Steve Zissis
☼ Born on 17 December (year unknown), in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Biography
Steve Zissis was born and raised in the culturally rich city of New Orleans, Louisiana to a family of Greek descent. He attended Jesuit High School, where he first began to act in musicals at the age of sixteen and went on to New York University, where he studied acting and performed in plays. At NYU, Steve garnered a "Best Actor" award for his portrayal of the ferocious Irishman, Mr. Maurrant, in Elmer Rice's "Street Scene." After college, Steve continued working in theater, at one point studying puppetry at The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center under the mentoring of Richard Termine of the Henson Foundation and Marty Robinson of Sesame Street ("Mr. Snuffleupagus," "Telly Monster"). In 2002, Steve and best friend, Arthur Mintz, directed their own live-action/puppet adaptation of Peter Shaeffer's "Amadeus" for which they received "Best Director" awards and the play received a "Best Drama" award. Jay Stanley of Vive La Vie! Magazine called the play a "masterpiece of theatrical genius."
In 2005, Steve first teamed up with the Duplass Brothers to star in the short film, "The Intervention." The film won the Silver Bear and Teddy Awards at the Berlin Film Festival and the Grand Jury Prize at the GEN ART Film Festival in New York.
Steve's relationship with the Duplass Brothers continued as he starred in their horror comedy "Baghead" which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. Steve's performance in "Baghead" caught the attention of crit
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ics and casting directors, and Steve went on to do work on TV shows such as "The Office," "Parks and Recreations," and FX's "The League."
In 2009, Steve would collaborate with the Duplass Brothers again by starring in their epic, sibling rivalry sports film "The Dodeca Pentathlon." The film played at several film festivals including SXSW and was acquired by Fox Searchlight.
In 2011, Steve played a supporting role in the Duplass Brothers second studio feature "Jeff, Who Lives at Home" along side Jason Segel, Ed Helms, and Judy Greer. The film was shot in New Orleans so Steve was doubly blessed to work and visit with his friends and family.
In 2015, Steve and the Duplass Brothers created HBO's Togetherness, a comedic, relationship series that received critical acclaim and a passionate fan base. The show starred Steve, Mark Duplass, Melanie Lynskey, and Amanda Peet and paved the way for many "dramedies" that followed.
As Steve continues to act in film and TV, working with such directors as Jason Reitman, Justin Simien, Gus Van Sant, Billy Ray, Jeremy Saulnier, Spike Jonze, and Chris Landon; he is also forging a path as a screenwriter, writing a treatment for WB's Cat in the Hat, the story for Disney's Cruella, and an original screenplay for New Regency's Blood Mother, an upcoming psychological horror film starring Felicity Jones.
Steve splits time between LA, New Orleans, and London.
In the role of actor
Bliss (30/01/2020)
A struggling artist is introduced to a drug that gets her creative juices flowing, while also introducing some vampiric side-effects. Dezzy (Dora Madison) is a young woman, who has been struggling to finish a painting for an upcoming gallery show, while also having to deal with her nagging landlord, unreliable agent, and her freeloading boyfriend […]
Happy Death Day 2U (13/02/2019)
A new loop of death begins in Happy Death Day 2U. After finally escaping a time loop that saw her repeatedly killed on her birthday, Tree Gelbman (Jessica Rothe) discovers that the loop was the result was the result of a quantum device created by Tree’s boyfriend Carter’s (Israel Broussard) roommate Ryan (Phi Vu). When the machine malfunctions […]