Michael Basile

Michael proudly hails from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York.  Born to an Italian father and a Jewish mother, he has lived in Brooklyn virtually all his life.  His love of acting emerged with his first role in Kindergarten as Christopher Columbus.  By all accounts, it was no less than a riveting performance.

After double-majoring in Business Administration and Theatre as an undergraduate at SUNY Albany Michael returned to New York, spent a couple of years soul-searching and wound up teaching drama for five years at a Brooklyn Junior and Senior High School.

In 2004 Michael’s professional life took a wholly unexpected and unpredictable turn.  After obtaining a Master’s Degree in English and while embarking on building an elite drama program at a Brooklyn High School, he decided to follow a different calling and choose a completely unrelated career path; he abruptly left teaching and joined the New York City Fire Department as a Firefighter. Having the flexible schedule that being a NYC Firefighter afforded him, Michael knew he had no more excuses and had to respond to his life-long calling of being a professional actor. Continuing his training with a top-notch teacher was paramount and he is forever grateful to have studied for two years with the renowned William Esper at William Esper Studios in NYC.

Subsequently, Michael has been building his career as a well-regarded character actor on stage in NYC and regionally.  In addition to some heavy-hitting stage credits he has enjoyed bringing his New York flavor to the wide variety of TV shows now filming in New York.  Whether it be playing a blue collar New Yorker, a cop, fireman, paramedic, lawyer, gangster, doctor, or Dad, Michael unfailingly brings his professionalism and deep passion for acting to each project.

Michael currently lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, where he also works as a Firefighter in Engine 242.