April 2014
Raised in San Francisco, California, Billy DaMota moved to Los Angeles, hoping to find a place as a guitar player in the Southern California music scene. But there were other things that needed attention - like food and rent - and his live music career was put on hold.
So in the mid 80s, as a young and eager man - an artist looking for something to save him from a life in the retail business - Billy began his casting career as an assistant on such films as Predator, The Running Man, The Three Amigos and Project X. In the late '80s, he was hired as the casting associate on the gang epic, Colors, directed by Dennis Hopper.
Billy became an independent casting director with the film Miracle Mile, starring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham. He went on to cast Steven Seagal's first film, Above the Law, directed by Andrew Davis, the legendary cult classic Chopper Chicks in Zombie Town, casting the then unknown Billy Bob Thornton in his first co-starring role, and even cast the late Mickey Rooney in the last of the Silent Night Deadly Night series.
Over the years, Billy has cast actors like Cameron Diaz, Brad Pitt, Faye Dunaway, James Franco, Martin Landau, Karen Black, John Denver and the legendary Tony Curtis. He even co-wrote a screenplay with Dr. Timothy Leary!
More recent films include Touching Home starring Ed Harris, Mickey Matson and The Pirates Code starring Christopher Lloyd, the the 2014 box office hit, the faith-based God' Not Dead starring Kevin Sorbo, Shane Harper and Duck Commander Willie Robertson. He worked with director Alex Proyas as a casting consultant on The Crow as well as the Will Smith hit I, Robot.
Billy moved into producing with the award winning Reflections in the Dark, starring Billy Zane and Mimi Rogers. And he recently directed his first film, a touching story about Alzheimer's Disease called Posey, starring Oscar nominee and Golden Globe winner Sally Kirkland in the title role as well as the outstanding Ray Wise.
In the world of Music Videos, Billy has worked with artists such as Tori Amos, The Basement Jaxx, Faith Hill, George Strait, Dave Navarro, Ministry, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley and The Ramones.
Billy joined the The Casting Society of America in 1992, has served on their Board of Directors and on numerous committees over the years, and has been nominated four times for Best Casting, twice for Best Casting for an Independent Film and twice for Best Short Film, most recently nominated for the short films, Efrain and Burned.
He has worked tirelessly to address the ethical issues involving the notorious casting director payola scheme, where hundreds of casting directors and their staffs - including high profile CSA members - are paid to meet and audition actors. The organization he founded - DoNotPay.org - was created a dozen years ago as a guide to help educate and inform actors about the scam , which continues to this day.
Billy is also an accomplished guitarist and songwriter, currently playing and recording with Shelly O'Neill and the Big Way. He appears with the Gene Butler Band singing and performing in the film Holyman Undercover, he co-wrote the song "Comes on Too Strong" which is featured in the film Changing Habits, and has recorded with Hellecaster Will Ray and ex-Mike Bloomfield sideman, the late great Gashouse Dave. He has displayed his paintings and photographs at the world famous Fender Museum, in Corona, California and published his first book, Whispering Lunacies: 100 Love Poems. His second book, "An Actor Grovels" is due out soon.
