Biography
Joe Bongiovanni is an American actor, director, and writer known for his work in independent films and short-form projects. Bongiovanni strives for an authentic, "fly on the wall" approach, grounding his projects in reality and creating a visceral space for documentary-real performances from his actors. Born in Hartford, Connecticut, Bongiovanni served in the United States Army as a squad designated marksman and team leader, including a combat tour in Afghanistan. Blending personal experiences with creative storytelling across acting, directing, and writing, his work as a combat operator continues to shape his ongoing creative endeavors as a filmmaker. After his military service, he relocated to Los Angeles, earned a bachelor's degree in writing, and pursued formal acting training, eventually becoming a working finalist at The Actors Studio under Lou Antonio in 2019.
His acting career includes roles in the feature films Reveille (2023) as Martin Leo Kelley and At Night Comes Wolves (2021) as Randy, alongside numerous short films and episodic television appearances. As a director and writer, Bongiovanni has helmed and scripted projects such as Carbon and Copper (2017), with recent and upcoming work including his short The Turtle (2026), making its world premiere at the Los Angeles Shorts International FIlm Festival, and his first upcoming feature film, Chasing Persephone, where he contributes as an actor, director, cinematographer, editor, colorist, dialogue editor, re-rerecording mixer, producer, and writer.
