Biography
Ryan Baumann performed as an American child actress from age 6 months to age 15. She worked side by side with such Hollywood directors as Michael Bay, Mark Pellington, Sasha Levinson and Jerry G. Angelo. She has also worked with industry leaders Skydance Media, Netflix, Columbia Records New York, and Young & Rubicam New York (now VMLY&R of WPP Group, London) as a SAG Principal actor, including starring in national TV commercials such as American Girl doll at age 9. Ryan worked 1-on-1 many times with world-renowned acting coach Larry Moss.
Born Ryan Claire Baumann on October 31, 2004 in Los Angeles, California, USA, Ryan is a 3rd-generation actress going back to her paternal grandmother in 1940 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Her maternal great-great-grandfather was notable American-born attorney Sidney Levy Herold (1880-1950) of Ashkenazi Jewish descent from Ellerstadt, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He was the first to specialize in oil & gas law in Shreveport, Louisiana, including during its historic oil boom years, building a family fortune in land and natural gas production.
As of Fall 2025, Ryan attends University College London (UCL) majoring in Psychology & Education. Prior to that she attended Vassar College (70 miles north of NYC in the beautiful Hudson Valley region) for 2 years beginning in Fall 2023 after high school. An impressive student, she earned Cum Laude Society at Windward School in Los Angeles receiving all "A"s during all 4 years of high school (including in 8 AP and 8 Honors courses and 2 years of AP Calculus). Now a young adult, Ryan spends most of her time in London at school and in Los Angeles with her family.
Her Lead Ensemble role in American Warfighter (2018) (U.S. theaters 2019, now on Netflix, Variety article 11-6-2019) eventually led to working with director Michael Bay and actress Adria Arjona in a backstory scene for the movie, 6 Underground (2019), starring Ryan Reynolds. Ryan's scene (a SAG Day Performer role) with Arjona, who stars as "FIVE/The Doctor," was part of a late cut on this Skydance Media production due to the film's length.
She is best known for starring in American Warfighter (2018) as "Ryan", the childhood soulmate of a U.S. Navy SEAL... appearing in 6 of his PTSD nightmares, Ryan's character prominently dies by his side (twice)... a breakout role in this indie feature that's all about its big message of Heroism & Sacrifice. In American Warfighter (2018), Ryan's big-screen debut, Ryan played her scenes directly opposite the film's star/writer/director, Jerry G. Angelo (14 times Best Actor/Best Feature festival winner, star & producer of Artik- 2019). Another lead was played by Isaac C. Singleton Jr. ("Boothe" in Deadpool- 2016; and "Bo'sun" in Pirates of the Caribbean- 2003). Prior to that, Ryan starred above-title as "Junior" (the son of Horse Hogg) in The Adventures of Horse Hogg (2016), an action-comedy TV pilot short, which also starred Isaac C. Singleton Jr. above-title. For her 2 films above, Ryan is credited in the Billing Block on the official poster of each film.
Ryan's first big break was starring with Soni Bringas (star of Fuller House as "Ramona Gibbler") in the American Girl national U.S. commercial for their "2014 Girl of the Year" doll, Isabelle. Ryan was then featured in the national U.S. commercial for the American Girl movie, Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight (2014). Both commercials also aired in Canada.
Ryan's career started very early. She was in her first SAG commercial at 6 months old, cast as an infant boy in an Italian commercial for Mulino Bianco biscuits. She began modeling just before age 5 in 2009, when she was chosen as the "Matteo Girl" for the Matteo children's Bambino clothing line made in downtown Los Angeles. She was the sole face of their Bambino line from 2010 - 2017. Then later, as a popular child model, Ryan was featured on sidewalk billboards from Manhattan NYC to Santa Monica CA as the face of the American Apparel Kids line in 2013. By age 10, Ryan graced the cover of Institute Magazine (August 30, 2015) and its "Pierrot Theatre" feature spread wearing an Alexandria Olivia designer dress from their Fall Couture 2015 Collection. And on stage, an 11 year old Ryan played the featured role of "Penelope Ann" in a professional production of the musical Bye Bye Birdie at the Fremont Centre Theatre for an 8-show, October 2016 run.
Ryan previously studied at The Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in West Hollywood CA. In 2019, Ryan experimented as songwriter/recording artist "Ryan Claire" with her debut 'tween-pop' original single, Dreamin' a Dream, released worldwide April 2020 at age 15. Ryan can speak in a few popular accents and mimic almost any accent she hears. She became a full member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) at 11 months old.
