Biographie
Christian Meoli is an American actor, writer, and producer who manages the renowned independent theaters known as Cinelounge. Hailing from Philadelphia, he is one of three sons of Gennaro Meoli, also known as Jerry Mayo, a former shirtmaker turned trumpeter (deceased 2011), and Sandra Bandera Meoli (deceased 2004). He began his acting career in regional theater during his early teens. With a solid foundation from the Performing Arts School and Stagedoor Manor, he performed in numerous plays across the East Coast. He earned a scholarship to study film directing at Temple University.
In 1992, Meoli was cast as Federico Aranda in Frank Marshall’s film Alive. He later appeared alongside Rory Cochrane, Kyra Sedgwick, and Ron Livingston in The Low Life (1995), and with Jon Favreau and Naomi Watts in Persons Unknown (1996). Meoli has produced over 100 projects spanning film, television, live events, and multiple radio programs for the Pacifica Radio Network. In 2009, he wrote the book and lyrics, acted in, produced, and directed the underground theater sensation Octomom the Musical, which attracted international media attention for its bold parody. He has also appeared in commercials for brands such as Fruit of the Loom, FEMA, Volkswagen, Olympus Camera, Microsoft, Time Warner, and Coors Light.
In 2010, Meoli launched Arena Cinema in Hollywood at the former Egyptian 2&3 location, showcasing thousands of new independent films. In 2016, he developed a new, state-of-the-art 50-seat theater at 6464 Sunset Blvd., rebranding the venue as Cinelounge. The theater earned Academy Qualifying status from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, screening thousands of new and feature-length films.
In 2022, Meoli married actress, director, and producer Camilla Meoli. They have a daughter named Minerva Meoli.
