Michael Pillarella (born December 11, 1990) is a Canadian actor, writer, film producer and Spoken Word Artist. He is best known for his portrayal of Tommy in the 2012 film Pizza Bagel and his role as Detective Catalanotto in The Detectives Club: New Orleans.
Michael Pillarella | |
|---|---|
 Pillarella at a movie premiere | |
| Born | Michael-Angelo Pillarella December 11, 1990 (age 33) |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, writer, producer and spoken word |
| Years active | 2010-present |
Career
editPillarella got his start in the 2010 Canadian feature film The Most Famous Celebrity of all Time. In late 2010 he landed the starring role in the Canadian independent film Stealin' Home, directed by Joe Mari,[1] which went on to premiere at the 64th annual Cannes Film Festival as a short film contender. In early 2011, Pillarella landed a supporting role in the Ayz Waraich-directed feature film To Our Bright White Hearts, portraying the role of Tully.
In late 2011, Pillarella co-wrote, executive produced, and starred in the short film Pizza Bagel,[2][3] which premiered at the 1st Annual ICFF Italian Contemporary Film Festival screening at the TIFF Bell Lightbox.[4][5][6] Pizza Bagel went on to screen at over 30 international film festivals, including the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival,[7] The New York City International Film Festival, and The UK Jewish Film Festival,[8] garnering several accolades and awards. The success of Pizza Bagel both domestically and internationally bolstered the awareness of Pillarella's abilities as an actor and filmmaker.
Following the success of Pizza Bagel, Pillarella went on to portray Christopher Galliano in the third season of Fear Thy Neighbor[9] and Detective Joey Catalanotto in The Detectives Club: New Orleans.
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | The Most Famous Celebrity of all Time | ||
| 2011 | Stealin' Home | Natty | |
| 2012 | Online Now | Graham Hicks | |
| 2012 | Threads | Michael Styles | |
| 2012 | To Our Bright White Hearts | Tully | |
| 2012 | Pizza Bagel[10] | Tommy | also co-writer and executive producer |
| 2013 | Franny Lew | Gino | |
| 2016 | Fear Thy Neighbor[11] | Christopher Galliano | |
| 2017 | The Detectives Club: New Orleans[12] | Joey Catalanotto | |
| 2017 | 12 Monkeys[13] |
Spoken Word and Activism
editIn late 2017 Pillarella released, I Remember (Love, Heartbreak & Perseverance) to raise awareness for Mental Health.[14] The video features Pillarella delivering a personal monologue that combines spoken word poetry with cinematic visuals. The video quickly went viral, achieving a large global viewership.[15] Pillarella continues to advocate for mental health awareness, regularly releasing spoken word videos on his YouTube channel.
References
edit- ^ "Vaughan actor's film screened at Indie fest during TIFF". YorkRegion Article. 2011-09-09. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ Imagiamedia.ca (2012-01-28). "Joe Mari & Michael Pillarella:". Panoram Italia. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ Carter, Tristan. "Culture clash on the big screen | Vaughan Today". Vaughantoday.ca. Archived from the original on 2013-01-15. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ "Film festival showcases Italian cinema". YorkRegion Article. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ "An edgy Italian-Jewish farce | The Canadian Jewish News". Cjnews.com. 2012-06-22. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ Film Reviews. "Pizza Bagel: ICFF Film Review on MyETVmedia". Myetvmedia.com. Retrieved 2012-11-14.
- ^ "A Taste of Pizza Bagels at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival". Heeb Magazine. 2013-05-02. Retrieved 2016-03-08.
- ^ "Film:Pizza Bagels". UK Jewish Film. 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2016-03-09.
- ^ "Fear Thy Neighbor". IMDB. Retrieved 2016-03-12.
- ^ "Pizza Bagel (2012)". IMDb.
- ^ "Fear Thy Neighbor (2016)". IMDb.
- ^ "The Detectives Club: New Orleans (2017)". IMDb.
- ^ "12 Monkeys (2017)". IMDb.
- ^ "Speaking to the Stigma". Excalibur. February 1, 2018.
- ^ "Spirit of Giving: Vaughan Actor shares heartbreak, offers hope". York Region. December 20, 2017.