About

Benjamin Hoàng Nguyễn (he/him) is a Vietnamese American actor, singer and podcaster currently based in New York. Born and raised in an immigrant household in Oakland, California, found his love for performing through choir and church music. In high school, he discovered musical theater as a space to express himself more freely, even as he struggled to find Vietnamese or Asian role models in lead roles. For him, acting became a way to imagine what was possible.

During his time at UC Santa Cruz, Ben pursued both Psychology and Theater, where he appeared in student films, sang opera with the UCSC Music Department, and performed in student-led productions across the Barnstorm and Mainstages. His artistic development bridges classical training with emotionally grounded storytelling.

Since graduating, Ben has continued acting in plays, short films, industrials, training videos, and commercials, using each role to explore identity, vulnerability, and care. Notable credits include:

Nhut Pham in SkillFlix for Parents of Youth on the Autism Spectrum (Dfusion Inc.)
Christopher in The Soulmate Play (Staged Reading; Anthony Doan & More Mas Marami)
Isaac in Love U (Staged Reading; Grabmeier & Jost)

Ben is also the co-creator and host of Growing Up Nguyễn, a podcast rooted in sibling conversations about grief, legacy, and the Vietnamese American diaspora. Through storytelling, he and his siblings explore what it means to inherit both rupture and resilience across generations. In addition, he serves as the Social Media Manager for Vietnamese Boat People, helping to amplify refugee voices and intergenerational healing through digital storytelling.

Beyond the stage and screen, Benjamin has built a parallel career in higher education, working as an administrator and event coordinator across UC campuses and graduate institutions. He has coordinated a wide range of programs, including:

Consent Culture & Upbringing, a student wellness program at the Asian American/Pacific Islander Resource Center (UCSC)
The Annual Spring Conference for the Center for Jewish Studies (Graduate Theological Union)
Post-Graduation Reception (UC Berkeley School of Law, Clinical Program)

Now pursuing his Master’s of Social Work at Columbia University, Ben continues to explore how performance, psychology, and cultural work intersect. Whether onstage, on camera, or behind the mic, his purpose is the same: commit to storytelling that repairs, reframes, and reaches across generations.