John Magaro
{{Short description|American actor (b. 1983)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox person
| name = John Magaro
| image = MKr22942 John Magaro (Past Lives, Berlinale 2023).jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Magaro in 2023
| birth_name = John Robert Magaro
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|2|16}}
| birth_place = Akron, Ohio, U.S.
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2005–present
| spouse = Janice Hong
| children = 1
| website =
}}
John Robert Magaro (born February 16, 1983) is an American actor. He has acted in the films Not Fade Away (2012), The Big Short (2015), Carol (2015), Overlord (2018), First Cow (2019), Showing Up (2022), The Mistress (2022), and Past Lives (2023). He has also acted in the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black (2015–2019) and The Umbrella Academy (2019) and the Amazon series Crisis in Six Scenes (2016). He made his Broadway debut as Earl Williams, the escaped convict, in the revival of The Front Page in 2016.
Early life
Magaro was born February 16, 1983, in Akron, Ohio, the son of Wendy and James Magaro,{{cite news| url=https://forward.com/culture/334142/big-short-actor-john-magaro-is-hiding-in-plain-sight/| work=The Forward | title='Big Short' Actor John Magaro is Hiding in Plain Sight|first=Britta|last=Lokting|date=February 26, 2016|access-date=February 19, 2019}} and grew up in nearby Munroe Falls. His father is of Italian descent and his mother is Jewish; his parents were teachers. While attending school within the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, Magaro began acting in local theater, including shows at the Cleveland Play House and the Kent State Porthouse Theatre at Blossom Music Center, and Weathervane Playhouse in Akron. As a youth, Magaro also appeared in television commercials, and had a role in a Rescue 911 episode.{{cite news|author=Sell, Jill|date=June 10, 1994|title='Oliver' proves quick study|newspaper=The Plain Dealer|publisher=The Plain Dealer Publishing Co.|page=38 - Friday}}{{cite web|date=November 2008 |title='Lillian Yuralia' at La MaMa Theater |url=http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=3025 |work=Jewish-Theatre.com |publisher=All About Jewish Theatre |access-date=November 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130127103402/http://www.jewish-theatre.com/visitor/article_display.aspx?articleID=3025 |archive-date=January 27, 2013}}
- {{cite news|date=December 2008 |title=Mazel Tov!! |url=http://www.etzchayimtoledo.org/images/Hashomer/Hashomer-0812.pdf |journal=Hashomer |volume=66 |issue=4 |page=9 |publisher=Congregation Etz Chayim |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726035804/http://www.etzchayimtoledo.org/images/Hashomer/Hashomer-0812.pdf |archive-date=July 26, 2011}}{{cite news|last=Musarra|first= Russ|date=January 18, 1998|title=Acting is kid stuff: talented young thespians are taking center stage at area community theaters|newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal|publisher=Beacon Journal Publishing Co.|page=D1 - Entertainment}}
Career
After graduating from Stow-Munroe Falls High School in 2001, Magaro went on to study theater at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Among his acting highlights are The Big Short and Carol (2015). His early film work included The Brave One, the HBO film Taking Chance and a lead role in the horror film My Soul to Take.{{citation|title=Stow-Munroe Falls High School 2005 Alumni Directory|year=2005|publisher=B.C. Harris Publishing Company, Inc.|location=Chesapeake, Virginia|pages=302–360}}{{cite web|date=October 8, 2010|title=Review: My Soul to Take (2010) |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/20034/my-soul-to-take-2010/|work=DreadCentral.com| publisher=Dread Central Media, LLC| access-date=November 2, 2010}} Magaro also appeared in eleven episodes of Orange Is the New Black, spanning seasons 3-7. In 2008, Magaro starred in the popular Walmart x Coke holiday commercial, which played in movie theaters across the country. One of Magaro's earliest appearances was as an extra in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film Munich;{{Cite web |last=Davis |first=Clayton |date=2024-10-29 |title=John Magaro on How Being an Extra in Steven Spielberg's 'Munich' Helped Him Prepare for 'September 5': 'It's About the Responsibility of Journalists' |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/awards/john-magaro-september-5-munich-podcast-1236190297/ |access-date=2024-10-30 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} he revisited the events of the 1972 Summer Olympics in 2024's September 5.
Magaro was the lead in the 2012 film Not Fade Away, which earned him the HFF Spotlight award.{{Cite web |last=Seitz |first=Matt Zoller |date=August 27, 2019 |title=30 Minutes on 'Not Fade Away' |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/mzs/30-minutes-on-not-fade-away |access-date=August 16, 2024 |website=RogerEbert.com}}{{Cite web |last=Feinberg |first=Scott |date=2012-10-17 |title=Hollywood Film Awards to Honor Rising Stars from 'Flight,' 'Les Mis,' 'Not Fade Away,' More (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/flight-les-mis-actors-hollywood-379500/ |access-date=2024-08-16 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} In 2019, he portrayed the lead role of "Cookie" in Kelly Reichardt’s critically acclaimed film First Cow, for which he was nominated for a 2020 Gotham Award as Best Actor.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-11-12 |title=Nominations Announced for 30th IFP Gotham Awards |url=https://thegotham.org/press/nominations-announced-for-30th-ifp-gotham-awards/ |access-date=2022-09-13 |website=Independent Filmmaker Project |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Magaro is married to fashion designer Janice Hong, who gave birth to their first child in 2020.{{Failed verification|date=August 2024}} Magaro also struggles with an anxiety disorder.{{Cite web |last=Canfield |first=David |date=2023-05-31 |title=John Magaro Refuses to Play the Hollywood Schmuck |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2023/05/john-magaro-past-lives-profile-awards-insider |access-date=2024-11-13 |website=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}
Filmography
| class="wikitable"
|+Key | style="background:#FFFFCC;"| {{dagger|alt=Films that have not yet been released}} |Denotes titles that have not yet been released |
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year!!Title!!Role!!class="unsortable"|Notes | |||
| 2005 | Munich | Pedestrian | Uncredited extra[https://deadline.com/2024/11/september-5-john-magaro-interview-1236174294/ John Magaro On How He Prepared To Tell The Olympics Story That Horrified The World In 'September 5'] |
| rowspan="2"|2007 | The Brave One | Ethan | |
| The Life Before Her Eyes | Michael Patrick | ||
| rowspan="2"|2008 | Assassination of a High School President | Cipriato | |
| We Pedal Uphill | Kyle | ||
| 2009 | The Box | Charles | |
| 2010 | My Soul to Take | Alex | |
| 2011 | Down the Shore | Martin | |
| rowspan="2"|2012 | Liberal Arts | Dean | |
| Not Fade Away | Douglas Damiano | ||
| 2013 | Deep Powder | Cota | |
| 2014 | Unbroken | Frank A. Tinker | |
| rowspan="3"|2015 | Don't Worry Baby | Robert Lang | |
| Carol | Dannie McElroy | ||
| The Big Short | Charlie Geller | ||
| 2016 | The Finest Hours | Ervin Maske | |
| rowspan="2"|2017 | War Machine | Colonel Cory Staggart | |
| Marshall | Irwin Friedman | ||
| 2018 | Overlord | Private First Class Lyle Tibbet | |
| 2019 | First Cow | Otis "Cookie" Figowitz | |
| 2020 | Sylvie's Love | Sid Schuur | |
| rowspan="4"| 2021 | The Birthday Cake | Cousin Joey | |
| 18½ | Paul | ||
| Lansky | Young Meyer Lansky | ||
| The Many Saints of Newark | Silvio Dante | ||
| rowspan="3"| 2022 | Call Jane | Detective Chilmark | |
| Showing Up | Sean Carr | ||
| The Mistress | Parker | ||
| rowspan="5"| 2023 | Past Lives | Arthur Zaturansky | |
| Big George Foreman | Desmond | ||
| LaRoy, Texas | Ray | Also producer | |
| Day of the Fight | Patrick | ||
| Under the Boardwalk | Manny (voice) | ||
| rowspan="2"| 2024 | Psycho Therapy | Keane | |
| September 5 | Geoffrey Mason | ||
| rowspan="4"| 2025 | Omaha | Dad | |
| Köln 75 | Keith Jarrett | ||
| The Mastermind | Fred | ||
| {{pending film|Materalists}} | Mark P. | Cameo; Completed | |
| 2026 | {{pending film|The Bride!}} | {{TableTBA}} | Post-production |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year!!Title!!Role!!class="unsortable"|Notes |
| 2006
|Jiggy |Episode: "Denial" |
| 2007
|Nathan Gersh |Episode: "Talking Points" |
| 2009
|Rich Brewer |
| 2010
|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |Andrew Hingham |Episode: "Conned" |
| 2011
|Chuck Foster |Episode: "Buried Secrets" |
| 2012
|Carl Elias (Age 22) |Episode: "Flesh and Blood" |
| 2013
|The Greatest Event in Television History |Paul |Episode: "Hart to Hart" |
| 2015
|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |Keith Musio |Episode: "Institutional Fail" |
| 2015–2016
|Roland Hlavin |3 episodes |
| 2015–2019
|Vince Muccio |11 episodes |
| rowspan="2"|2016
|Snick |Episode: "The Coast Is Fear" |
| Crisis in Six Scenes
|Alan Brockman |5 episodes |
| 2018
|Victor Polizzi |Recurring; 3 episodes |
| 2019
|Leonard Peabody / Harold Jenkins |Main role |
| 2022
|Episode: "War" |
| 2024–present
|Owen Taylor |Main role |
= Theatre =
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Role !Venue | |||
| 2016 | The Front Page | Earl Williams | Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway debut |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Title !Voice role |
| 2006
|rowspan="2"|Sheldon |
| 2008
|Bully: Scholarship Edition |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Association !Category !Project !Result !Ref. | |||||
| 2012 | Hollywood Film Awards | Spotlight Award | Not Fade Away | {{won}} | |
| 2015 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture | The Big Short | {{nom}} | |
| rowspan=2|2019 | Florida Film Critics Circle | Best Actor | rowspan=2|First Cow | {{maybe|Runner-up}} | |
| Gotham Independent Film Award | Best Actor | {{nom}} | |||
| 2023 | Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Past Lives | {{nom}}
| |
References
External links
- {{IMDb name|1910274|John Magaro}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Magaro, John}}
Category:American male film actors
Category:American male stage actors
Category:American male television actors
Category:Jewish American male actors
Category:Male actors from Akron, Ohio
Category:Point Park University alumni
Category:21st-century American male actors
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:20th-century American male actors
Category:American male child actors