Daniel K. Isaac

Isaac's parents are immigrants from Korea. His mother raised him in California as a single parent, and he grew up bilingual. Isaac is an only child.{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/according-to-my-mother-film_n_7292086|title=This Guy's Mom Doesn't Approve Of His Sexuality. His Response Is Awesome.|last=Nichols|first=James Michael|date=2015-05-16|website=HuffPost|language=en|access-date=2019-04-27}} He received his bachelor's degree in theater from the University of California, San Diego.{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2015/05/a-gay-actor-and-his-born-again-christian-korean-mother-connect-in-according-to-my-mother-61494/|title=A Gay Actor and His Born-Again Christian Korean Mother Connect in 'According to My Mother'|date=2015-05-27|website=IndieWire|language=en|access-date=2019-04-27}}

In 2015, Isaac created the hashtag #AccordingToMyMother to share comedic conversations with his mother. He then started a Kickstarter campaign to finance a short film loosely based on their relationship. Isaac produced and starred in what became a television pilot, According to My Mother, with Cathy Yan and Devin Landin.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/new-york-television-festival-winners-according-to-my-mother-poor-todd-1201904361/|title=Indie Pilots 'According to My Mother,' 'Poor Todd' Take New York Television Festival Prizes|date=2016-10-30|website=Variety|language=en|access-date=2019-04-27}} It premiered at the New York Television Festival in October 2016 and won the award for Best Drama. Isaac was named Best Actor in a Drama for his performance.

Isaac has appeared in the role of Ben Kim in Billions since its premiere in 2016. The role was initially written to be to a three-episode part, but the writers ended up making the character a series regular the first two seasons. Isaac also stars as a bike courier with a foot fetish in the BDSM-focused web series Mercy Mistress, produced by Margaret Cho.{{Cite web|url=https://www.them.us/story/mercy-mistress-web-series|title=We're Head Over Heels for This Queer BDSM Web Series|website=them.us|date=22 May 2018 |language=en|access-date=2019-04-27}}

He portrayed William Inge in an off-Broadway production of Philip Dawkins' The Gentleman Caller in May 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/theater/review-the-gentleman-caller.html|title=Review: In The Gentleman Caller, a Talky Tennessee Williams|last=Collins-Hughes|first=Laura|date=2018-05-26|work=The New York Times|access-date=2019-04-27|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

Isaac appeared in a recurring role as Jeremy Delongpre in the first season of the 2019 Comedy Central series The Other Two.{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/television/2019/3/16/other-two-explains-why-bottoms-dont-eat-dates|title='The Other Two' Explains Why Bottoms Don't Eat on Dates|date=2019-03-16|website=www.advocate.com|language=en|access-date=2019-04-27}} He also played the role of "Sandwich Artist" in the May 22, 2022 Episode (#251) of the HBO series Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.

In 2022, Isaac made his play-writing debut with Once Upon a (Korean) Time, which was produced by the Ma-Yi Theatre Company and performed at the historic La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City. The production was directed by Ralph Peña.{{cite web | url=http://ma-yitheatre.org/shows/koreantime/ | title=ONCE UPON A (korean) TIME }} Also in 2022, it was announced that Isaac would star in the comedy film Plan B, alongside Jon Heder, Tom Berenger, and Shannon Elizabeth.{{cite web | url=https://deadline.com/2022/07/jamie-lee-jon-heder-topline-comedy-plan-b-1235065213/ | title=Jamie Lee & Jon Heder Topline Comedy 'Plan B' for Joke Zero and Future Proof Films | date=16 July 2022 }}

Isaac is gay. He voluntarily participated in gay conversion therapy from the age of 13 to 16.{{Cite web |title=Daniel K. Isaac Is Opting For The Gray Area {{!}} Death, Sex & Money |url=https://slate.com/podcasts/death-sex-money/2019/03/daniel-k-isaac-is-opting-for-the-gray-area |access-date=2024-07-29 |website=Slate |language=en}} His mother, a devout Christian, disowned him for his sexuality when he was a freshman in college. Isaac later embraced his sexuality.

{{BLP sources section|date=November 2022}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{official website|http://www.danielkisaac.com/}}
• {{IMDb name|nm4168755|Daniel K. Isaac}}

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Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American male actors

Category:American stage actors

Category:American gay actors

Category:American male actors of Korean descent

Category:American male television actors

Category:American LGBTQ people of Asian descent

Category:University of California, San Diego alumni

Category:Male actors from California

Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people

Category:1988 births