Born in Cape Town, this multi award-winning New York actor and SAG nominee is one of South Africa's most successful exports with credits that include three decades of high profile film, television and a long list of NY theater roles. Has worked with many of the most respected and acclaimed names in film, television and on stage. Being directed in ...
[on producing and performing '110 Stories' in NY in Sept 2011] It's essentially a love letter to New York. The play is not about politics. It's just about the fact that we all went through this together.
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South Africa is still my spiritual home.
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[on producing and performing '110 Stories' in NY in Sept 2011] I was barely a few blocks from the world trade center when the first plane hit... NY had been my home for 10 years and 9.11 rocked my world. Here I am ten years later helping to commemorate the tragedy. To be sharing a stage with the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Melissa Leo, Jeremy Piven, Kathleen Turner, Billy Crudup, and many other gifted storytellers... and sharing these stories for charity... it feels good to give back to a city that lost so much.
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Fact
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Theater roles include the lead roles in the American premiers of Arnie Sieren's award winning Belgian play, My Blackie at Bank Street Theater, Belgian playwright Jean-Yves Picq's The Case Of Kaspar Meyer at Ubu rep Theater, German playwright Roland Schimmelpfennig's Arabian Night directed by Trip Cullman at the 13th Street Theater, Dan Gordon's Murder in the First at the Director's Company directed by American Theatre Wing alumni Michael Parva, Jonathan Leaf's Pushkin at MTC, Worm Day directed by Nick Efteriades at the Actors Studio and Mortal Coils at the Mint Theater, directed by Actors Studio lifetime member Ed Setrakian. His Off-Broadway theater career also includes the lead role in his one act play Venom, nominated as best play finalist in Samuel French's Love Creek festival. The play was based on his experiences as a promotional perfume model in Macy's, Bloomingdales & Galeries Lafayette.Improvisational theater roles with Tony n Tina's Wedding at Times Square & traveling with several NY Dinner Theater improvisational troupes.
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His screenplay, Trust in Her, co-written with Nick Efteriades, is in development through the Gersh agency. Savante also co stars & serves as producer.
To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of 9/11 Stelio produced and performed in 110 Stories at the Skirball Center for The Performing Arts at NYU. Directed by Gregory Mosher, the cast included Stephen Baldwin, Mario Cantone, Billy Crudup, Noah Emmerich, Katie Holmes, Samuel L. Jackson, Melissa Leo, Ralph Macchio, Aasif Mandvi, James McCaffrey, Cynthia Nixon, Vincent Piazza, Jeremy Piven, Andre Royo, Stelio Savante, Pablo Schreiber, Annabella Sciorra, Tony Shalhoub, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Tamara Tunie, Kathleen Turner, Ben Vereen and Merritt Wever. Proceeds for charity were given to the New York Says Thank You Foundation.
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Has been directed by several Academy Award winners and nominees. In 2001 by Ron Howard in A Beautiful Mind, in 2005 by Juan Jose Campanella in Law & Order SVU, and again in 2005 by Joan Stein in Solidarity. Also in 2009 by Ivan Reitman in My Super Ex Girlfriend.
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His villainous characters have often met ugly deaths. In Corrado(2009) Stelio's character Antonio was buried alive in the trunk of a car by the lead character Corrado, portrayed by Johnny Messner. While, in Ugly Betty(2006), his character Steve was buried alive in a coffin by Bradford Meade, portrayed by Alan Dale. In Starship Troopers 3: Marauder(2008)his character Bull Brittles was impaled by Behemecoatyl. While in The Suite Life On Deck(2008), his character Stephane was impaled by The Eiffel Tower.
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Is the only original cast member of 110 Stories. In 2001, Sarah Tuft directed Stelio in the lead role of Ecuadorian photographer Bolivar Arellano opposite Susan Sarandon, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Edie Falco, Mary Stuart Masterson and Daniel Sunjata, at the Joseph Papp Public Theater in New York. Savante was then invited to study with Robert Modica of the Neighborhood Playhouse and Sanford Meisner fame. Reprised the role of Bolivar at the Geffen Playhouse in 2010.
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He's only played a South African once but has been cast as an American, Russian, Italian American, Bosnian/Serbian, Greek, German, French, Rhodesian, and Ecuadorian among other nationalities.
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Endorses several prestigious South African wine estates and TAG Heuer South Africa.
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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.
$850,000
