One of South Africa's most in-demand actors for over three decades, polyglot Stelio Savante is a steady product of independent & international theatrically released features & longtime popular casting choice of critically acclaimed directors. His most recent work is as an international journalist & Mossad agent 'Pierre Barthes' opposite Jim Caviezel & Claudia Karvan in the Middle-Eastern political thriller Infidel (2019) by the critically acclaimed director Cyrus Nowrasteh. He is also starring opposite Academy Award Nominee Matt Dillon & Jim Caviezel as Portuguese coffee plantation Mayor Alvares in David L. Cunningham 's Running for Grace (2018) on Netflix. Critic, Sarah D. Bunting, writes "...Stelio is reminiscent of James Gandolfini...I liked a certain gravitas-emblance that I saw in Stelio...".
He will next be seen starring opposite Academy Award Nominee Frank Langella & Bobby Cannavale in the comedy Lapham Rising produced by Academy Award Nominee Kerry Orent and also in the noir What Remains executive produced by Ralph Winter starring directly opposite Anne Heche. His performance as Hunter Kimbrough in Peter Greenaway's Golden Bear nominated international co production Eisenstein in Guanajuato (2015) was noted as memorable by critic, David Noh. As part of the lead cast, Stelio was nominated for a Teddy Award at Berlin film festival.
His two decades of regional and Off Broadway stage credits include favorable reviews from the NY Times. A student of Robert X. Modica, Deborah Kampmeier, William Alderson, Don Bloomfield, & Diane Venora, his training is rooted in theater & improvisation but influenced by the eras of French New Wave & Italian Neo-Realism. Was acknowledged by Academy Award Winner Al Pacino, Academy Award Winner F. Murray Abraham & several NY theater critics for his lead performance in Mortal Coils, directed by the Actor's Studio's Ed Setrakian at the Mint Theater.
A popular voice over artist, he voices the character of Ajax in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018). Was inducted into the Alpha Psi Omega honors society for his achievement in American collegiate theater. Served on the actor's panel of the 2014 San Diego film festival with Josh Duhamel, Academy Award Nominee Tom Berenger & Dennis Haysbert, hosted by Variety & film critic Jeffrey Lyons. Is a board member of the River Street Theater Company; alongside Robert Carnegie, Academy Award Nominee Jeff Goldblum , Academy Award Nominee David Mamet, Academy Award Winner Jon Voight & president, William Alderson.