Photography by Patrick Maus
We had an opportunity to sit and chat with Michael Nardelli, who can currently be seen starring the indie thriller The Tribe for an upcoming interview.
The Tribe is a Western, survival thriller that tells the story of three sisters living on their remote ranch after a global pandemic has struck. One day a stranger suddenly shows up and their world changes in ways they never could have imagined. Michael plays Ryan, a psychologically tormented young man left to survive on his own in a post-apocalyptic desert who is taken in by the sisters. The film was released on February 10, 2017 on iTunes, Amazon Instant, Google Play, Vudu, Xbox Live, Sony Playstation and Vimeo on Demand. Check out the trailer: https://youtu.be/mWrUa0Zdy2w.
Following The Tribe, Michael is producing, writing and starring in a new digital series called Dark/Web. Each episode of Dark/Web will consist of a portion of the serialized tale and a stand-alone science fiction or horror short centered around technological themes. Roxy Shih will direct the serialized segments of the series, with the stand-alone segments to be written and directed by different filmmakers, including Zelda Williams. The series is slated for release in Summer 2017.
Michael made his professional acting debut as Stradivarius Helberg on the television show Quintuplets. He then co-starred in the independent film Derby Stallion opposite Zac Efron and the comedy Grassroots, with Jason Biggs. Soon after, Michael portrayed a lovesick teenager in the 3D horror thriller The Collection and has recurred on various television shows including American Crime Story: ‘The People Vs. OJ Simpson, Revenge, CSI: New York, and Nashville. His additional credits include starring in the Netflix psychological-thriller Circle and Hallmark Channel’s Christmas In Homestead.
In addition to acting, Michael has established himself as a producer and director. His film, Another Happy Day, wherein he also acted opposite Ezra Miller, Kate Bosworth and Demi Moore. Additional films include The Giant Mechanical Man with Jenna Fisher and Dennis Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.
Michael is a self proclaimed Sci Fi, Comic Book and gamer nerd. When he is not working, he loves to be involved with the PATH Organization, Autism Speaks, the Boys and Girls Club of Boyle Heights and NCJW LA. Michael received his Bachelor’s Degree in Film and Theater from USC.
Check out his interview below.
Many actors would love to have your resume. You have built an impressive portfolio which continues to expand into awesome roles and projects. Are you enjoying the progression of your career thus far? Is there anything you would like to accomplish in the next five years?
Thank you very much. That’s a nice thing to say! I’ve definitely been loving the progression over the last two or three years, where I’ve gotten to play a lot of really different roles and dip my toes into fun stuff as a filmmaker. When I first moved to LA, I was desperate to have instantaneous success, and it certainly didn’t happen that way! I had a lot to learn and a lot of confidences to build up. But it’s such a crazy career that I’ve sort of found peace with the slow and steady growth I’ve had. In the next five years, I just hope to get more roles that challenge me and let me learn new things about the world and myself. I want to create more projects that are entertaining but, more importantly, meaningful and hopefully enlightening to those who watch. I was completely inspired by film and TV growing up, so it would be an honor to create stuff that fills that same role for people. And, you know, I’m desperate to do something with Marvel, Lucasfilm, HBO, Netflix… That list goes on and on!
Let’s talk The Tribe. It’s a Western survival thriller. You play Ryan, who is psychologically tormented. How did you prepare for the role?
I did a lot of different prep for Ryan, because it was one of the few times I actually had longer than a week to prep for a part! I read Cormac McCarthy’s The Road (and watched the movie version) to kind of get into that mindset. I created a lot of history for Ryan too, sort of working backwards from where we meet him and what were the events that lead him there? I also did a lot of research into cults and thought-reform. I don’t want to give too much away, but Ryan is part of a tribe that has a very specific philosophy on life. Despite the horrors he’s been through, Ryan still has a lot of innocence to him and is very vulnerable to manipulation. I wanted to learn more about how that happens, how do people fall into cults, or tribes? It was pretty fascinating.
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What makes The Tribe unique?
I think it’s one of the only post-apocalyptic stories that’s told from the female point of view. As such, that makes it very different from something like The Road or The Walking Dead or Mad Max. The story is woven around these three sisters living at the end of the world and their relationship with each other and their dysfunctions. We sort of know what the “lone dude in the desert forced to survive” thing is at this point, so I think The Tribe does what a lot of great stories do, which is take a story we’re familiar with and flip it on its head. Director Roxy Shih and writer Ian Paxton did a great job of sort of negotiating what the gender politics would look like in a world where all the rules are off the table, and humans are stripped to primal survival mode. In The Tribe, the sisters have all the power: they have the food and water and security everyone that’s left in the world wants. It’s fun exploring that, and seeing how their power and independence clashes with the more old-school, patriarchal tribe that shows up thinking they’ve got it all figured out.
You also starred in Circle, a psychological-thriller. We know that those types of roles can be challenging. What did you do to leave that mindset behind after production?
Circle was a really tough one because — well, all horror films usually require a lot of emotion and hysteria — but because Circle actually takes place in real time and people are dying every two minutes. And we were standing in one place the whole shoot, which is more exhausting than it may sound! So, with that one, it was about still trying to find the different layers of terror. Sometimes that’s screaming, sometimes it’s being paralyzed; eventually you go numb to it, which is sort of the sad reality towards the end of Circle; they’re all just used to the death around them. It wasn’t easy to leave the mindset after production. I kind of had to just breathe and live through a little bit of sadness for a while.
You have also directed before, including the short film Dennis Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. Tell us about your experience directing.
I adore it more with each thing I get to direct. It really feels like a marathon; it’s not like acting where you’re in your trailer, waiting to be called to set. I’ve learned you always have to be ‘on’ when directing. You have to expect fifty people to approach you in a day with fifty questions that can range from the creative, to the financial, to the logistical. And you must know the answer! It’s a big shift from acting, where you’re a bit more submissive in some ways, being told what to do by a director or an AD. I shouldn’t admit it, but it usually takes me half of the first day to remind myself, “Hey, Michael, you’re the one that is supposed to call out action. What are ya waiting for?”
What has been your takeaway from directing? What have you learned about the filmmaking process?
Just how vital every single role is. I just directed an episode of our show Dark/Web and I was so grateful for the crew and the cast; that they were there, they showed up, and they put their all into this thing I was somehow responsible for. You release a new sigh of relief each time you realize, “oh, she’s got that prop. Oh, he learned his lines. Phew! One less thing to stress about!” A set is like this weird microcosm of the world where all these different units are doing all these different things that shouldn’t ever necessarily be connected in any other context or situation, but on a film set they have to be connected! Directors have to communicate with producers, the DP has to talk to the Gaffer, the AD has to offer up some tough love to a stubborn Director when it’s time to move on and you have to make your day. There really is no one person more important than the other on a set.
Do you believe directing has enhanced your acting? If so, how?
Well, if you’re into entertainment, you’re kind of taught by the media that actors are the most important thing, but that’s just because they’re in front of the camera; they’re doing the promotional work. But actors are just a piece of the puzzle, an important one, but a piece. So, I think directing has given me a great appreciation for everything going on around me on set. I just want to help the hundred other people that are running around frantic and who created this opportunity for me where I get to step onto my mark and do my thing and not worry about everything else.
Let’s talk Dark/Web. It sounds amazing! Tell us about the series and your character.
Dark/Web is hopefully to 2017 what The Twilight Zone was to the 60s — it talks about a lot of our modern fears and paranoia as they relate to technology and how fast the world is changing. It’s an anthology show comprised of eight episodes, but we’re a little different because we also have an ongoing story line throughout that ties everything together in a way that can only make sense once you watch!
In Dark/Web, I play James Woodsley. When we meet James, he’s teaching math to a bunch of apathetic, technology addicted 12-year olds at the school he graduated from. He’s in that rut in his life a lot of young adults are going through in my generation where we’ve grown up in a world full of so many choices, with big dreams, but now he’s meeting the day to day realities of what it means to grow up. And James is an adventurer at heart, so when a close friend of his goes missing, he’s all too ready to ditch the mundane and go on this quest to find her.
You also have written a lot of Dark/Web, too. Tell us about writing the series.
I co-wrote most of the show with Mario Miscione, who co-wrote and co-directed Circle. We developed all the episodes that we didn’t write, and then we both wrote our own solo, individual episodes too. It was a lot of writing, I’ll say that much! In terms of the process, we had outlined the whole show pretty hard together. By the time we got to writing it, it was a pretty smooth process and Mario and I had a nice back and forth. As someone who grew up in a world that was analogue, only to transition into this digital world we’re all now part of as an adult, I did feel like I had a lot to say about technology and how it’s changed us.
We find the title of the show intriguing. It uses a slash mark to separate the words ‘Dark’ and ‘Web’; the ‘slash mark’ typically indicates choice. Is this connected to any of the multiple story lines?
Hmmmm, interesting observation! Well, you know the drill — spoilers do nothing but spoil, but I will say each of the characters is at a crossroads in their life where a choice must be made. And by the end of the show, they may have to make one huge choice together.
Your schedule must leave you with limited downtime. What is your favorite thing to do between projects?
Just spend time with my family, friends and my dogs. I don’t have a lot of hobbies. I’m always just watching movies and reading books, learning as much as I can about this medium that I’m obsessed with. I live for storytelling and the people in my life, so I’m cool with those being my two big things.
We heard you love doing charity work and helping others in need. You’re currently working with the PATH Organization. Tell us about it.
Yeah! Each year I’m trying to make philanthropy more of a component in my life. I can see a version of my life where maybe that’s my sole focus. PATH is a great organization that helps get homeless families (and vets) off the streets and give them a second chance. I was lucky to grow up in a home that felt safe, with a lot of opportunity. I’m realizing more and more how much I need to do to give that to others who haven’t been as lucky. With PATH, a couple times a year, my friends and I will get together and schedule a move in for a family in need. PATH finds the home or apartment for the family, then we get all the furniture, toiletries, electronics, etc. that a family will need to start off a new life in a new home with dignity. It’s actually amazing how much you can help others in need with the stuff you have lying around your house that you’re not using. When you combine that among friends, you can literally give a family a new home and a new lot on life.
Are there other organizations you work with or plan to work with?
Every year I do a fundraiser for Autism Speaks and participate in their walk for Autism. I’m a big supporter of mental health research and talking openly about it. I also do work with the ASPCA — protecting animals is a thing I feel very passionate about. Animals, specifically my dogs, have brought such joy into my life throughout the years and taught me so much about life. They can’t talk, or ask for help, so we have to be their voices.
Are there any other projects we should expect to see in 2017?
Dark/Web is the big one on the horizon. We just wrapped production, so now I have to get it through post with my team, but I’m really excited for people to see it and hope it comes together and clicks the way we’ve wanted it to. Other than that, I’m an auditioning actor for hire at the moment – anyone wanna hire me?!
Connect with Michael:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenardelli
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenardelli
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1660148
NOTE: If you would like to learn more about PATH Organization, please visit their website: https://www.autismspeaks.org. You can also donate to the ASPCA.
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