My Super-Talented Family Members: Michael Lombardi (Actor/Musician)

Photo from IMDB

My brother Michael Lombardi (different fathers) is a handsome, talented actor. The first time I realized it for real, I'd made the trek from Boston to New York to see him in an off-Broadway production of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea. From Wikipedia: 

Set in the Bronx, the story revolves around Danny and Roberta who strike up a conversation in a bar. "He is a brooding, self-loathing young man who resorts more to violence than reason; she is a divorced, guilt-ridden young woman whose troubled teenage son is now being cared for by her parents. Danny, whose fellow truck drivers call him “the animal,” seems incapable of tender emotion, while Roberta, who is still haunted by the memory of an ugly sexual incident involving her father, is distrustful of men in general."

That must have been 2001 or so--I was still with Hub, who came to see the show with me. As Danny, Michael was so good that he made me forget that he was my brother, that I even knew him at all. He was downright riveting. It so happened that another person who came to see the show worked for comedian/actor Denis Leary. Mike already knew Denis from playing hockey in his charity games, but Michael never told him that he was an actor. I think Denis sent someone to Danny and the Deep Blue Sea to check out Mike's acting chops. After that, Michael got the part of Mike "the Probie" Silletti on the hit dramatic comedy Rescue Me (2004 - 2011). This scene is hilarious (NSFW):

Since Rescue Me, Michael has done a number of TV shows and movies. He's had parts in shows I actually watch, so if I haven't been watching his IMDB page, I'll be watching, and then poof! My brother's on the damn TV. This happened with Castle, CSI Miami, and The Deuce. It's hilarious! I call Joe into the room every time.

I have favorites among his movies, too. When it came out I thought my favorite would forever be Last Knights (2015) with Clive Owen and Morgan Freeman. But then he starred in The Retaliators (2021) with Marc Menchaca. In that he plays a Pastor named Bishop, it's a horror movie, and he's like an action star! It's awesome. Check out the trailer:

 

I have to say, Mike and I, we're not exactly close. For Reasons that I closed the book on a long time ago. New chapter and all that. But despite our rocky childhood I love him and I'm proud of him just the same. I look forward to whatever he'll do next. 

Me and Michael at TT the Bears Place, Cambridge MA (Photo: Randi Millman)

 

ADDENDUM: I almost forgot! Mike is also the front man for his band Apache Stone.