Today we’d like to introduce you to Naomi Baker.
Hi Naomi, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in Dayton, OH. I’m the youngest of four siblings. I always knew I wanted to be in the entertainment industry. I loved watching shows and movies with my family and always said I was going to do that. Modeling came first when local designers would have me model for their clothing brands frequently. When I knew I wanted to take it more seriously, I began looking for agencies in the area and found LModelz, a mother agency in Indianapolis, IN. I signed with them in 2016 and that’s when my professional career started. I got my first placement agency in Chicago in 2017 which is now called Option 1 Models. They got me clients like Kohl’s, ASOS, Footlocker and more. Once I graduated from college at The Ohio State University in 2020, I told my mother’s agent that I wanted to get out to LA and later that year I signed with an agency called O Models. They’ve helped me work with clients like Sephora, Too Faced Cosmetics, Boandtee, and more. I officially moved to LA in August of 2021. I was ready to start my acting career and got signed with my manager Discover Management. I began taking acting classes at MAD Acting Studio in 2022. In October of 2022, I landed my first two roles back to back. My guest star role on All American: Homecoming premiered on November 28, 2022. My Lifetime feature film is scheduled to air in early 2023. In August of 2022, I dissolved my contact with O Models and am now represented by Select Models LA. I am actively auditioning and modeling today.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve definitely had struggles along the way but the biggest was always getting started. Being in Dayton, OH there aren’t a lot of opportunities, and then getting someone or a team with the resources to get you where you want to go is even harder. I’m very grateful I stuck with it and found an amazing team that believes in me.
This craft takes a lot of financial resources to develop. Paying for test shoots to build your portfolio, flying across the country to meet with agencies, driving to shoots, paying for hotels, acting classes, etc. is all a part of it. Thankfully I have an amazing family who has been so helpful with all these things when I was starting out.
Finally staying confident throughout it all can be tough. Being in an industry that judges you as a person, it’s tough not to take things personally. Hearing no sometimes every day depending on how much you’re auditioning is hard. You can start to doubt yourself and your craft and the process. It’s very important to have people around you who believe in you even when you don’t believe in yourself and to remember why you started.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am an actress and model. I do mostly commercial and print modeling. I have worked for over 20 brands including ASOS, Sephora, Footlocker, Finishline, Too Faced Cosmetics, Kohl’s, JCPenney, Eastbay, bliss, GlamGlow, ghd, Lawless Beauty, Bio Oil, Ardelle Beauty, Boandtee, LA Girl Cosmetics, nux, Sears, Bésame Cosmetics, FLOWER Beauty, etc.
I am more recently known for my guest star role on All American: Homecoming as Vanessa “Nessa” Bailey. TV has been my ultimate goal so this is definitely what I’m most proud of. I plan to lead a series one day so this was a major stepping stone to doing that, and for it to be on such an amazing show was so big to me. I also have a Lifetime feature film premiering in 2023.
Something that sets me apart from others is that I’m the only me. That’s one thing I love about the craft and art in general; no one can produce the same product as you. Everyone has their own specific energy that they’ll bring to every character they take on and mine is a light that no one else has.
What were you like growing up?
When I was very young, I was much more introverted than I am now. I was social but only my family really saw me for me. My mom is a gospel recording artist and her side of the family sings for days. There wasn’t a second I wasn’t coming up with a performance by myself or with my sister and cousins. We would have plays, choreographed concerts, and everything and have a ball. That’s the stuff I was always interested in but never really did it with anyone outside of family. I became a lot more comfortable as I grew up and was in cheer and dance and began taking on more leadership roles in those areas. I would choreograph for my cheer team every year. Then when I started modeling, I would talk about that stuff more. I was always comfortable with who I was but I never really talked about my dreams, I liked to keep those protected so no one would get in my head about them.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/naomisimoneb
Image Credits
Anastasiya Sazhina Manny Canseco
