Today we’d like to introduce you to Francesco Antonio.
Hi Francesco, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
After being encouraged by a high school drama teacher to pursue acting as a career, I applied and was accepted to an acting Conservatory in Toronto, Canada. When I graduated, I performed at an acting showcase for all of Toronto’s top talent agents. That is where I met my agent, Jana Abrams. Immediately upon signing with her, I began creating my own content and learning how to market myself as an actor online and in the industry. This allowed me to get in the rooms of some great projects including WAYNE which was named by LA Times as one of the Top Streaming Shows of 2019. My role in WAYNE as Reggie, the villain with gold teeth and a pet alligator, gave me the opportunity to obtain my visa to work in Los Angeles. In 2020, I packed up and moved to Los Angeles, splitting my time between trying to make it in Hollywood and Toronto. Today, I celebrate the release of my new movie VANDITS where I star as Veeny. The movie just had its Premiere in Toronto and will soon have its release in the US.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been easy to get where I am today and continues to be a climb but you have to be willing to keep climbing. Whether it be money, family or circumstance, there were numerous struggles along the way. I remember spending every dollar I had on lawyer fees to get my Visa, leaving my family and moving to a house of 10 other actors, I shared the corner of a room with three others and just as I started to audition, with the potential of a lead in a movie, covid had hit and in seconds I had lost all of investment and motivation. I would spend the duration of my visa in Toronto, Canada on lockdown and having to decide if it was worth starting all over again. I quickly fell into a deep depression, bills were piling up and production had completely stopped. When restrictions lifted, I began rebuilding myself, my resumè and motivating myself to climb back up the mountain. Sure enough, I was able to get back to working on some amazing tv and film projects including VANDITS, which helped me once again get my Visa and move back to Los Angeles. Today I am back on my hustle, working every day on making my name in this industry.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am an award-winning actor, director, writer and recording artist. I started off as an actor, known most for my work in Bad Blood on Netflix, WAYNE on Amazon Prime and now VANDITS which will hit select theatres in North America before it is released on Amazon Prime. I am also a recording artist signed to DKO Music Group which was founded by SNOW, who became famous for his record-breaking song in 1992 titled INFORMER and then again when he re-made the song with Daddy Yankee and Katy Perry titled CON CALMA. Snow and I released a song called TOGETHER with Warner Music during Covid, which hit 150k views on Youtube and peaked at #10 on Apple music charts. My newest song HELP was released via Sony Orchard and has surpassed 100k streams on Spotify while also reaching #10 on the Spotify Charts in Panama.
What sets me apart is my commitment to remaining authentic. What you see is what you get and I will honor that commitment to my team and my fans as long as I am creating. I want to tell my story because I know others have similar experiences and through my art, I can connect them, uplift them or even just let them know they are not alone. By remaining my true self and not faking my way to the top, I will remind the world that there are still real artists out here who care more about creating a community through art than looking cool on the gram.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My biggest supporter has been my mom from day one, she has had my back through the good and the bad, pushing me to take chances, become a better person and find something positive to offer this world.
My agent, Jana Abrams has been a huge support and business partner. We have been paving the way together for other artists like me that have had to make their own success rather than be given it.
My music team at DKO; Snow, Will, Frank, and the entire group have been a big support with my music and creative endeavors through artist development and many opportunities.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.francescoantonio.ca
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/francesco.antonio
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francescoantonioofficial
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/thefranantonio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/FrancescoAntonio
Image Credits
David Leyes Woodbridge Media
