Rao Rampilla

How come a diplomat at the UN, an international civil rights attorney that represented Native Americans and a political activist that sat on a hunger strike for social justice for Dalits (Untouchables) in India at the National University, end up becoming an actor in Hollywood? That's a good question to ask Rao Rampilla, an American Actor based in New York City. He comes from a town called Vijayawada, India. His imagination has roots from the stories told to him by his aunt when he was a child. During college, he wrote poetry in the middle of the night sitting before an old table in front of a kerosene lamp. Rao published them next day in his paper "Jai Andhra Vaani" in support of the movement of the Telugu speaking people. Recently, Telugu people got an independent State in India. In the final days of college, he even learned Carnatic music from a local teacher and played the role of a poet in the play "Neeru Poyyandi" (Water it). That's where he was artistically grounded. Having been discouraged from doing acting business or be a poet or a musician, he turned to the law. While at law school, Rao was inspired to become an International Attorney. So inspired he left a lucrative job and pursued his dream. After graduating from the University of Madras, he joined the Nehru University in New Delhi through the national competition. There he fought for social justice for Untouchables (Dalits) and was on an indefinite hunger strike. As you can imagine trouble was on the horizon and an expulsion issued. You would have thought Rao would then become a politician in India with the name and recognition he got. Instead, he choose to come to the USA and pursued his dream to become an international attorney. After studying with Late Dean Rusk, a former Secretary of State with JFK Administration, he reached New York. There he stumbled into Native Americans and he joined the Seneca Nation of Indians in their fight for self-determination and won a case for them on Casino gambling. When he returned to NYC he got into the office of Legal Affairs, UN on the 34th floor of the United Nations having written a model affirmative action legislation for women in Latin America for the United Nations Development Program. He was also appointed as a Special Counsel and a diplomat with Indonesia and hobnobbed with Dr. Kissinger. Then he moved on to work in and around the World Trade Center. He was there on September 11, 2001. Again his career took an unexpected turn. Learning that he was there nearly penniless two women sent him for an audition. He went and smiled and booked the, Super Bowl Visa Commercial with Kevin Bacon in 2012. Having done several national commercials with Hollywood actors, he studied with Alan Arkin and upon his advice has been working with Austin Pendleton of the Steppenwolf Theatre for the past 7 years studying Ibsen, Strindberg and Chekhov among others. He studies at the Juilliard School as well. After an audition, Adam Sandler gave him a chance to be on the set for THAT'S MY BOY. While on the set, Mr. Sandler liked what Rao did and rewrote his part and gave him a major supporting role working opposite to him. That's how my friends, Rao became an actor in Hollywood. Recently, he was cast opposite Liev Schreiber in the movie CHUCK. He got invited to Cannes among other film festivals. He traveled extensively in Europe exploring the roots of the American Acting. So it's not a surprise that he is having the time of his life and aspiring to play a role such as Dr. Zhivago. Show less «