Pisay_Pao
Pisay Pao
American actress
Pisay Pao (born November 1, 1984) is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Cassandra in the Syfy series Z Nation.
Pao was born on November 1, 1984, in Thailand, at a refugee camp where her Cambodian parents were placed to escape political persecution during the Cambodian Civil War.[1] Her parents were granted political asylum in the United States in 1986, and settled in Seattle, Washington, where she was raised.[2][3][4][1][5] Pao stated that she was attracted to the arts from an early age, and began painting, drawing, dancing, and performing as a child. She obliged her parents' wishes to focus on an academic career instead, earning a scholarship to attend the University of Washington.[2] However, she left her university course to instead pursue a career in fashion and the performing arts.[2]
Pao has credited the movie The Motel for showing her there was space for Asian American stories in visual culture.[6] Pao was introduced to a talent agent through a friend that was a model.[2] Pao stated that she exercised several times per week to prepare for her role in the TV series Z Nation.[7][8] Pao reportedly often attends comic book conventions to meet fans, and has expressed her wish to portray Marvel Comics super hero Storm.[5][7] In addition to film and TV work, she also appeared in the play what you are now, from Sam Chanse, at the Ensemble Studio Theatre in New York.[9][10]
Pao has stated that her parents' struggle to escape the Cambodian civil war is an inspiration for her work.[8]
Pao has travelled to Cambodia to visit her family members who remained there. Her first trip was in 2001.[5]
Pao is a self-professed advocate for women's rights. She has stated that she "wants to find a way to bring justice for all women who are victims of sexual violence."[2][5]
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Simply Fobulous | Chantavy | |
| 2009 | The Whole Truth | Inona Kim | |
| 2010 | Your Lucky Day | Wife | |
| 2012 | Door to Door | Dee | |
| 2018 | Bitter Melons | Sophia | |
| 2019 | Velvet Buzzsaw | Attorney | |
| 2019 | We Take the Low Road | Hospice Worker | |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–2016 | Z Nation | Cassandra | Main role season 1&2 guest season 3 |
| 2016 | NCIS: Los Angeles | Jamie Patterson | Episode: "Core Values" |
| 2019–2020 | Doom Patrol | Oyewah | 7 episodes |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | State of Decay 2 | Lynne (Medical Nurse) | Live action role |
- Pisay Pao (November 1, 2016). "Pisay Pao Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- Naluda (January 1, 2016). "Pisay Pao". Naluda Interviews. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- CHAW, KENNETH (10 March 2016). "Meet Cambodian-American actress Pisay Pao". Star2.com. Retrieved 4 April 2019.
- Katie Sauro (March 31, 2015). "Pisay's Power Play". Media Inc. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- Darcy Tharp (June 9, 2016). "Z Nation star Pisay Pao talks acting and staying in shape". Most Magazine. Retrieved January 10, 2018.
- Yang, Pauline (August 28, 2015). "Getting to Know Z Nation's Pisay Pao". CharacterMedia. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- Amrie (September 11, 2015). "Previewing Z NATION Season 2 with Pisay Pao". My Take On... Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- Bianca Teixeira (September 18, 2015). "A Woman You Should Meet: Pisay Pao". Sharp Magazine. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
- Finkle, David (March 17, 2022). "What You Are Now: A Cambodian Family in Universally Identifiable Memory Denial". New York Stage Review. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- Kumar, Naveen (March 18, 2022). "Review: In 'What You Are Now,' Memory Is a Dangerous Thing". The New York Times. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
- Pisay Pao (December 11, 2017). "Pisay Pao Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved December 17, 2017.