MEET anthony robert grasso
ACTOR-DIRECTOR | ARG STUDIOS LLC
An artist from an early start…
From a young age, the daring demands of the artist life called to me. I was a prodigy art major as early as elementary school age. But it was his Father’s & Mother’s love for old movies and music that inspired me to fall in love with cinema. Both my parents encouraged me to follow my heart and they never stifled my voice as a precocious freethinker. I also learned a thing or two about getting knocked down and getting back up by growing up with 3 older siblings. They would challenge me daily with scrappy combat. This laid the groundwork for my career as an artist, actor – director - teacher in Film, Television and Theatre that spans over 30 years.
One of my teachers said to me, "You have the spirit of a soldier and the heart of a poet." I'd like to believe that I have honored those words by living my life as a true artist.
My studies that followed these formative years were at the British American Drama Academy in Oxford England, The Actor’s Studio and Sanford Meisner training from first generation instructors from The Neighborhood Playhouse. I earned my BFA from School of Visual Arts in NYC.
As an actor I look for diverse roles that challenge me: a grieving father, a conflicted priest, a conflicted artist, a belligerent chef, a desperate accountant, an emotionally injured CEO turned predator, a Doctor on the verge, a bumbling assassin, a corrupt mayor, and a romantic lead looking for a casual encounter and finds love.
Independent features and short films such as Gun Hill Road (Sundance 2011), Billy’s Cult (Distribution 2013), and The Pigeon Egg Strategy (Sundance 1999- shot in Hong Kong) were diverse and exciting. The hilarious Indie RomCom, Swiped Right earned me Best Lead Actor at the Best Shorts Competition. The film went on to win several Best Short Comedy awards and the Audience Choice Award at The Hoboken International Film Festival.
Indie award winner Kill Al – sci-fi thriller has been selected in over 30 festivals in the US, Europe an Asia. It garnered multiple Best short film awards, including Best director, best screenplay and multiple Best Actor awards here and in Japan. The indie controversial short film The Blind Date (story about the reversal of roe vs wade) also won multiple awards for Best Picture including Best Actor.
Selected TV credits include: Marvel’s Jessica Jones (Recurring), Gotham (Guest Star), and Co-Star roles on Blue Bloods, Person Of Interest, Wall Street Project (Pilot with Jon Cusack), Unforgettable, Law & Order, Law & Order CI And Law & Order SVU, The Black Donnelley’s, NYPD Blue, and Sex & The City.
I've appeared in both National and Regional commercials and was fortunate to have worked with one of my favorite film directors, M. Night Shamalayan on his AMEX Campaign, which aired during the 2005 Oscars.
Upcoming Releases include: Drama The Long Commute (co-wrote and co- producer) and Drama Any Given Tuesday, Extradition, Monarch Butterfly and 3 indie Pilots: the Probe ( pilot) and General mess Hospital and A Beautiful Distraction starring Vivica Fox and Adrian Paul.
I founded and am teaching at ARG STUDIOS…
…film & tv audition technique/scene study classes. I have over 70 students enrolled in an ongoing month to month classes. Being a Method and Meisner trained actor, my teaching philosophy is simple, I've integrating contemporary acting techniques from Sanford Meisner, Lee Strasberg, Stella Adler and transitioning these essential skills for TV and Film.
My PHOTOGRAPHY career was born due to the birth of my daughter back in 2004. I began taking photos of her every move and caught some beautiful portraits. After a while people would say, "You should do headshots!" So, I decided to combine my artistic background (a BFA in fine art at SVA) along with my knowledge as an actor and teacher to launch my career as a headshot photographer. While owning Breakthrough Studios, it allowed me to experience thousands of seminars & classes. These experiences gave me the confidence to gain extensive knowledge of the acting community and understanding the essence of a marketable headshot. Being an actor and a teacher to actors, it came naturally for me to have a shorthand and a chemistry with other artists so I can bring out their truthful essence. Thus, fast forward 15 years and thousands of headshot clients later - an additional career was born. I'm most grateful that without advertising, most of my headshot clients find me by word of mouth and referrals from other actors, agents and managers.
