Biography
Tony Spiridakis is an award-winning screenwriter, director, producer, and actor with nearly 40 years of experience in film and television. His 2024 film "Ezra," a comedic drama he wrote and produced with director Tony Goldwyn, stars Bobby Cannavale, Robert De Niro, Rose Byrne, and Whoopi Goldberg, and was released nationwide by Bleecker Street.
Spiridakis serves as a writer and consulting producer on MGM+'s apocalyptic drama series "Earth Abides." He is also adapting Sandy Greenberg's memoir, "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend," for Wayfarer Studios. Set in the 1960s, the story follows a Columbia College freshman (Greenberg) who loses his sight and his roommate, musician Art Garfunkel, whose friendship and determination help Sandy overcome adversity, graduate, and dedicate his life to finding a cure for blindness.
His other films include "Queens Logic," which he wrote, produced, and co-starred in alongside Kevin Bacon and John Malkovich; "Tinseltown," featuring Ron Perlman and Joe Pantoliano; "Noise," which he directed starring Ally Sheedy and John Slattery; and "If Lucy Fell," with Sarah Jessica Parker and Ben Stiller. Spiridakis also produced and directed "The Last Word" with Tim Hutton and Richard Dreyfuss, then wrote and co-starred in the acclaimed post-9/11 drama "Ash Tuesday," alongside Giancarlo Esposito, Janeane Garofalo, and Tony Goldwyn.
His television credits include co-creating and producing Fox's "The Heights" with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Eric Roth ("Forrest Gump"), the CBS crime drama "Falcone" with Bob Moresco ("Crash"), and Netflix's legal drama "Justice" with Emmy-winning writer Bill Finkelstein ("East New York"). Spiridakis studied at the Yale School of Drama and has acted in numerous TV shows and films, including "House," "L.A. Law," "The Equalizer," "Bay City Blues," and "Death Wish." He also produced and appeared in Doug Wright's play "Callbacks," and worked with Stanley Kubrick on "Full Metal Jacket."
His projects in development include "The Angry One," "Sospiro Di Vita" ("Breath of Life"), and "Mike's Place," the true story of a Tel Aviv blues bar that survived a suicide bombing, directed by Todd Komarnicki with Antoine Fuqua and Andrew Levitas producing.
A dedicated educator passionate about supporting emerging filmmakers, Spiridakis is the Founder and Executive Director of the North Fork Arts Center in Greenport, New York. In 2012, he co-founded the Manhattan Film Institute, an intensive workshop and mentorship program that has produced nearly 300 short films and transformed the careers of many filmmakers.
Spiridakis is a father of two and a committed advocate for autism awareness, supporting organizations such as The Help Group, The Center School, Birch Family Services, Exceptional Minds, and We've Got Friends.
