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John Cardiff Gerhardt began his film career at 18 while attending Westminster College. After high school, the lack of sports fueled his curiosity about his future path. Just before turning 19, he took an acting class with Emily Pearson at McCarty Talent Agency in Salt Lake City, Utah. Recognizing his talent quickly, she recommended him to McCarty for immediate audition submissions.
Cardiff achieved a high callback and success rate. Within a year, he landed his first SAG role in ABC Family's The MistleTones, starring Tia Mowry and Tori Spelling. On set, he praised Tia’s performance, not realizing who she was until other actors mentioned her. By his second year, Cardiff secured a recurring role on Granite Flats, Utah’s only major TV show. It was in season three that he met Christopher Lloyd and complimented him by saying, "you look like the guy from Back to the Future."
He expanded his resume with various features, shorts, and commercials, attending weekly classes at Actors Anonymous with Jim Stevens, who refined Cardiff’s skills and presence over the longest period of any instructor. After four years of acting, Cardiff landed a semi-lead role in the feature film Thirst. During the summer shoot, he was in talks with New York representation, who became interested after meeting him and later viewing his first demo reel. Innovative Artists agency began sending him self-taped auditions. One opportunity, Red Band Society, put Cardiff on hold as a backup in case the primary choice fell through and helped facilitate his move to New York. During fall break of his final semester, Cardiff and his mother, Michele Corigliano, flew to New York for in-person meetings that eased her initial skepticism, convincing her it was genuine. Cardiff returned to finish college before relocating to New York in January, where he spent months auditioning for pilot season and connecting with new casting directors.
In late May, Cardiff returned to Utah for his commencement ceremony and then embarked on a two-week road trip across the western U.S., culminating at his younger brother Crewe Gerhardt’s graduation at Oregon University. During the trip, Cardiff was cast in his first lead role in the series We All Fall Down, filmed in Provo, Utah. To prepare, he camped in Provo Canyon for three days before filming and lived there for two weeks. He performed all his own stunts and rationed food and water for the apocalyptic zombie series, believing he performs best when fully method. For the opening scene, when the camera was too close to see, he pressed a knife firmly into his legs and stomach, leaving bruises to maintain intensity. While thrashing on rocks, he fell multiple times, sustaining deep cuts to his arms and hands that bled.
Cardiff finds joy in fully immersing himself in his roles and prioritizes passion above all else in his work. In July 2015, he moved back to New York City to continue pursuing his acting career.
