Profile Text
LOS ANGELES – FEB 05: Baker arrives for the 2018 Movies for Grownups Awards on February 5, 2018 in Beverly Hills, CA, DFree /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Sean S. Baker
Place of Birth: Summit, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 26, 1971
Ethnicity: English, Danish, Irish, Scottish, Swedish, possibly other
Sean Baker is an American director, cinematographer, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Anora (2024). He has also directed the films Four Letter Words , Prince of Broadway , Starlet (2012), Tangerine (2015), The Florida Project , and Red Rocket ; co-directed the film Take Out (2004); and directed the short film Sandiwara . He also wrote his Four Letter Words , Anora , and Sandiwara , and co-wrote all the other films, as well as co-wrote the film Left-Handed Girl . He won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Anora . He co-created the handpuppet Greg the Bunny , of the show of the same name, and co-created the show Warren the Ape ; he wrote and directed episodes of both shows. He is also known as Sean S. Baker.
Sean’s father is a patent attorney and his mother is a teacher. His sister is professional synth-pop musician and production designer Stephonik Youth. Sean is married to Canadian independent film producer and actress Samantha Quan. Samantha is of Chinese descent.
Sean’s maternal grandfather was James J. Nielsen (the son of Niels Peter Frederik Nielsen and Katherine Agnes Mooney). James was born in Brooklyn, New York. Niels was Danish, from Vor Frelsers, Sokkelund, Copenhagen, and was the son of Christen Nielsen and Ane Marie Møller. He also had part Swedish ancestry. Katherine was born in New Jersey, to Irish parents, John Mooney and Anna Rooney.
Sean’s maternal grandmother was Evelyn Isabella Washburn (the daughter of Harry Arthur Washburn and Dorcas Mercer). Evelyn was born in New Jersey. Harry was born in New Jersey, the son of Junius B. Washburn and Virginia Jane Wheeler, who were from Connecticut, and had deep roots in the U.S. Dorcas was born in Manuels, Newfoundland, Canada, the daughter of Robert Mercer and Isabella Lang.
Sources: Sean’s mother on the 1950 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Sean’s aunt (mother’s sister) – https://www.newspapers.com
Genealogy of Sean’s maternal grandfather, James J. Nielsen – https://www.familysearch.org
Genealogy of Sean’s maternal grandmother, Evelyn Isabella Washburn (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.familysearch.org
Sean’s maternal grandmother, Evelyn Isabella Washburn, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Sean’s maternal great-grandmother, Dorcas Evelyn (Mercer) Washburn – https://www.familysearch.org