Jona Xiao

This year actress Jona Xiao can be seen in some of the most talked about projects in TV and film. She has quickly become known for her ability to bring characters to life in the comedic world, while seamlessly tapping into her range in dramatic projects. This spring Jona plays Young Namaari in Disney's much-anticipated "Raya and the Last Dragon," released worldwide March 5th. This fall, Jona recurs on Starz's critically acclaimed crime drama series "Hightown" as the bubbly yet edgy Daisy, opposite Luis Guzman. Her previous film roles include Lijuan in "Gifted" for Fox Searchlight Pictures opposite Chris Evans, Jenny Slate, and Octavia Spencer. "Gifted" follows Frank Adler (Evans) a single man raising a child prodigy - his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) - in a coastal town in Florida. Jona also filmed "Spider-Man: Homecoming" (Columbia Pictures) which follows a young Peter Parker/Spider-Man as he begins to navigate his newfound identity as the web-slinging hero. Jona's other film credits include "Keeping Up with the Joneses" (Twentieth Century Fox) opposite Gal Gadot, Zach Galifianakis, and Jon Hamm. Jona has appeared on top TV series including recurring on BET's hit series "Being Mary Jane" as Natalie Wu, opposite Gabrielle Union. She also recurred on AMC's critically acclaimed series "Halt and Catch Fire" as Julie Yang, the first female coder on Team Mutiny. Other TV credits include: "Bones," "Trophy Wife," and "Rizzoli & Isles." This feisty first generation Chinese-American actress grew up in St. Louis, Missouri where she began acting in middle school. In addition to acting, she also loved sports and in high school was an Academic All-American and All-State lacrosse player. When not on set, Jona taps back into her love of sports, bringing her known competitive edge. She was a quarterback on the National US Women's flag football prelim roster. She's also a dodgeball player and an avid board game enthusiast.