Daou was born and raised in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War.[7] At 15, he was conscripted by the Lebanese Forces, a Christian militia, and underwent three years of military training alongside his schooling.[8] He attended the American University of Beirut, and amid ongoing strife in Lebanon, moved to New York to study philosophy at New York University.[9][10] Daou's father was Catholic and Daou was baptized into his father's faith.[11] Daou is of Jewish descent on his mother's side; his mother is an American who was born and raised in New York.[12]