savante

Stelio Savante

Stelio Savante (born 1970, in Cape Town, South Africa) is a South African film, television and stage actor living in the United States. Is a native English speaker (Anglo South African) and fluent in Afrikaans and Greek.

Biography

Early life

Stelio was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa and is of Greek and South African/British descent. He graduated from Camps Bay High School in 1988 and was offered an international tennis scholarship by the University of West Alabama. Relocated from South Africa to the United States where he has been living since 1990. He played tennis and football for the University of West Alabama and was recognized by the Alpha Psi Omega honor society for his participation in collegiate theatre. Relocated to New York City in 1992 after performing in regional and community theater in Alabama and Mississippi.

Early Roles

In the nineties Savante performed in several Off Broadway stage productions and also made his television debut with a recurring role as Antonio on Conan O'Brien Show and then as Dan 'Schaffy' Schaffner in Jim Breuer's pilot for Pulp Comics on Comedy Central. He also starred in several independent films including Close Up, Astoria, A Grave Debt, Red Lipstick, Manhattan Chase and a recurring roles on The Guiding Light and as Guard Berger on All My Children. Then he was cast as the lead in ‘Worm Day’ at the celebrated Actors Studio. There were also small supporting roles on The Sopranos and in A Beautiful Mind.

New York & Hollywood Career

In 2001, Sarah Tuft, founder of the Director's and Actor's (D & A) workshop cast Stelio in the lead role of Ecuadorian photographer Bolivar Arellano opposite Susan Sarandon, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Mary Stuart Masterson in the acclaimed 9/11 piece '110 stories' at the Joseph Papp Public Theater. Savante was then invited to study with Robert Modica of the Neighborhood Playhouse and Sanford Meisner fame.

In 2005, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit cast Savante as a Bosnian-Muslim fundamentalist. He guest starred as the villain opposite Mariska Hargitay and Angela Lansbury. Later the episode was nominated for Emmy Awards and Golden Globes. Larger high profile roles followed, including: a guest star lead as an Italian American mob hitman on Law & Order: Criminal Intent opposite Chris Noth and Annabella Sciorra, a lead role as an American Sergeant in the WWII film, The Coldest Winter which took the ‘best feature film’ award at the Hollywood DV Festival, a lead role as an abusive Greek father in the independent film, Pulse, a lead role in the NY and Off Broadway premier of Arabian Night, a supporting role in Solidarity, and a supporting role and 6th billing in the Hollywood comedy My Super Ex Girlfriend. ABC then offered Stelio a recurring role as Steve (List of Ugly Betty characters) on the primetime network series, Ugly Betty, produced by Salma Hayek, and he relocated to Los Angeles and appeared in 10 first season episodes. In May 2007 Stelio returned home to South Africa for the first time in eleven years to play Bull Brittles in the sci fi action flick, Starship Troopers 3: Marauder.

Most recent credits include a guest star role opposite Mark Harmon on NCIS, a guest star role on the web series Solly's Wisdom, a guest star appearance opposite Jenny McCarthy in the live action simulated video game Red Alert 3, and a supporting role in the independent film Corrado.

Other Notable Appearances

Stelio was named#19 on Elle Magazine's (international edition) HOT 40 List for 2006 and was also chosen as the 'Man Of Style' for InStyle magazine's (international edition) in September 2007. Has also appeared in over 30 international magazines & newspapers including, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Elle, InStyle and O, The Oprah Magazine. Endorses several prestigious South African wine estates and TAG Heuer South Africa.

Personal life

He married Carla Pina in New York City on June 25 2002 and they have one child, Ava Grace (born 2007 in Santa Monica).

Filmography

Project	Character	Year
Live Fast Die Young	Rupe	2008
Corrado	Antonio	2008
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3	Sergei	2008
Solly's Wisdom	Trey	2008
NCIS	Danny Coyle	2007
Starship Troopers 3: Marauder	Bull Brittles	2008
Ugly Betty	Steve	2007
Ugly Betty	Steve	2006
My Super Ex Girlfriend	Leo	2006
The Coldest Winter	Sergeant Warner	2005
Pulse	Yanni	2005
Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Phil Bartoli	2005
''Solidarity	Adam	2005
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Milan Zergin	2004
All My Children	Guard Berger	2003
Midnight Club	Primo	2003
Nobody Beats Charlie	Frank	2002
Manhattan Chase	Dr Ross	2001
Astoria	Nick	2000
The Sopranos	Gaetano Giarizzio	2000
A Grave Debt	Devo	2000
Guiding Light	Mr Black	2000
The Last of the Communists	Andrei	1999
The Clean Break	Ivan	1998
Close Up	Frankie	1997