Daniel Hayes (actor)
Encyclopedia
Daniel Hayes is an actor, screenwriter
, and commercial model. He is of Trinidad
ian and Venezuela
n heritage.
in Mississauga, Ontario
, Hayes was recruited to play basketball for several NCAA Division 1 and 2 schools. Instead, he attended university in Canada where he was offered an athletic scholarship. While a university student at Thompson Rivers University
in Kamloops, British Columbia
, Hayes took one elective class and realized his love of acting. According to an article in The Mississauga News
, "If not for a bit of tardiness, Daniel Hayes might never have found his passion for acting." Reporter, Chris Clay, explains that, "When it came time to select classes, Hayes was late and found many of those he wanted were full. But one class was still open - theatre." Hayes says, "I realized my love for acting after just a single course. I switched my major from kinesiology
to theatre, and the rest seems to have fallen into place." Not long after declaring Theatre as his major, he received several offers of acting gigs.
Hayes had already begun working at seventeen as a print model in magazine spreads and billboard ads for Gap
, Guess, Nike
, Sony
, Hugo Boss
, Lacoste, Armani Exchange and Andrew Christian
. At the age of 21, he landed his first two commercials with And1 and Nike
and began studying at The Second City Toronto. He played a marine in the short film Boot Camp
(2007) and a criminal suspect in another short entitled The Police Story (2008).
Hayes competed in the 2008 Toronto 48-Hour Film Project, where participants must write, produce, and shoot a short film in just 48 hours. The team, Level Runner, was led by Steve Nash. Hayes completed the challenge as a writer and producer of the futuristic love story, Essence, and played the lead, Henry, for which he was nominated for the Best Actor award.
In 2009 Hayes wrote, produced, and acted as the lead in the movie, Modern Day Gladiator, a detailed look at the life of a professional Mixed Martial Arts
(MMA) fighter, which was later entered into the LA Film Festival. His acting intensity and athletic physique were what made him a good fit for the role. In fact, in real life, Hayes is a MMA fighter and certified trainer. In an interview with photographer, Sibel Aisha, Hayes said, "My favorite character I played was Dru in the film Modern Day Gladiator. I enjoyed playing him because all the feelings, which I normally have to contain in everyday life, I was able to release. I was able to be as angry, aggressive and hostile as I wanted to be. It definitely helped me relieve some stress." Daniel also completed his studies at The Second City Toronto in 2009.
Hayes began 2010 with his supporting role in the feature film Going Down in La La Land, to be released in 2011. In the film, he plays a young man on a journey with his best friend who is desperately trying to make it in Hollywood. In the second half of 2010 Hayes takes the lead role in each of two new movies: The Silver Chain, a vampire love story, and Finding Larry. Hayes has auditioned for the annual ABC Actors Showcase, where actors audition for roles in upcoming pilots.
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, and commercial model. He is of Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
ian and Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n heritage.
Biography
Hayes was immersed from an early age in soccer, basketball, football, amateur boxing, baseball, and swimming. While attending high school at Cawthra Park Secondary SchoolCawthra Park Secondary School
Cawthra Park Secondary School, also known as CPSS, is a public high school located in Southeast Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.Cawthra Park provides instruction to students from grades 9 to 12 and is under the jurisdiction of the Peel District School Board....
in Mississauga, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Hayes was recruited to play basketball for several NCAA Division 1 and 2 schools. Instead, he attended university in Canada where he was offered an athletic scholarship. While a university student at Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University
Thompson Rivers University is a comprehensive university located in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. It offers students a broad range of courses, career streams, and the ability to ladder credits from diploma programs into full degrees...
in Kamloops, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Hayes took one elective class and realized his love of acting. According to an article in The Mississauga News
The Mississauga News
The Mississauga News is an English language newspaper serving Mississauga, Ontario. It part of the Peel and Southwest Division of the Metroland Media Group, a Torstar company. Published twice a week, the Mississauga News is a perennial newspaper award winner, including best newspaper in Ontario and...
, "If not for a bit of tardiness, Daniel Hayes might never have found his passion for acting." Reporter, Chris Clay, explains that, "When it came time to select classes, Hayes was late and found many of those he wanted were full. But one class was still open - theatre." Hayes says, "I realized my love for acting after just a single course. I switched my major from kinesiology
Kinesiology
Kinesiology, also known as human kinetics is the scientific study of human movement. Kinesiology addresses physiological, mechanical, and psychological mechanisms. Applications of kinesiology to human health include: biomechanics and orthopedics, rehabilitation, such as physical and occupational...
to theatre, and the rest seems to have fallen into place." Not long after declaring Theatre as his major, he received several offers of acting gigs.
Hayes had already begun working at seventeen as a print model in magazine spreads and billboard ads for Gap
Gap (clothing retailer)
The Gap, Inc. is an American clothing and accessories retailer based in San Francisco, California, and founded in 1969 by Donald G. Fisher and Doris F. Fisher. The company has five primary brands: the namesake Gap banner, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime and Athleta. As of September 2008,...
, Guess, Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
, Hugo Boss
Hugo Boss
Hugo Ferdinand Boss was the founder of clothing company Hugo Boss.-Early life:Boss was born in Metzingen, Germany. After completing his apprenticeship and one year of employment, he founded his own company in Metzingen in 1923.-Support of Nazism:Boss joined the Nazi Party in 1931, two years before...
, Lacoste, Armani Exchange and Andrew Christian
Andrew Christian
Andrew Christian is a fashion designer. He became interested in fashion from an early age. Right after he graduated high school, he moved to Los Angeles, California to begin working in the fashion world. Christian soon decided he didn't like working for everyone else...
. At the age of 21, he landed his first two commercials with And1 and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
and began studying at The Second City Toronto. He played a marine in the short film Boot Camp
Boot Camp (film)
Boot Camp is a 2007 psychological suspense thriller feature film written by Agatha Dominik and John Cox and directed by Christian Duguay.The film's working title was Straight Edge and was shot in Fiji as the first film to utilize the southwest Pacific Ocean island country's five-year-old incentive...
(2007) and a criminal suspect in another short entitled The Police Story (2008).
Hayes competed in the 2008 Toronto 48-Hour Film Project, where participants must write, produce, and shoot a short film in just 48 hours. The team, Level Runner, was led by Steve Nash. Hayes completed the challenge as a writer and producer of the futuristic love story, Essence, and played the lead, Henry, for which he was nominated for the Best Actor award.
In 2009 Hayes wrote, produced, and acted as the lead in the movie, Modern Day Gladiator, a detailed look at the life of a professional Mixed Martial Arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA) fighter, which was later entered into the LA Film Festival. His acting intensity and athletic physique were what made him a good fit for the role. In fact, in real life, Hayes is a MMA fighter and certified trainer. In an interview with photographer, Sibel Aisha, Hayes said, "My favorite character I played was Dru in the film Modern Day Gladiator. I enjoyed playing him because all the feelings, which I normally have to contain in everyday life, I was able to release. I was able to be as angry, aggressive and hostile as I wanted to be. It definitely helped me relieve some stress." Daniel also completed his studies at The Second City Toronto in 2009.
Hayes began 2010 with his supporting role in the feature film Going Down in La La Land, to be released in 2011. In the film, he plays a young man on a journey with his best friend who is desperately trying to make it in Hollywood. In the second half of 2010 Hayes takes the lead role in each of two new movies: The Silver Chain, a vampire love story, and Finding Larry. Hayes has auditioned for the annual ABC Actors Showcase, where actors audition for roles in upcoming pilots.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Boot Camp Boot Camp (film) Boot Camp is a 2007 psychological suspense thriller feature film written by Agatha Dominik and John Cox and directed by Christian Duguay.The film's working title was Straight Edge and was shot in Fiji as the first film to utilize the southwest Pacific Ocean island country's five-year-old incentive... |
Marine | |
| 2008 | Between Love & Goodbye | Eric | |
| 2008 | Criminal Suspect | ||
| 2008 | Essence | Henry | Toronto 48-Hour Film Challenge 2008, Nominated—Best Actor Award |
| 2009 | Modern Day Gladiator | Dru | Screened at the LA Film Festival |
| 2011 | Going Down in LA-LA Land | Lucas | Supporting Role |
| upcoming | Finding Larry | Derek | |
| upcoming | Jason |