Stelio Savante

South African born multilingual SAG award nominee, Stelio Savante started his professional acting career in the theater in early 1990. He is a steady product of recurring & leading roles in television, independent, & international theatrically released studio features that have accumulated almost $400million in world-wide box office proceeds, & leading roles in billion dollar grossing video game franchises.A popular choice of critically acclaimed directors & producers, he can currently be seen starring directly opposite Anne Heche in her last performance on film, the theatrically released noir What Remains (2022). Produced by Ralph Winter & directed by Nathan Scoggins, What Remains premiered at the Austin film festival & stars Kellan Lutz & Cress Williams. Savante is additionally starring opposite Academy Award nominee Frank Langella, Bobby Cannavale & Ashley Benson in Lionsgate’s theatrically released dark comedy Angry Neighbors (2022) produced by Academy Award nominee Kerry Orent.Savante was most recently seen starring as South African journalist & Mossad agent ‘Pierre Barthes’ opposite Jim Caviezel & Claudia Karvan in the MGM distributed Middle-Eastern action thriller Infidel (2019) by Toronto Film Festival People’s Choice Award winner director Cyrus Nowrasteh who states: “Stelio is a fantastic actor & creative partner. Look for more great things from him.” Savante is also starring opposite Academy Award nominee Matt Dillon & as Portuguese coffee plantation Mayor Alvares in David L. Cunningham ‘s Running for Grace (2018) on Netflix. Critic, Sarah D. Bunting, writes “…Stelio is reminiscent of James Gandolfini…I liked a certain gravitas-emblance that I saw in Stelio…”.Also opposite Domenick Lombardozzi, Annabella Sciorra, and Jennifer Esposito in Esposito’s directorial debut Fresh Kills from her own script. And in the psychological thriller Nefarious (2023) starring opposite Sean Patrick Flanery & Jordan Belfi. In 2021 he can be seen on Netflix & Peacock TV, portraying a middle-aged Moses in Dallas Jenkins Biblical hit series, The Chosen (2019).A US citizen of Greek, Italian, British, Ashkenazi, & Anatolian descent, he has lived & worked on four continents with some of the top filmmakers including J.J. Abrams, Ron Howard, Academy Award winner Juan José Campanella, Academy Award nominee Ivan Reitman, Cyrus Nowrasteh, BAFTA award winner Peter Greenaway, Independent Spirit Award winner & Sundance Grand Jury Prize nominee Przemyslaw Reut, Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass, Academy Award nominee Joan Stein Schimke, Academy Award winner Tyler Perry, Dallas Jenkins, Jon Iver Helgaker, & Jonas Torgersen.After minor speaking roles opposite Academy Award winner Russell Crowe in Ron Howard’s A Beautiful Mind (2001) & David Chase’s The Sopranos (1999) as Gaetano; his breakthrough lead role came in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) directed by Juan José Campanella. Starring directly opposite Mariska Hargitay, Chris Meloni, Academy Award nominee Bradley Cooper & Academy Award nominee Angela Lansbury, as the chilling yet engaging fundamentalist Milan Zergin. Also, a coveted recurring role on Ugly Betty (2006) produced by Academy Award nominee Salma Hayek & starring directly opposite Vanessa Williams & Rebecca Romijn, becoming South Africa’s first male SAG Award nominee (Ensemble Comedy Performance) in 2007. Followed by a supporting role opposite Eddie Izzard, Luke Wilson, & Academy Award nominee Uma Thurman in Twentieth Century Fox’s My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006) directed by Ivan Reitman . Also an ensemble lead in Sony’s sci-fi franchised, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008) produced by Academy Award nominee David Lancaster, directed by Edward Neumeier. Additionally, lead & supporting roles in the award-winning films A Million Colours (2011), Apartment 407 (2016), Jimmy (2013), Pacific Standard Time (2016), No Postage Necessary (2017), Rapid Eye Movement (2019), The Cleaning Lady (2018), What If… (2010), Where the Road Runs Out (2014), and Pursuit of Freedom (2022).For television, a staple of well received recurring & guest star roles including in NBC’s My Own Worst Enemy: Conspiracy Theory (2008), in Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass’ comedic series Togetherness (2015) for HBO, as pioneer David Sarnoff in the Nat-Geo mini-series American Genius (2015), in J.J. Abrams’ Undercovers (2010) & Person of Interest (2011). Also starring directly opposite Academy Award nominee Marianne Jean-Baptiste & Ivana Milicevic in Without a Trace (2002), & opposite Annabella Sciorra in Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001). Additional guest star roles starring in Breakout Kings (2011), NCIS (2003), The Suite Life on Deck (2008), Arrested Development (2003) & recurring in Tyler Perry’s The Haves and the Have Nots (2013) . Was lauded by The Examiner’s Diane Zoller Ciatto for his recurring portrayal as Joe ‘The Boss’ Masseria in AMC’s popular series The Making of the Mob (2015). ET’s Nischelle Turner applauded his understatedly powerful turn as Howard Boston opposite Brian White in TV One’s Media (2017). Regarding Savante’s role in Pronoia (2017), Pop Matters critic Paul Risker states: “Savante has a strong sense of presence as a silent, almost introverted character.” While South African film critic Stephen Aspeling states: “We’re entranced by the mysterious man at the center of Pronoia, Stelio Savante. His mercurial performance keeps us guessing, unsettled and on edge, waiting for him to explode with answers”. As part of the lead cast of Peter Greenaway’s Golden Bear nominated international co production Eisenstein in Guanajuato (2015), Stelio was nominated for a Teddy Award at Berlin film festival.Savante has produced & served in a producing role on such films No Postage Necessary (2017), starring Michael Beach, Raymond J. Barry, & George Blagden, & The Penitent Thief (2020) released by Vertical Entertainment, & the thriller Apartment 407 (2016) released by Gravitas Ventures. Frequently volunteers his time simultaneously performing & producing Sarah Tuft’s “110 Stories” for several charities. Working in several roles on stage at The Geffen Playhouse, NYU Skirball, The Public Theatre, Ebony Rep, & the William Alderson Studio Theatre directly opposite the following fellow cast: Edie Falco, Cynthia Nixon, Academy Award nominee John Hawkes, Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson, Academy Award winner Melissa Leo, Jeremy Piven, Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino, Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon, Academy Award nominee Kathleen Turner, John Turturro, & Diane Venora.His two decades of regional & Off-Broadway stage credits include favorable reviews from the NY Times. A student of Robert X. Modica, Deborah Kampmeier, William Alderson, Don Bloomfield, & Diane Venora, his training is rooted in theater & improvisation but influenced by the eras of French New Wave & Italian Neo-Realism. Was acknowledged by Academy Award winner Al Pacino, Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham & several NY theater critics for his lead performance in Mortal Coils, directed by the Actor’s Studio’s Ed Setrakian at the Mint Theater.A popular voice over artist, he voices the character of Ajax in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018) and in Call of Duty: Mobile (2019). Was inducted into the Alpha Psi Omega honors society for his achievement in American collegiate theater. Served on the actor’s panel of the 2014 San Diego film festival with Josh Duhamel, Academy Award nominee Tom Berenger & Dennis Haysbert, hosted by Variety & film critic Jeffrey Lyons. Is a board member of the River Street Theater Company; alongside Robert Carnegie, Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum, Academy Award nominee David Mamet, Academy Award winner Jon Voight & president, William Alderson.