Michael Tribbiani

Background:

"I'm very insecure. I have low self-esteem just like a lot of actors do." Paulo Costanzo

Canadian actor Paulo Costanzo is widely remembered as Michael Tribbiani (2004-2006), Matt LeBlanc's extremely intelligent but naive nephew/roommate, on the NBC’s sitcom “Joey,” a spin-off of the huge hit drama "Friends." The 5' 10" actor also played significant roles in Road Trip (2000), Josie and the Pussycats (2001), 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002), and Everything's Gone Green (2006), in which he starred as a slacker working in a lottery tabloid who is lured into the money laundering business.


Canada Home

Childhood and Family:

In Brampton, Ontario, Canada, Paulo Costanzo was born on September 21, 1978. His mother is a professional singer/songwriter and has released an album under her full name.

When Paulo was in elementary school, he was involved in a car accident and broke his legs. He attended Balmoral Senior Public School, in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, and then transferred to the local school of the arts, Mayfield Secondary School. He now lives in Los Angeles.


Everything's Gone Green

Career:

Paulo began acting in high school with a role in his high school production of “West Side Story.” Like many other actors, Costanzo started his non-stage career in made-for-TV films. He was first seen in 1997 as Young Vito (the older version was played by Robert Loggia) in the comedy The Don's Analyst, and then as a teen Holocaust victim in the adaptation of Gay Block's fact-based book, Rescuers: Stories of Courage, starring Dana Delany and Martin Donovan.

From 1998 to 1999, Paulo portrayed Aximili-Esgarrouth-Isthill, the loyal, scientific-minded prince on Nickelodeon’s 26-episode adaptation of the Scholastic book series by K.A. Applegate, "Animorphs." Afterward, he landed his breakout role as the brainy stoner Rubin in Todd Phillips' comedic teen movie Road Trip (2000; opposite Brekin Meyer and Seann William Scott).

Next, Paulo became 80's-ish rock group Pussycats' loyal road manager in the film version of the Archie comic, which also had been adapted into a Saturday morning cartoon by Hanna-Barbera in 1970, Josie and the Pussycats (2001; starring Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid and Rosario Dawson), directed by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan. He was also cast as Josh Hartnett's roommate/co-worker in Michael Lehmann's romantic drama comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002; also starring Shannyn Sossamon) and teamed with Alicia Silverstone and Woody Harrelson to play three mischievous bank employees in Gavin Grazer's independent crime/comedy film Scorched (2003).

Paulo returned to TV as series regular Michael Tribbiani (2004-2006), Matt LeBlanc's extremely intelligent but naive nephew/roommate, on the NBC’s sitcom “Joey,” a spin-off of the huge hit drama "Friends." During his “Joey” stint, Paulo also played the lead role of an ex ping-pong prodigy in Eli Craig's 22-minute comedy film The Tao of Pong and had an unaccredited role in actor/director Mekhi Phifer’s comedic stoner crime film Puff, Puff, Pass (starring Danny Masterson and Ronnie Warner).

2006 saw Paulo taking the lead role of Ryan, a twenty-something naturally-born slacker working in a lottery tabloid who is lured into money laundering in Paul Fox's Canadian comedy film Everything's Gone Green, which won the award for best Canadian feature film at 2006’s Vancouver International Film Festival.

Awards:
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