Mario Maurer (Thai: มาริโอ้ เมาเร่อ, Thai pronunciation: born December 4, 1988 in Thailand) is a Thai model and actor. Starting off a career as a model at age 16, he later became best known for his lead roles in the 2007 film, The Love of Siam and the 2010 sleeper hit, First Love (A Little Thing Called Love). He is also part of a group called 4+1 Channel 3 Superstar with Nadech Kugimiya, Prin Suparat, Pakorn Chatborirak, and Phupoom Phongpanu.

Early life
Mario Maurer was born at the Bangkok Christian Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. He is of Thai Chinese and German descent. His father chose an Italian name for him because he had a faible for Italian motorcycles. Growing up, his father Roland and his mother Waranya owned several gas stations. Later they owned a business in Nakhon Nayok Province for production and export of roll-on deodorants to countries such as France and Germany. Maurer has an elder brother of five years, who was born in Germany. He attended school at St. Dominic Catholic School in Bangkok and now is studying in Ramkhamhaeng University, majoring in Communication Arts.

Career
When Maurer was 16 years old, he was approached at Siam Square to try out modeling. From there on, he started doing photo shoots, commercials and music videos. In 2007, he made his feature film debut in a leading role in The Love of Siam, written and directed by Chukiat Sakweerakul. The role "Tong" brought him many accolades and instant fame far beyond Thailand's borders. Commenting on his new-found fame, "I didn't want to do it, Acting wasn't on my list to do." He decided to do the movie because he trusted the director "Chukiat" and the movie would give him many opportunities. He'd be making money to help his family. He became famous in this film because of his gay role.

His other work as a model. The film's promotion did not play up its homosexual romance. Nonetheless, most critics have given extremely positive reviews. When asked about his kissing scenes with Witwisit Hirunwongkul in The Love of Siam, Maurer said, "I was nervous. I've never kissed a man and kissing is not something you do every day." Maurer has been nominated for an Asian Film Awards in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Love of Siam, but lost to Sun Hong-Lei for Mongol. He won the Best Actor award in Southeast Asian film category at the 10th Cinemanila International Film Festival. His performance was described as "Mature acting choices within a wide range of situations. Beneath a calm and placid external demeanor his performance he displayed a rich inner struggle dealing with emotional burdens, with family, friends, his social circle and his romantic and sexual awakening." He won the Best Actor award in Starpics Thai Films Awards and also nominated in Bangkok Critics Assembly and Star Entertainment Awards. Director Bhandit Rittakol had approached Maurer for Boonchu 9, but he was tied up with other projects.He has been cast in the 2008 film by Chatchai Naksuriya, Friendship. The film is set around 1983. Maurer starring opposite Apinya Sakuljaroensuk,as 12th grade student. That same year he appeared in a segment of the four-story anthology 4 Romance (segment "Joob" or Kiss) directed by Rashane Limtrakul Maurer's projects after 2008 include a comedy-horror film written and directed by Yuthlert Sippapak, Rahtree Reborn, scheduled for release in April 2009, in which he starred opposite Chermarn Boonyasak. Maurer gained popularity after he starred in the 2010 film First Love (A Little Thing Called Love).