BIO
Michael Nardelli
Michael Nardelli can currently be seen starring in the Emmy Winning Amazon Prime series, Dark/Web.
Series premiered at Entertainment Weekly and SCAD’s prestigious aTV fest in 2019. Dark/Web was also invited to have an official panel at San Diego Comic-Con last summer, the same day it premiered on Amazon Prime. Nardelli received three Emmy nominations for his work on the show, including Outstanding Directing, as well as Outstanding Digital Series for his work as producer on the show.
Michael also exercised his multi-hyphenate abilities starring in and producing the hit Netflix film, Circle. Co-starring Julie Benz and Carter Jenkins, Circle focuses on 50 strangers who are held captive in a mysterious chamber. They face imminent execution and are forced to choose the one person among them who deserves to live. The film premiered at the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival, where it was highlighted as part of the festival’s Catalyst program for exciting new filmmakers. It also screened at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con, and the 2015 Savannah Film Festival. Circle was purchased by Netflix and released in October 2015. Film Buff distributed the film on all VOD platforms that same year. It has become a cult phenomenon, with fans still debating its themes and ending online. You can buy the film on iTunes.
Michael made his professional acting debut as Stradivarius Helberg on the television show Quintuplets. He then co-starred in the independent film The Derby Stallion opposite Zac Efron and the comedy Grassroots with Jason Biggs. Soon after, Michael portrayed a lovesick teenager in the 3D horror film The Collection, and he has recurred on various television shows including My Name is Earl, CSI: New York, The Client List, The Mob Doctor, Revenge, Nashville, Hart of Dixie, and American Crime Story: The People VS OJ Simpson.
Michael recently completed a role in the independent film Rushed, starring Siobhan Fallon Hogan and Robert Patrick. He can also be seen in The Tribe from director Roxy Shih. In it, he plays "Ryan," a psychologically tormented young man left to survive on his own in a post-apocalyptic desert. Michael was nominated for Best Lead Actor by the Nice International Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema for his performance in The Tribe.
Actor
Filmmaker
Michael first established himself as an independent film producer in 2010. His films include Another Happy Day, where he acted opposite Ezra Miller, Kate Bosworth and Demi Moore. It won the Waldo Salt Award for Best Screenplay at the 27th Sundance Film Festival, and was an Official Selection in the Sundance Dramatic Competition that year. Another Happy Day was released theatrically by Phase 4.
Michael went on to produce the romantic comedy The Giant Mechanical Man, starring Jenna Fischer, Topher Grace, Malin Akerman, Chris Messina, Lucy Punch and Bob Odenkirk. It was an Official Selection of the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012, and was purchased by Tribeca Film for theatrical distribution that year.
His film Circle premiered at the 2015 Seattle International Film Festival, where it was highlighted as part of the festival’s Catalyst program for exciting new filmmakers. Circle also screened at the 2015 San Diego Comic Con and the 2015 Savannah Film Festival. The film was purchased by Netflix and released in October 2015. Film Buff distributed the film on all VOD platforms that same year. It has become a cult hit, and an online debate is ongoing about its themes and ending.
Michael’s directorial debut came in the short film Dennis Doesn’t Live Here Anymore. The short is a satirical dark comedy featuring a character Michael created while studying with famed LA improv troupe The Groundlings. It premiered at the 2015 LA Comedy Fest and 2015 Palm Springs International Shortfest & Film Market. The short went on to win Best Short Film at the 2015 Atlanta Underground Film Festival, and Michael won Best Male Actor in A Short at the 2015 Chicago Comedy Film Festival. The short also played at the Savannah Film Festival, Melbourne Underground Film Festival, and LA Indie Fest.
Michael produced, wrote and directed a segment of Dark/Web entitled Viral. Season 1 of the series is currently streaming on Amazon and available for purchse on iTunes. Forthcoming, he’s developed and will produce Stardrive, a serialized science-fiction television series and iKnow How You Feel, a science-fiction coming of age feature film. Nardelli is producing The Girl Who Conned the Ivy League with director/producer McG and Amanda Seyfried attached to star.
Nardelli is the founder of Felt Films, a full-service entertainment company devoted to the creation of groundbreaking feature films, graphic novels, television series and web content.
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Outside of work, Michael is involved with a number of charities, and he also is a self-proclaimed science fiction, comic book and gaming nerd. He received his bachelor’s degree in film and theater from University of Southern California.