Personal details
- Birth Date: 1972-05-23
- Height: 6′ (1.83 m)
- Birth Location: Syosset, New York, USA
- Professions: Actor, Writer, Director
John Pollono, born May 23, 1972, in Syosset, New York, isn’t your typical Hollywood face, but man, his work packs a punch. This guy’s got a knack for telling gritty, honest stories that aren’t afraid to get a little messy. You might know him from Stronger (2017), where he helped bring that raw, emotional Boston energy to the screen—seriously, that film hits hard. Then there’s Small Engine Repair (2021), which he not only wrote but directed too. That movie? It’s a wild ride—darkly funny, a little rough around the edges, and brutally real about friendship and fatherhood gone sideways. Pollono’s stories don’t shy away from life’s uglier bits; in fact, he kind of leans into them, finding humor and heart in moments most people would rather skip. Oh, and he’s popped up on TV too—This Is Us (2016) ring a bell? Even in a show packed with heavy hitters, Pollono managed to make his mark, bringing the same blue-collar authenticity and bite he’s known for in his writing. The dude’s got range: actor, writer, director, probably could fix your carburetor if you asked nicely. What really sets him apart, though, is how he pulls you into these small, intense worlds—places where things can go sideways fast, but there’s always a little hope, or at least a wicked laugh, lurking underneath. Not your average Hollywood story, and that’s kinda the whole point.
So, back in 2011 and 2012, “Small Engine Repair” made some serious noise in the Los Angeles theater scene. Not only did it debut there, but the guy behind it didn’t just write the thing—he starred in it, too. That’s a flex. And get this: the play straight-up swept every big award around. Ovation Awards, LA Drama Critic Circle, LA Weekly, Garland… you name it, they handed out trophies for Best Production. It wasn’t just the play itself, either. The writing got singled out for praise—Best Writing across multiple boards. And the cast? Apparently, total dream team, because they snagged Best Ensemble left and right. For a world premiere, that’s wild. People still talk about how it basically owned the LA theater world that year, and honestly, you don’t see a debut get that kind of love too often. It set the bar stupidly high for anything that followed.
May 23, 1972
6′ (1.83 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Syosset, New York, USA
53 years old