Romano Orzari

Fluent in Italian and French, Romano originally studied engineering in college, but it was thanks to the films City Lights by Charlie Chaplin, The Exterminating Angel by Luis Bunuel and the Frank McGuinness play Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme that convinced him to change paths. Having the opportunity to study with the director of the play, Joe Dowling (former Artistic Director of the Guthrie in Minneapolis and the Abbey in Dublin, Ireland), Romano took the momentum and moved to New York City. Dedicating five years of theatre studies and training beginning with The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute followed by the Ron Stetson Studio (Meisner Technique), then a Robert Lewis studio workshop and finally three years at the Stella Adler Theatre Conservatory... Having the valuable guidance of such notable teachers such as Alice Winston, Casey Keziah, Elizabeth Parish, Jimmy Tripp and the luminous Stella Adler.

While in his 2nd year at the Conservatory, Romano was encouraged by a classmate to attended an open audition, which resulted in a major supporting role for the Jazz bio-pic "Bix", by critically acclaimed Italian director Pupi Avati. The film premiered in competition at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, where The Hollywood Reporter and Variety gave praise to Romano's portrayal as the legendary American jazz pianist Hoagy Carmichael. Two months later, a near fatal accident put a hard stop to any ambitions and potentials. While fighting to recuperate he received a defining lead role in the Independent film "Burnt Eden". Romano's seamless performance garnered The Yves Montand Best Actor Award at the 1998 Kyiv International Film Festival. The momentum of acknowledgments for his work, landed him the Lead role for the multi-Nominated, critically acclaimed and fan favorite television series "Omertà". For this he was honored with a Best Actor Nomination in a Series Drama at the 1999 Gemini Awards and at the 2000 Metro Star Awards. In 2006 he also received an ACTRA Awards Nomination in a supporting role for the film "Baby For Sale" and in 2007 at the Minnesota SMMASH Film Festival he was recognized for a Best Actor Nomination in the film "The Overlookers."

Romano has an innate commitment to what it means to be a journeyman actor. The essence for this ability is inherited from his blue collar parents: His father Stefano, a WWII Partigiano combat veteran attached to a British Army platoon and his mother Carmina, a solid no nonsense garment factory worker. Together they gave their son a foundation on the importance of being resilient.