John Magaro

Early life

Magaro was born February 16, 1983, in Akron, Ohio, the son of Wendy and James Magaro, and grew up in nearby Munroe Falls. His father is of Italian descent and his mother is Jewish; his parents were teachers. While attending school within the Stow-Munroe Falls City School District, Magaro began acting in local theater, including shows at the Cleveland Play House and the Kent State Porthouse Theatre at Blossom Music Center, and Weathervane Playhouse in Akron. As a youth, Magaro also appeared in television commercials, and had a role in a Rescue 911 episode.

Career

After graduating from Stow-Munroe Falls High School in 2001, Magaro went on to study theater at Point Park University in Pittsburgh. Among his acting highlights are The Big Short, Past Lives and Carol (2015). His early film work included The Brave One, the HBO film Taking Chance and a lead role in the horror film My Soul to Take. Magaro also appeared in eleven episodes of Orange Is the New Black, spanning seasons 3-7. In 2008, Magaro starred in the popular Walmart x Coke holiday commercial, which played in movie theaters across the country. One of Magaro's earliest appearances was as an extra in Steven Spielberg’s 2005 film Munich; he revisited the events of the 1972 Summer Olympics in 2024's September 5.

Magaro was the lead in the 2012 film Not Fade Away, which earned him the HFF Spotlight award. In 2019, he portrayed the lead role of "Cookie" in Kelly Reichardt’s critically acclaimed film First Cow, for which he was nominated for a 2020 Gotham Award as Best Actor.

Personal life

Magaro is married to fashion designer Janice Hong, who gave birth to their first child in 2020. Magaro also struggles with an anxiety disorder.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Video games

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. Lokting, Britta. (February 26, 2016). "'Big Short' Actor John Magaro is Hiding in Plain Sight". [[The Forward]].
2. Sell, Jill. (June 10, 1994). "'Oliver' proves quick study". The Plain Dealer Publishing Co..
3. Musarra, Russ. (January 18, 1998). "Acting is kid stuff: talented young thespians are taking center stage at area community theaters". Beacon Journal Publishing Co..
4. (2005). "Stow-Munroe Falls High School 2005 Alumni Directory". B.C. Harris Publishing Company, Inc..
5. (October 8, 2010). "Review: My Soul to Take (2010)". Dread Central Media, LLC.
6. Davis, Clayton. (2024-10-29). "John Magaro on How Being an Extra in Steven Spielberg's 'Munich' Helped Him Prepare for 'September 5': 'It's About the Responsibility of Journalists'".
7. Seitz, Matt Zoller. (August 27, 2019). "30 Minutes on 'Not Fade Away'".
8. Feinberg, Scott. (2012-10-17). "Hollywood Film Awards to Honor Rising Stars from 'Flight,' 'Les Mis,' 'Not Fade Away,' More (Exclusive)".
9. (2020-11-12). "Nominations Announced for 30th IFP Gotham Awards".
10. Canfield, David. (2023-05-31). "John Magaro Refuses to Play the Hollywood Schmuck".
11. Bamigboye, Baz. (November 10, 2024). "John Magaro On How He Prepared To Tell The Olympics Story That Horrified The World In ‘September 5’".
12. Horst, Carole. (2025-09-26). "Mark Hamill Tapped for Gregory Peck Award for Cinematic Excellence at the San Diego Film Festival".
13. Gilmore, Georgette. (2025-10-27). "And the Awards Go To! Montclair Film Festival Announces 2025 Winners".
14. Heldenfels, Rich. (October 8, 2010). "Slasher film star chases after dream: Stow grad John Magaro carves out acting career, stars in Wes Craven flick". Beacon Journal Publishing Co..