AaasaasaaFilm and television actor Theo Rossi proves that resilience and determination can take one far in Hollywood. At a point in his life, the multi-ethnic actor admitted to selling drugs for a living. However, he turned his life around and focused on an acting career after debuting in 2001.
Theo Rossi, whose ancestry includes Italian, Lebanese, Spanish, Syrian, and North African, has starred in roles across several genres. Rossi has guest-starred in single or a few episodes of popular TV shows like Malcolm in the Middle (2002), NYPD Blue (2004), Lost (2006), Grey’s Anatomy (2007), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2009), and the miniseries True Story (2021). These are the 7 best movies and TV shows’ performances of Theo Rossi.
Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014)
Arguably, the FX action crime drama series Sons of Anarchy was Theo Rossi’s breakout role as an actor. Rossi was cast in the series in season 1 in a recurring role as Juan Carlos “Juice” Ortiz. Juice is a SAMCRO hacker and intelligence officer. The character is introduced in the pilot episode of Sons of Anarchy. Juice is from Queens, New York, but is of Puerto Rican and African-American descent. Theo Rossi played the character throughout the series’ 7 seasons, having been upgraded from a recurring role to the main cast. Often sporting matching tribal tattoos on his arms and a short Mohawk, Juice was killed in Sons of Anarchy‘s penultimate episode (“Red Rose”).
Red Sands (2009)
Theo Rossi was part of the ensemble cast of the horror film Red Sands (2009). Rossi played PFC Tino Hull, one of seven American soldiers sent on a mission assignment to intercept al-Qaeda’s fighter’s transfer supplies. When their truck is separated from their platoon after an IED detonates, the group is faced with something more deadly than they have envisaged. Destroying the artifact in a shrine set their path to cross with a Djinn. Rossi’s character is one of the first soldiers to be killed. A fellow team member shoots him after holding another soldier hostage from being disoriented. Theo Rossi starred alongside actors Shane West and J.K. Simmons.
Bad Hurt (2015)
Although a B-rated movie, Bad Hurt (2015) is Theo Rossi’s first produced film. It makes the list of his best performances, with the actor cast in the lead role playing Todd Kendall. Bad Hurt was filmed in Theo Rossi’s hometown, Staten Island, New York City. Rossi’s character is a reserve police officer hoping to pass his police academy exams. Their once-loving family struggles to stay together, with Todd’s mother and father having to care for Todd’s developmentally disabled sister, Dee Dee Kendall (Iris Gilad). His brother, Kent Kendall (Johnny Whitworth), who served in Iraq, is physically and mentally affected by the war’s PTSD. The movie follows their individual struggle to get closer and Todd Kendall navigating a career and new love life.
Luke Cage (2016–2018)
Cheo Hodari Coker created Luke Cage for Netflix. Supposed to be set in the same universe as the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Luke Cage is based on the Marvel superhero character of the same name. Theo Rossi is cast as Hernan “Shades” Alvarez. He has ties to Luke Cage’s (Mike Colter) past and is known to be street-smart, manipulative, and relentless. Rossi appeared in 23 of Luke Cage’s 26 episodes. The show originally aired from September 30, 2016, to June 22, 2018.
Lowriders (2017)
In Ricardo de Montreuil‘s American drama Lowriders (2017), Theo Rossi plays the stubborn, just-out-of-jail child, Francisco “Ghost” Alvarez. His hatred for his father, Miguel Alvarez (Demián Bichir), stems from the ill-treatment he gave his deceased mother, Miguel’s alcoholism, and for not coming to see him in prison or mentioning his name for eight years while he was incarcerated. Although Theo Rossi played a supporting character, his performance was recognized with a nomination for Best Actor – Feature Film at the Imagen Foundation Awards.
Army of the Dead (2021)
Theo Rossi played Burt Cummings in Army of the Dead (2021). Burt Cummings was one of the most annoying characters in the film. Considering it had hordes of zombies, that says a lot about the character. He was an infection evaluation officer for the McCarran Quarantine Camp, who occasionally raped and abused the refugees. As punishment for his crime, Lilly “Coyote” (Nora Arnezeder) convinces the team to add another member and proceeds to offer Burt Cummings $20,000 she knows he can’t resist. She shoots his leg and offers him as a sacrifice for passage. However, he’s bitten and turned into an Alpha. Although he didn’t have much screen time, Theo Rossi played the character to perfection.
Emily the Criminal (2022)
Theo Rossi delivers a masterful performance in the crime thriller Emily the Criminal (2022). Rossi plays the supporting character Youcef Haddad, who introduces the titular character, Emily Benetto (Aubrey Plaza), to credit card fraud. Youcef Haddad later becomes Emily’s love interest. For his performance, Theo Rossi received a nomination for Best Supporting Performance at the Film Independent Spirit Awards.
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