Biografía

Fred Melamed

Has twin sons with autism. Was active, with ex-wife Leslee, as an advocate for families whose lives are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder.
When Ethan Coen was asked which of the many characters he has created he was proudest of, he responded, "Sy Ableman, Fred Melamed's character from Un tipo serio (2009). The best movie monster ever".
He was adopted. His biological mother is actor/director Nancy Zala, and, by his biological father, a psychoanalyst, he is related to renowned acting family the Adlers, including Luther Adler & Stella Adler.
The first person to have graduated from both Hampshire College and the Yale School of Drama. The second was Liev Schreiber, and the third was Lupita Nyong'o.
Had a severe fear of flying which prevented him from setting foot on a airplane for 20 years. In 1998, he was able to overcome the phobia and fly to Japan to be the voice of the Winter Olympics for CBS.

On Looks And Casting In Films: I have a secret aspiration to be considered for a part where it doesn't matter what you look like to play it. Most of the time when I receive a script, it says something like 'Rosenberg is the fat, slovenly Mayor, who doesn't want the kids to use the Skateboard Park', or 'Stein is a pompous, rotund attorney, imposing to all.' It would be so freeing to get a script where my character is simply described as 'A Man'....
On Stage Acting: I'm one of relatively few stage-trained actors who doesn't much like acting on stage. It feels kind of like riding the Cyclone at Coney Island, which I did when I was eight. When it was all over, I was glad I had done it, but most of the time when it was actually happening, I was just kind of hanging on for dear life.
I think of myself as a student of acting. I regard it like poker. You can learn the rules in an afternoon, but it takes a lifetime to master.
[On Acting] I think of myself as a student of acting. I regard it like poker. You can learn the rules in an afternoon, but it takes a lifetime to master.