Stelio Savante

Born in Cape Town, this New York actor, American Movie award winner & SAG nominee is one of South Africa's most successful exports. Has been a steady product of independent, foreign features and critically acclaimed Arthouse films that have been distributed worldwide and highly lauded at Berlin, AFI, Palm Springs, Raindance, Montreal, Hong Kong, Goa, Buenos Aires, Melbourne, Moscow, Istanbul, Seattle, San Diego, Durban, Pan African, the Black Reel Awards and the American Movie Awards; where Stelio won best actor in 2015. Has portrayed a vast array of characters and ethnicities, including American, Belarusian, Bolivian, Bosnian, British, Cuban, Cypriot, Dutch, French, French-Canadian, German, Greek, Irish, Israeli, Italian, Jewish, Libyan, Mexican, Polish, Portuguese, Sicilian, South African, Spanish, Russian, and Zimbabwean. Also known for a staple of well received recurring & guest star roles since 2005, & fifteen years of New York stage credits that include favorable reviews from the NY Times. Received strong critical reviews for his portrayal of real life mafia boss Joe 'The Boss' Masseria in AMC's The Making Of The Mob: New York with Previously TV's Sarah Bunting stating 'Stelio is reminiscent of James Gandolfini, I liked a certain gravitas-emblance to the Fini that I saw in Stelio'. His portrayal was also praised by The Examiner's Diane Zoller Ciatto. Was also recognized by South African & British film critics for his portrayal of a ruthless policeman in the South African film A Million Colours, & for his role as a Jewish prisoner in Once We Were Slaves; winning Best Actor at the above mentioned prestigious American Movie Awards, the SOFIE Awards and a Gold Remi at Worldfest Houston.Has worked with some of the most respected names in film, television and on stage. Being directed in projects by BAFTA, Cannes & Venice winner Peter Greenaway (Eisenstein In Guanajuato), Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass (Togetherness for HBO), Ivan Reitman (in Twentieth Century Fox's My Super Ex Girlfriend), Academy award winner Juan José Campanella (Law & Order SVU), Academy award nominee Joan Stein (Solidarity), Allen Coulter (Sopranos), Academy award winner Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), Raindance Winner Rudolf Buitendach (Where The Road Runs Out), Broadway director & Tony & Drama Desk award winner Gregory Mosher (110 Stories), Drama Desk nominee Trip Cullman (Arabian Night) and the following projects produced by J.J. Abrams (Undercovers & Person Of Interest), T.D. Jakes (A Million Colours), Gavin Hood (Breakout Kings), Gavin Polone (My Super Ex Girlfriend), David Lancaster (Sony's Starship Troopers 3: Marauder), David Chase (Sopranos), Dick Wolf (Law & Order: Criminal Intent), Andrew Carlberg (110 Stories), and Tony award winner Jennifer Maloney (110 Stories).Also portraying roles directly opposite several Academy award winners & nominees including Matt Dillon in Jo, the Medicine Runner (2017), Samuel L. Jackson in 110 Stories, Susan Sarandon in 110 Stories, Mira Sorvino in 110 Stories, Robert Forster in 110 Stories, Uma Thurman in My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006), Salma Hayek in Ugly Betty (2006), Melissa Leo in 110 Stories, John Hawkes in 110 Stories, Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind (2001), Kathleen Turner in 110 Stories, Ruby Dee in 110 Stories, Angela Lansbury in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999), Sally Kirkland in Awakened (2013), & Marianne Jean-Baptiste in NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service (2003).Is also the long-time producer of 110 Stories by Sarah Tuft. Producing and performing productions for charity at The Geffen Playhouse, NYU Skirball, Ebony Rep and the William Alderson Studio Theater.Having spent the majority of his adult life in New York (Manhattan & Queens), he is a student of acclaimed acting teachers Robert X Modica, William Alderson & Deborah Kampmeier. Recently named alongside Nelson Mandela & Charlize Theron on the South African Consulate of NY's 'Notable South Africans' list and he has also featured on the cover of The Sunday Times, Tonight, The Weekend Argus and many other print and online publications. South African entertainment journalist Nikki Greenwall acknowledged him as one of the country's top exports, Screen Africa magazine labeled him 'the chameleon', and he was listed in the Daily Mail & Guardian as a South African who is rising to the top of his field.Was inducted into the Alpha Psi Omega honors society for his achievement in American collegiate theater at the University of West Alabama and in 2014 served on the actor's panel of the San Diego film festival with Josh Duhamel, Tom Berenger and Dennis Haysbert, hosted by Variety and film critics Jeffrey Lyons and Ben Lyons. Is a board member of the River Street Theater Company, alongside Matthew Carnahan, Robert Carnegie, Jeff Goldblum, David Mamet, Jon Voight and his acting teacher William Alderson who serves as president. Show less «