Life & Work with Haley Damian of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Haley Damian.

Hi Haley, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always had a deep passion and admiration for acting and filmmaking. Growing up, my mom would show me the best 90s thrillers, romcoms, and horror films. She has good taste, and those films truly informed the kind of artist I wanted to be from a young age. Those days are what inspired me to pursue a career in film. I didn’t have much formal training growing up, just focused on enjoying my life, my family, and being a normal kid. I had the opportunity to be a lead in various theatrical productions in college, including Metamorphoses and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I even received an Irene Ryan nomination for my role in Metamorphoses. Regardless of achievements on paper, the chances I was given to act on stage, combat train, and create with my cast and crew night after night were the times I felt the most alive and the most in love with my craft. I’ve trained with some incredible coaches at Margie Haber Studio and deepened my love for acting on screen. In recent years, I’ve been in various horror shorts that I’m very proud of. I’ve also had the pleasure of making a living through modeling, commercial and UGC work in the last few years. But my heart lies with film. It is a lifelong dream to be cast in the kinds of roles that I grew up watching, that shaped me as an artist and a person. My incredible husband, my parents, and my best friend have supported me and shown up for me in ways I can never repay, and are people that I’m forever inspired by and eternally grateful for. In everything I do, I pray that God would be glorified and that I would be a vessel for his love in my industry and beyond. I love my life and I’m so thankful to be here, creating, and sharing my passion with others.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The life of an actor is never smooth and forever changing. I think the unpredictability is something that I love, in a way. One of the biggest challenges I, and many others in this industry, face is the feeling that you can’t do what you love unless someone chooses you, or gives you the ‘Yes!’. As for me, I’m an actor at my core and it’s something that’s deeply imbedded in me, regardless of who gives me an opportunity, or when that opportunity comes. The best advice I can give is to have a full life outside of your craft. Love what you have without needing anything else.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m an actress, model, and UGC creator. I’m most proud of my work in the horror shorts I’ve been a part of, and my work in theater. Although it feels small-scale, those experiences were life-changing to me. To perform in front of a live audience, in a giant pool built from scratch, with no idea of how the night will go, there’s an incredible feeling of freedom, reward and gratitude in it that can never be replaced. I believe my true connection to my roles and my ability to see and empathize with others is what sets me apart.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I grew up in Los Angeles and am so thankful for the childhood I had. Some of my favorite days were riding around in my dad’s car, running errands with him, listening to 102.7. There’s so much charm and beauty to the city that is often overlooked or looked down upon. There’s so much history here, something to be discovered every single day, and a sense of magic and nostalgia that ties me to it. LA will always be home and have my heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tiktok.com/@haleydamian
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haleydamian
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@haleydamian

Image Credits
Chris Jon Photography
Chris Okimoto