Knockaround Guys

Background:

“As an actor you have to abolish caution. You're cutting a path to an artistic destination which basically has no road map, no direction, no one to lead the way. I'm not comfortable unless I'm risking.” Andrew Davoli

American actor hailed from Syracuse, New York Andrew Davoli, also known as Andy Davoli, rose to prominence playing Dino Zerilli in several episodes of HBO's drama “The Sopranos” (2001). He continued to gain notice in the films “Knockaround Guys” (2002, as Chris Scarpa), “Welcome To Collinwood” (2002, as Basil) and “Spartan” (2004, Zimmer). Davoli has also acted in Martin Scorsese's “Bringing Out the Dead” (1999), James Gray's “The Yards” (2000), Ron Shelton's “Hollywood Homicide” (2003), and Michael Hurst's “Room 6” (2006) as well as in the Emmy Award winning telepic “Warm Springs” (2005). He has guest starred in “CSI: Miami,” “The Unit” and “CSI: NY.”

Davoli owns a production company called “ Fraternal Artists,” through which he has produced short films like “Brando from the Neck Down” (2004, also wrote and acted in) and “Tracks of Color” (2007).

The Joker

Childhood and Family:

Andrew Michael Davoli, nicknamed Andy, was born on September 2, 1973, in Syracuse, New York. He has a brother named Dave. After graduating from Westhill High School in Syracuse, New York, he attended Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania and later graduated in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and a minor in theater. He got the nickname The Joker while in college. Once he finished college, Andy decided to move to New York City to launch a career in acting. He studied acting at the Greg Zittel Acting Studio and took an improve class at Jimmi Hendrix old Electric Lady Land Studio in Grenwhich Village, NYC. He also trained with Ron Burrus and Arthur Mendoza, both protégés of Stella Adler.

Andy plays classical piano.

The Sopranos

Career:

“I've always felt like an outsider, a pariah of sorts. Becoming an actor saved my life.” Andrew Davoli

Andrew Davoli started acting on stage when he was 6 years old. After graduating from college, he headed to NYC to pursue his ambition. In 1996, he made her first feature film appearance in the drama/romance “The Juror,” starring Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin. The film was helmed by Brian Gibson with a screenplay adapted by Ted Telly from George Dawes Green's novel of the same name. He next appeared as paramedic #1 in the independent film “Scar City,” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 14, 1998 before being released in the US on July 23, 1999, and got his first lead role in the indie thriller “Loser Love” (1999), playing the abusive boyfriend of Laurel Holloman, Tim. Later that same year, the talented actor was cast in the small role of Stanley in Martin Scorsese's film adaptation of Joe Connelly's best selling novel, “Bringing Out the Dead” (1999). Starring Nicolas Cage, Ving Rhames, John Goodman, Tom Sizemore and Patricia Arquette, the drama/thriller enjoyed critical success, but was a box office disappointment.

Opening the new millennium, Davoli went on to work with top names like Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, James Caan and Faye Dunaway in “The Yards” (2000), a crime movie from writer/director James Gray, but he did not earn his true recognition until the next year when Davoli was cast in the famed recurring role of Dino Zerilli in the third season of the HBO critically and commercially hit “The Sopranos” (2001), a role created specially for him by David Chase. He gained additional attention on the big screen when he was cast in his breakout role of Chris Scarpa in New Line Cinema's gangster movie “Knockaround Guys” (debuted at the Oldenburg International Film Festival in September 2001, released in USA in October 2002), directed by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Costars in the film included Barry Pepper, Seth Green, Vin Diesel, Dennis Hopper and and John Malkovich. The Greg Zittel Acting Studio alum continued to offer a memorable supporting role of Basil in the Russo brothers comedy feature “Welcome To Collinwood” (2002), a remake of the 1958 Italian movie “I soliti ignoti,” by Mario Monicelli. Among the film's cast were William H. Macy, Isaiah Washington, Michael Jeter, Sam Rockwell, Luis Guzmán, Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jennifer Esposito and Gabrielle Union.

Davoli teamed up with Al Pacino and Kim Basinger for the crime/drama “People I Know,” helmed by Daniel Algrant and penned by Jon Robin Baitz. Premiered at Italy in October 2002, the film earned mixed reviews. He had an uncredited part in Ron Shelton's disappointing action/comedy “Hollywood Homicide” (2003), starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett, and played 8 different characters in the 22 minute comedy “Brando From the Neck Down,” based on the ill fated acting class of Marlon Brando. He also wrote the short film. Still in 2004, Davoli delivered an unforgettable small role of Zimmer in “Spartan,” a political thriller directed and written by David Mamet and starring Val Kilmer, Derek Luke, William H. Macy, and Kristen Bell.

2005 saw Davoli revisit television after several years hiatus with a one episode arc in “CSI: Miami” and a supporting role in the critically acclaimed HBO biopic “Warm Springs,” starring Kenneth Branagh as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Cynthia Nixon as Eleanor Roosevelt. He played Jake Perini in the film. He then played Joel Bowman in an episode of “The Unit” called “Morale, Welfare and Recreation” (2006).

After appearing in the short film “The Last Supper” (2006), Davoli got a supporting role in the horror film “Room 6” (2006), starring Christine Taylor and Shane Brolly, costarred with Clare Carey and Krishna Asani in “Blind Spot” (2007), Gianluca Galtrucco's 28 minute film that won a Gold Award for Independent Short Subjects - Films & Video - Cinematography – Shorts at the 2009 WorldFest Houston, and had then title role in the 15 minute drama “Lucky Clown” (2007), directed and written by Salvatore di Costanzo. “Lucky Clown” premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 27, 2007. He went on to reprise his role of Lucky Clown in “The Crying Museum” (2008), shown at the Cannes Film Festival on May 11, 2009. Three days after the film's premiere at Cannes, he portrayed Crazy Tony Tardala 'PAY UP' in episode “Pay UP” of “CSI: NY.”

Davoli has completed filmming “The Sinatra Club” (2009), an action film helmed by James Quattrochi and starring Joseph Lawrence, Danny Nucci and Jason Gedrick. He will play Sweet in the upcoming thriller “Dumping Grounds” (2010), along side Marcus Thomas.

Awards:
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