Michael Mando
{{short description|Canadian actor}}
{{use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Michael Mando
|image = Michael Mando by Gage Skidmore.jpg
|caption = Mando in 2018
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|7|13}}
|birth_place = Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
|alma_mater = Dawson College
|occupation = Actor
|nationality =
|years_active = 2008–present
}}
Michael Mando (born July 13, 1981){{cite web |last=Mando |first=Michael |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/9bbn3m/comment/e51us3j/ |title= HELLO! I am Michael Mando, Nacho from Better Call Saul. AMA! |website=Reddit |accessdate=2025-04-25 |quote=I was born July 13, 1981 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada...}} is a Canadian actor. He played Nacho Varga on the AMC series Better Call Saul (2015–2022), Vaas Montenegro in the video game franchise Far Cry (2012, 2021), Vic Schmidt in the sci-fi series Orphan Black (2013–2014), and Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017). He is a two-time Canadian Screen Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee.
Early life
Mando was born in Quebec City.{{Cite web |title=Michael Mando didn't stick to the script |url=https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/television/michael-mando-didnt-stick-to-the-script |first=Bill |last=Brownstein |date=July 15, 2020 |access-date=May 10, 2022 |website=Montreal Gazette |language=en-CA}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.looper.com/74118/scorpion-spider-man-homecoming-looks-familiar/|title=Why the Scorpion in Spider-Man: Homecoming Looks So Familiar|last=Archbold|first=Phil|date=July 10, 2017|work=Looper}} He was raised by his father and is the second of three brothers. The family moved around a lot, living in more than 35 homes in 10 cities across four continents before he was in his mid-20s.{{cite web|url=http://www.fridaynightlive.ca/videos/fnl02guest02.aspx |title=GUEST: Michael Mando |publisher=Friday Night Live! |date=October 29, 2010 |accessdate=December 30, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706180556/http://www.fridaynightlive.ca/videos/fnl02guest02.aspx |archivedate=July 6, 2011 }}{{cite web | url=http://www.michaelmando.com/biography/trivia | title=Trivia | publisher=Michael Mando Official Site | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714084123/http://www.michaelmando.com/biography/trivia | archivedate=2011-07-14 }} Mando's mother hails from Guinea, and his father was a Doctor of Chemistry from Germany. Mando spent most of his childhood growing up in Accra, Abidjan, and Beirut, before returning home to Canada as a teen.{{Cite web |last=MichaelMando |date=2022-06-19 |title=Michael Mando, Nacho from Better Call Saul AMA 06/19 10:30am EST |url=http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/vfvv8q/michael_mando_nacho_from_better_call_saul_ama/ |access-date=2023-08-05 |website=r/IAmA}} His native language is French, and he speaks English, Spanish, and Arabic. He grew up wanting to be a writer or an athlete.{{cite web|title=Interview with Michael Mando – The Voice of Vaas|url=http://www.unfinishedman.com/interview-with-michael-mando-the-voice-of-vaas/|website=Unfinished Man|accessdate=17 September 2014}}
In his mid-20s, he suffered a knee injury and consequently decided to change paths. He was enrolled in many fields, including international relations at the University of Montreal before discovering the performing arts at the Dome Theatre Program at Dawson College in 2004. Despite no training he went on to play the male lead in all five productions of the program. He graduated in 2007. His Dome credits include Orlando in Shakespeare's As You Like It, Professor Katz in David Edgar's Pentecost, and Valentine Xavier in Tennessee Williams' Orpheus Descending. Steven W. Lecky, the chair of the program, called Mando "one of the finest talents to emerge from the program in the past 25 years".
Career
After playing the leading character in two award-winning professional theatre productions in Montreal, Mando founded Red Barlo Productions.{{cite web | url=http://www.redbarlo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=5 | title=Team | publisher=Red Barlo Productions Official Site | access-date=2010-12-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512215314/http://www.redbarlo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7&Itemid=5 | archive-date=2014-05-12 | url-status=dead }} The company's first film, Conditional Affection (which Mando starred in, directed and wrote) was released in 2010 and officially selected to Fantasia,{{Cite web |url=http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=300 |title=2010 Fantasia Film Festival |access-date=December 30, 2010 |archive-date=February 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150216205610/http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2010/en/films/film_detail.php?id=300 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web | url=http://www.redbarlo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=4 | title=Conditional Affection | publisher=Red Barlo Productions Official Site | access-date=2010-12-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084017/http://redbarlo.com/index.php?id=6&itemid=4&option=com_content&view=article | archive-date=2016-03-05 | url-status=dead }} Bare Bones,[http://barebonesfilmfest00.tripod.com/id147.html Bare Bones Film Festival] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717102719/http://barebonesfilmfest00.tripod.com/id147.html |date=2011-07-17 }} ACTRA Short Films, and the New Hope International Film Festivals.{{cite web | url= http://www.kimvaincourt.com/talent/profile/39/Michael+Mando.html | title= Profile: Michael Mando | publisher= Kim Vaincourt Site | access-date= 2010-12-30 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150216203447/http://www.kimvaincourt.com/talent/profile/39/Michael+Mando.html | archive-date= 2015-02-16 | url-status= dead }}
Mando's television debut simultaneously followed with a wide range of contrasting characters. His credits include guest appearances in the crime series The Bridge, the medical drama mini-series Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures, as an MS-13 gang member in The Border, and as a close friend of the character Kenzi (played by Ksenia Solo) in the fantasy series Lost Girl.{{Cite web |last=Gilang |first=Rafly |date=2022-08-31 |title=What Michael Mando's Life And Career Are Like Outside Better Call Saul |url=https://www.thethings.com/heres-a-look-into-michael-mandos-life-and-career-outside-better-call-saul/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=TheThings |language=en}}
Mando has had repeated collaborations with directors John Fawcett and Érik Canuel as well as producer David Barlow. He had a starring role in the 2010 feature film Territories. In 2011, he had a recurring role in Les Bleus de Ramville{{cite web | url=http://www.redbarlo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=4 | title=Filmography | publisher=Michael Mando Official Site | access-date=2010-12-30 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084017/http://redbarlo.com/index.php?id=6&itemid=4&option=com_content&view=article | archive-date=2016-03-05 | url-status=dead }}[http://www.northernlife.ca/news/lifestyle/2010/08/ramville-200810.aspx "Backstage help needed on Francophone TV Series"], Northern Life, August 20, 2010. Accessed December 30, 2010. and a guest appearance on the series King. He is the voice and likeness of Vaas Montenegro, a major character of the 2012 video game Far Cry 3.{{Cite web |last=Kuhnke |first=Oisin |date=2022-06-20 |title=Iconic Vaas Actor Admits To Never Actually Playing Far Cry 3 |url=https://www.gamebyte.com/vaas-actor-far-cry-3/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=GameByte |language=en-GB}} He also starred in a webseries called Far Cry: The Experience as Vaas,{{Cite web |last=Wasserman |first=Ben |date=2021-11-17 |title=Far Cry 3's Michael Mando Would Love a Live-Action Vaas Adaptation |url=https://www.cbr.com/far-cry-3-vaas-live-action/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=CBR |language=en}} who captures and tortures Christopher Mintz-Plasse as himself. In the 2020s, Mando would reprise his role as Vaas for Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity{{Cite web |last=Walters |first=Michael |date=2020-09-11 |title=Get Face-To-Face With Vaas In New Far Cry VR Experience |url=https://www.thegamer.com/far-cry-vr-dive-into-insanity/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=TheGamer |language=en}} and Far Cry 6.{{Cite web |title=Michael Mando Interview: The Future Is Bright For Vaas Montenegro |url=https://www.gamingbible.com/features/michael-mando-interview-the-future-is-bright-for-vaas-montenegro-20211115 |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=GAMINGbible |language=en}}
In 2012, Mando was cast in the first season of the science fiction television series Orphan Black, which began airing in 2013.{{Cite press release|url=http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1037247/space-bbc-america-and-temple-street-productions-announce-canadian-born-actor-tatiana-maslany-as-the-lead-in-new-original-series-orphan-black|title=SPACE, BBC America, and Temple Street Productions Announce Canadian-Born Actor Tatiana Maslany as the Lead in New Original Series ORPHAN BLACK|date=September 17, 2012|accessdate=March 29, 2013|publisher=Bell Media|archive-date=February 20, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220021540/http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1037247/space-bbc-america-and-temple-street-productions-announce-canadian-born-actor-tatiana-maslany-as-the-lead-in-new-original-series-orphan-black|url-status=dead}} He played Vic, an abusive drug-dealer and was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for his work on the series.{{cite web|url=http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/68a79d24-3d6a-4ef2-9fb5-c53547fcf0e2/Academy_News_2014CSA_TV_Full_CSA_Nom_1.aspx|title=2014 CANADIAN SCREEN AWARDS Television Nominations|publisher=Canadian Screen Awards|date=January 13, 2014|accessdate=January 16, 2014|pages=1, 17, 20, 27, 28, 33, 40, 41, 44|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160201090341/http://www.academy.ca/getmedia/68a79d24-3d6a-4ef2-9fb5-c53547fcf0e2/Academy_News_2014CSA_TV_Full_CSA_Nom_1.aspx|archivedate=February 1, 2016}} He reprised his role of Vic in the second season in a recurring role. In 2014, Mando joined the cast of Better Call Saul, the Breaking Bad spin-off, portraying Nacho Varga, a career criminal.{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2014/05/better-call-saul-cast-patrick-fabian-rhea-seehorn-michael-mando-726858/ |title=Patrick Fabian, Rhea Seehorn & Michael Mando Cast In 'Breaking Bad' Prequel Series 'Better Call Saul' |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=May 8, 2014 |access-date=May 9, 2014}}
In 2023, he was set to star in the series Dope Thief, but was fired due to a physical altercation with another cast member.{{Cite web |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |date=2023-02-25 |title='Sinking Spring': Michael Mando Exits Apple Series; Wagner Moura To Replace Him |url=https://deadline.com/2023/02/sinking-spring-wagner-moura-cast-apple-series-recasting-michael-mando-exits-1235270739/ |access-date=2023-02-25 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| Conditional Affection | Jack | Short film |
| Territories
| Jalii Adel Kahlid | |
| 2011
| Abyss of the Mind | Johnny H. | |
| 2012
| data-sort-value="Good Lie, The" | The Good Lie | Orville | |
| rowspan="3" | 2013
| data-sort-value="Colony, The" | The Colony | Cooper | |
| Elysium
| Rico | Uncredited |
| Make Your Move
| Raphael | |
| 2016
| Wake Up | Johnny H. / Alter Ego | Short film |
| 2017
| |
| 2018
| data-sort-value="Hummingbird Project, The" | The Hummingbird Project | Mark Vega | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2008; 2010
| data-sort-value="Border, The" | The Border | Mirza / Marco | 2 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2009
| data-sort-value="Last Templar, The" | The Last Templar | Necia First Mate | 2 episodes |
| Web of Lies
| Danny Wilcox | Television film |
| Flashpoint
| Felipe | Episode: "Eagle Two" |
| rowspan="3" | 2010
| Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures | Dr. Manolas | 2 episodes |
| data-sort-value="Bridge, The" | The Bridge
| K9 | Episode: "Voices Carry" |
| Lost Girl
| Neville | Episode: "(Dis)Members Only" |
| rowspan="2" | 2011
| King | Esteban Demarco | Episode: "T-Bone" |
| Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays
| Alain | Episode: "Unscripted Conversation" |
| rowspan="4" | 2012
| data-sort-value="Pregnancy Project, The" | The Pregnancy Project | Javier Rodriguez | Television film |
| Les Bleus de Ramville
| Marc-Andre David | 8 episodes |
| Psych
| Chuy | Episode: "Let's Doo-Wop It Again" |
| data-sort-value="Killing, The" | The Killing
| Vasquez | Episode: "Off the Reservation" |
| rowspan="3" | 2013
| data-sort-value="Listener, The" | The Listener | Len Gazicki | Episode: "Buckle Up" |
| Rookie Blue
| Cesar Medina | Episode: "The Kids Are Not Alright" |
| Covert Affairs
| Eduardo | Episode: "Into the White" |
| 2013–14
| Victor "Vic" Schmidt | 9 episodes |
| 2014
| La marraine | Alvaro Pessoa | 5 episodes |
| 2015–22
| 33 episodes |
| 2016
| data-sort-value="Crossroads of History, The" | The Crossroads of History | Gaum | Episode: "Columbus" |
| 2025
|Jeff |Upcoming series, recurring role |
=Video games=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Voice role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2010
| Francisco Crystobal | |
| 2012
| rowspan="3" |Vaas Montenegro | rowspan="3" |Also likeness & motion capture |
| rowspan="2" |2021 |
| | Far Cry VR: Dive Into Insanity |
=Web=
Accolades
{{BLP unreferenced section|date=January 2025}}
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Work ! Result |
|---|
| 2012
| NAVGTR Award | Lead Performance, Drama | rowspan="2" |Far Cry 3 | {{nom}} |
| 2013
| Outstanding Character Performance - Male or Female | {{nom}} |
| rowspan=2|2014
| rowspan=2|Canadian Screen Award | Best Guest Performance in a Drama Series | {{nom}} |
| Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Program or Series
| {{nom}} |
| 2019
| rowspan=2|Screen Actors Guild Awards | rowspan=2|Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | rowspan=4|Better Call Saul | {{nom}} |
| 2021
| {{nom}} |
| rowspan=2|2022
| Hollywood Critics Association | Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Cable/Drama Series | {{nom}} |
| Saturn Awards
| Best Supporting Actor on Television | {{nom}} |
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20100714111651/http://www.michaelmando.com/}} (archived link)
- {{IMDb name|3103126}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mando, Michael}}
Category:21st-century Canadian male actors
Category:Canadian male film actors
Category:Canadian male television actors
Category:Canadian male video game actors
Category:Canadian male voice actors
Category:Canadian people of Guinean descent
Category:Dawson College alumni
Category:Francophone Quebec people
Category:Male actors from Quebec City