If there ever was a list of naturally talented Hollywood actors, Michael Mando would be on that list. The Canadian actor who grew up wanting to be many different things at different times in his life finally realized that all others didn’t work out because he was meant to be an actor.
His acting prowess has won him many accolades and praises including being named one of the finest talents to emerge from the Dome Theatre Program. He also has 2 Canadian Screen Award nominations as well as 2 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
Some of Michael Mando’s notable roles in movies and TV series are; Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul, Mac Gargan in Spider-Man: Home Coming, and Vaas Montenegro in the video game Far Cry.
Here’s All You Should Know About Who Michael Mando Is
1. He is of Mixed Ancestry
Michael Mando was born on July 13, 1981, to a German father and a mother from the Republic of Guinea. He was born as the second of 3 boys and had what you would call an ‘international upbringing’.
Before he turned 20, the young man had lived in Africa – Ghana and Abidjan and in Beirut, Lebanon. He returned to Canada when he was a teenager.
In fact, he spent time in 10 different cities located on 4 continents and lived in over 30 houses. His father was a Doctor of Chemistry and traveled a lot so being raised by his father meant that he had to travel with the Doctor.
2. Michael Mando is a Polyglot
Because he traveled a lot, Michael picked up many languages and many cultural practices. He is fluent in French and speaks English, Spanish, and Arabic.
His native language is French.
As a young student who kept moving from city to city, he ended up attending 4 different high schools, 3 colleges, and 2 universities.
3. He Initially Wanted to Be an Athlete or Writer
When Michael was younger, he wanted to be an athlete. He played football, ice hockey, and soccer in competitions when he was a teenager. He was a left winger when playing ice hockey, a tailback on the football pitch, and a mid-fielder as a soccer player.
In addition to his field sports, Mando was also interested in Martial Arts and so trained in Jiu Jitsu and Jeet Kune Do. He also practiced weapons.
Outside sports, Michael’s other love was writing and he was in love with poetry.
All these eventually contributed to his final career choice of being an actor.
4. Mando Discovered His Love for Acting in His 20s
While Michael Mando attended numerous schools, he found it quite difficult to decide what he would become. There was sports on one side and his love for the Arts on another.
He was great at sports but instead of taking the sporting route, he took an academic scholarship and had to juggle between courses like International Relations at the University of Montreal, Economy, and Psychology.
In his mid-20s he fell victim to an accident during a crossfire and was shot in the knee. His mother was shot during the robbery and he got injured.
As a result, his athletic pursuits were indefinitely paused. It was during this period, while at rehabilitation from the injury that the Canadian discovered that he had a passion for acting.
This eventually influenced what he ended up studying and practicing. He enrolled in contemporary and classical theatre – the Dome Theatre Program at Dawson College. This was the beginning of his rise to fame as a talented actor.
He played all the lead roles in the program with no prior training and went on to be one of the best products of the theatre. The productions included playing Orlando in As You Like It by Shakespeare and Professor Katz in Pentecost by David Edgar. The budding actor also played the role of Valentine Xavier in Orpheus Descending by Tennessee Williams.
Michael graduated from the program in 2007.
5. Michael Mando is the Founder of Red Barlo Productions
As a creative genius, Michael founded and presides over Red Barlo Production as the Artistic Director.
His first film under this production label was 2010s Conditional Affection which he wrote, directed, and also starred in.
The film was selected by many film festivals such as the New Hope International Film Festival, ACTRA Short Films, Fantasia, and Bare Bones.
6. The Character Vaas Montenegro in the Far Cry Franchise was Created For and In Mando’s Image
Given how great of an actor Mando is and how well he impressed at the audition for a role in Far Cry, he had a character created after him.
The Far Cry franchise in collaboration with the talented actor, created Vaas in Michael’s image.
So when next you play the game, have it at the back of your mind that Michael is not just the voice of the character, Vaas. His entire imagery was put into the character and he even co-created it.
7. He Has Ophidiophobia
When Michael was shooting the Breaking Bad spinoff, he was very conscious of outside scenes because he needed to mentally prepare himself to encounter snakes. This is because he had an intense fear of snakes.
However, to help him overcome the fear, the costume designer, Jennifer L. Bryan made a snake earring for him. The Canadian actor even wore the earrings while filming.
8. Michael Mando is a Singer and Songwriter
A man of many talents, Michael also identifies as a singer and songwriter. News has it that he sometimes freestyles and collaborates with local musicians even while on set.
He admits to being a huge fan of Quincy Jones, the famous musician and songwriter.
READ ALSO: Philip McKeon: The Life And Death Of The Alice Actor
9. His Filmography
Michael Mando became active in the entertainment industry back in the 2000s. Since then, he has been featured in the following movies, TV series, and Web & Video Games;
FILM:
- Conditional Affection – 2010
- Territories – 2010
- Abyss of the Mind – 2011
- The Good Lie – 2012
- The Colony – 2013
- Elysium – 2013
- Make Your Move – 2013
- Wake Up – 2016
- Spider-Man: Homecoming – 2017
- The Hummingbird Project – 2018
- King Ivory – 2024
TV SERIES:
- The Border – 2008 &2010
- The Last Templar – 2009
- Flashpoint – 2009
- Bloodletting and Miraculous Cures – 2010
- The Bridge – 2010
- Lost Girl – 2010
- King – 2011
- Michael: Tuesdays & Thursdays – 2011
- The Pregnancy Project – 2012
- Pysch – 2012
- The Killing – 2012
- The Listener – 2013
- Rookie Blue – 2013
- Covert Affairs – 2013
- Orphan Black – 2013-2014
- La Marriaine – 2014
- Better Call Saul (Breaking Bad spinoff) – 2015-2022
- The Crossroads of History – 2016
VIDEO GAMES:
- Shaun White Skateboarding – 2010
- Far Cry 3 – 2012
- Far Cry 6 – 2021
WEB:
- FarCry Experience – 2012
10. Michael Mando’s Accolades
While he was at The Dome Theatre where his acting journey began, Steven W. Lecky, the chairman of the program, sang praises of Michael. He called him ‘one of the finest talents to emerge from the program in the past 25 years.’
In addition to that praise which spurred him to do better as an actor, Mando has the following award nominations;
- NAVGTR Award Nomination (2012) – Lead Performance, Drama for his roles as Vaas Montenegro in Far Cry 3
- D. I. C. E Award Nomination (2013) – Outstanding Character Performance – Male or Female for his role as Vaas Montenegro in Far Cry 3
- 2 Canadian Screen Award Nominations (2014) – Best Guest Performance in a Drama Series and Supporting Actor for Rookie Blue and Orphan Black respectively
- 2 Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations (2019 &2021) – Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for his role as Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul
- Hollywood Critics Association Nomination (2022) – Best Supporting Actor in a Broadcast Cable/Drama Series for his role as Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul
- Saturn Award Nomination (2022) – Best Supporting Actor on Television for his role as Nacho Varga in Better Call Saul.
