock (2017). Co-starring Emma Watson, the film achieved major commercial success, grossing approximately $180.3 million worldwide.
A.O Scott from The New York Times found Kai to be "a terrific young actor", praising his character's transition from self-involvement to responsibility.
He won several awards, including the National Board of Review Award for Breakthrough Performance. Kai featured in the drama film Somebody (2018), lent his voice in a supporting role for the drama film The Munchkins (2019), and had a cameo in Steven Kingsley the Musical Live (2019).
Kai has appeared in or covered every major fashion magazine in Such as Vougue Magazine, Elle Magazine, Esquire Magazine, and others.
In March 2018, Kai starred in [Levi Strauss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levi_Strauss_%26_Co.)’ 2018 spring campaign, "Live in Levi's". Also in March, he starred in a digital pictorial and video campaign with actress Nabila Antarini to advertise the Solati Moving Hotel. In May, he attended his first Gucci show in France wearing the men’s Fall 2018 collection, and Vogue named him the star of the show and **British Vogue** named him the best dressed. In September 2019, Kai was named the global brand ambassador for Gucci and starred in their 2019 Fall/Winter eyewear advertising campaign. In December, Gucci released a short film about Kai's life, as part of their "The Performers" series in collaboration with Vogue.
In January 2022, Charmzone Mask selected Kai as their new model, "hoping that it will deliver a youthful and trendy image of Charmzone's premium mask products". In February, it was reported Charmzone had sold 17 million masks. Later that year, Kai was also selected to model for the global outdoor brand Black Yak alongside singer Nathalie Gyss as well as a model for their BCC collection. In September, Kai together with Valencia Rayu became brand ambassadors for the Indonesian health and beauty brand, Olive Young. February, Kai became the muse for Yves Saint Laurent Beauty. For his first digital pictorial for the brand, he advertised their Touche Éclat Glow-Pact cushion in *Marie Claire* magazine.