Damian Bao
- Casting Director
- Producer
- Director
Damian Bao is an Asian American filmmaker, producer, casting director, visual artist, and advocate from New Orleans, LA.
Inspired by his impoverished early childhood in a refugee camp for Vietnamese boat people in the Pacific Islands and his colorful adolescence in a diverse trailer park community on the outskirts of New Orleans, Damian seeks to tell authentic stories and give voice to humans and sentient beings who are voiceless and unseen in the world. As a former Buddhist monk, he believes in radical storytelling, visual troublemaking, and using empathy to tell human stories that bring people from polarizing sides together.
In 2017, he started his own film casting and production company after gaining experience as an associate casting director on Andrea Arnold's American Honey (Cannes Jury Prize Winner 2016) and Ryan Gosling's Lost River (Cannes 2014). Since then, he has worked on the casting for Sam de Jong's Goldie (Berlinale & Tribeca 2019), Danielle Lessovitz's Port Authority (Cannes 2019), Lana Wilson's Look Into My Eyes (Sundance 2024), and Sam & Andy Zuchero's Love Me (Sundance Sloan Prize Winner 2024). He served as an associate producer on Port Authority, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese and made history as the first film at Cannes to feature a trans woman of color (Leyna Bloom) in a leading role. He recently wrapped production as producer and casting director on Jing Ai Ng's Forge (SXSW 2025) and William Kwok's Sundance-backed Chinese School (post production).
For all of his casting works, Damian spearheads a hybrid casting strategy that combines professionally trained actors and artists with cinematic and dynamic street finds. His discovery of queer leads or color such as Slick Woods and Leyna Bloom, who became the first trans actor to lead a film at Cannes for her performance in Port Authority, have added to authentic representation in queer filmmaking history. His presence and work in film, art, fashion, and advertising has undoubtedly for the past decade paved the way for more inclusion, diversity, and real change.
Bao was listed on Who is Making Asian American Pacific Islander History in 2021: The GMA Inspiration List by Good Morning America and ABC News. He has shared his expertise by delivering talks at the Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest, Tribeca Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
Inspired by his impoverished early childhood in a refugee camp for Vietnamese boat people in the Pacific Islands and his colorful adolescence in a diverse trailer park community on the outskirts of New Orleans, Damian seeks to tell authentic stories and give voice to humans and sentient beings who are voiceless and unseen in the world. As a former Buddhist monk, he believes in radical storytelling, visual troublemaking, and using empathy to tell human stories that bring people from polarizing sides together.
In 2017, he started his own film casting and production company after gaining experience as an associate casting director on Andrea Arnold's American Honey (Cannes Jury Prize Winner 2016) and Ryan Gosling's Lost River (Cannes 2014). Since then, he has worked on the casting for Sam de Jong's Goldie (Berlinale & Tribeca 2019), Danielle Lessovitz's Port Authority (Cannes 2019), Lana Wilson's Look Into My Eyes (Sundance 2024), and Sam & Andy Zuchero's Love Me (Sundance Sloan Prize Winner 2024). He served as an associate producer on Port Authority, which was executive produced by Martin Scorsese and made history as the first film at Cannes to feature a trans woman of color (Leyna Bloom) in a leading role. He recently wrapped production as producer and casting director on Jing Ai Ng's Forge (SXSW 2025) and William Kwok's Sundance-backed Chinese School (post production).
For all of his casting works, Damian spearheads a hybrid casting strategy that combines professionally trained actors and artists with cinematic and dynamic street finds. His discovery of queer leads or color such as Slick Woods and Leyna Bloom, who became the first trans actor to lead a film at Cannes for her performance in Port Authority, have added to authentic representation in queer filmmaking history. His presence and work in film, art, fashion, and advertising has undoubtedly for the past decade paved the way for more inclusion, diversity, and real change.
Bao was listed on Who is Making Asian American Pacific Islander History in 2021: The GMA Inspiration List by Good Morning America and ABC News. He has shared his expertise by delivering talks at the Sundance Film Festival, South by Southwest, Tribeca Festival, Cannes Film Festival, and SAG-AFTRA Foundation.
