Biography
Philip Odango is an American actor, artist, designer, producer, director and cosplayer. With over a decade of experience in directing and producing over two dozen stage productions, he is known for his award-winning costume work as Canvas Cosplay. He has appeared as an invited guest, costume contest judge and panelist in many conventions, including San Diego Comic Con, Disney's D23 Expo, New York Comic Con, Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2), Dragon Con, AsiaPOP Comicon, Rose City Comic Con and HawaiiCon. He recently judged the The Cosplay Authority Global Challenge in Manila, one of the largest cosplay cash prizes in the world with a grand prize of $10,000 USD,.
His costumes have been featured in national media such as The New York Times, The Chicago Tribune, Good Morning America, International Business Times and Forbes Magazine; and in industry media, including Cosplay Culture Magazine, Cosplay in America, Kotaku and Fashionably Geek. His award-winning Doctor Strange cosplay was featured by Marvel, and he was commissioned to produce a replica prop for The Jimmy Kimmel Show. A seasoned competition champion, his cosplay of Maui from Disney's Moana won at the Crown Championships of Cosplay in Chicago, and is recognized by Disney's head of animation of Moana as "The REAL Maui".
In 2017 he partnered with Singer® Sewing Company as its official Brand Ambassador, helping introduce novice sewers and cosplayers to the features and functionality of Singer products. Singer most recently sponsored the New York Comic Con Eastern Championships of Cosplay, where Philip helped award the top 3 overall champions. Philip launched the "Bros Who Sew" initiative to teach sewing workshops and encourage visibility on male sewists.
With 15 years of professional experience in advertising, marketing and communications, and an active member of the Public Relations Society of America, Philip strives to empower cosplayers worldwide to strengthen their confidence and professional development. In January 2018, Philip launched his Cosplay Professional Development Series with his introductory book Cosplay Marketing & PR 101: Startup Essentials for Growing Your Cosplay Brand.
