Mark Povinelli (born August 9, 1971) is an American stage, television and movie actor who also does occasional

stunt A stunt is an unusual, difficult, dramatic physical feat that may require a special skill, performed for artistic purposes usually for a public audience, as on television or in theaters or cinema. Stunts are a feature of many action films. Befo ...

work. Povinelli is also a noted social activist advocating for the rights of others with

dwarfism Dwarfism is a condition of people and animals marked by unusually small size or short stature. In humans, it is sometimes defined as an adult height of less than , regardless of sex; the average adult height among people with dwarfism is . '' ...

. In June 2017, Povinelli was elected President of the

Little People of America Little People of America (LPA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which provides support, resources, and information to individuals with dwarfism and their families. Founding LPA was founded in 1957 by actor Billy Barty when he informally ca ...

, an organization started in 1957 by

Billy Barty Billy Barty (born William John Bertanzetti; October 25, 1924 – December 23, 2000) was an American actor and activist. In adult life, he stood tall, due to cartilage–hair hypoplasia dwarfism. Because of his short stature, he was often cast i ...

, which promotes awareness, advocacy and medical assistance for individuals with forms of dwarfism. Povinelli stands 3’ 9½" and weighs 75 pounds (115 cm, 34 kg) as a consequence of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDc), a

skeletal dysplasia An osteochondrodysplasia,Etymology: . or skeletal dysplasia, is a disorder of the development of bone and cartilage. Osteochondrodysplasias are rare diseases. About 1 in 5,000 babies are born with some type of skeletal dysplasia. Nonetheless, if t ...

caused by a mutation in the COL2A1 (type II collagen)

gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

. His repertory encompasses drama, comedy, and fantasy. He has appeared in a wide range of productions, from stage plays by

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

and

Ben Jonson Benjamin Jonson ( 11 June 1572 – ) was an English playwright, poet and actor. Jonson's artistry exerted a lasting influence on English poetry and stage comedy. He popularised the comedy of humours; he is best known for the satire, satirical ...

to roles in television series such as ''

Modern Family ''Modern Family'' is an American television sitcom, created by Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, that aired on ABC for 11 seasons from September 23, 2009, to April 8, 2020. The series follows the lives of three diverse but interrelated fa ...

'' and ''

Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter for the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920s. The series sta ...

'', as well as in popular movies including '' The Polar Express''.

Life and career

Povinelli was born in

Elyria, Ohio Elyria ( ) is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the forks of the Black River (Ohio), Black River in Northeast Ohio, southwest of Cleveland. The population was 52,656 at the 2020 United States cens ...

, and is the youngest of four children. His parents and siblings are average-size. His older brother Brian Povinelli is a marketer who inspired Mark's acting career. He is of Italian descent. Povinelli graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in

Olney, Maryland Olney is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It is located in the north central part of the county, north of Washington, D.C. Olney was largely agricultural until the 1960s, when g ...

in 1989, and then graduated in 1993 from

Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...

with a degree in Mass Communications and a minor in Theater Acting. Onstage in 2003 in Lee Breuer's production of

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

's ''

A Doll's House ''A Doll's House'' (Danish language, Danish and ; also translated as ''A Doll House'') is a three-act Play (theatre), play written by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen. It premiered at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen, Denmark, on 21 De ...

'', retitled ''Mabou Mines DollHouse'', Povinelli drew praise from ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'': "The men embody small-minded convention and stunted possibilities...Mr. Povinelli makes us feel Torvald's repressive sexual virility at every turn."Jefferson, M. Theater review: Fun-House Proportions Turn Dominance Upside Down. The New York Times. 2003, November 24. He has characterized his approach to acting for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...

'': "Being so tremendously different provides you with an analytical depth ... Like any actor, I try to bring as much of myself to the role I'm playing as possible. Every day I go out I'm made aware of my size. Why should I deny myself the richness of that experience when I go onstage?"McNulty, "Welcome to Lee Breuer's Dollhouse: Lee Breuer Goes Little — and Literal — with His Production of Ibsen's Classic". ''The Village Voice''. 2003, November 12–18. Povinelli starred opposite

Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. #Filmography, His filmography often sees him portraying eccentric characters across a diverse range of genres. Known for starring in both major studio productions and in ...

and

Oscar Oscar, OSCAR, or The Oscar may refer to: People and fictional and mythical characters * Oscar (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters named Oscar, Óscar or Oskar * Oscar (footballer, born 1954), Brazilian footballer ...

winners

Reese Witherspoon Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress and producer. She is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Reese Witherspoon, various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Aw ...

and

Christoph Waltz Christoph Waltz (; born 4 October 1956) is an Austrian and German actor. Primarily active in the United States, he gained international recognition for his portrayal of villainous and supporting roles in English-language films. His accolades i ...

in the 2011 film ''

Water for Elephants Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...

'', playing the role of Kinko. In 2012, he appeared in '' Mirror Mirror'', which starred

Julia Roberts Julia Fiona Roberts (born October 28, 1967) is an American actress. Known for her leading roles across various genres, she has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Award ...

, Armie Hammer, and

Lily Collins Lily Jane Collins (born 18 March 1989) is an English and American actress. Born in Guildford and raised in Los Angeles, she began performing on screen at the age of two in the BBC sitcom ''Growing Pains''. In the late 2000s, she began acting a ...

. In the same year, Povinelli was cast as a series regular on the television series ''

Are You There, Chelsea? ''Are You There, Chelsea?'' (formerly known as ''Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea'') is an American television sitcom created by Dottie Zicklin and Julie Ann Larson for NBC. It is based on Chelsea Handler's 2008 best-selling book '' Are ...

'', starring

Laura Prepon Laura Prepon ( ; born March 7, 1980) is an American actress and television director. She rose to fame with her role as Donna Pinciotti in the Fox sitcom ''That '70s Show'' (1998–2006). She is also known for portraying Alex Vause in the Net ...

. This made him the first little person ever to be cast as a series regular on a network studio

sitcom A sitcom (short for situation comedy or situational comedy) is a genre of comedy produced for radio and television, that centers on a recurring cast of character (arts), characters as they navigate humorous situations within a consistent settin ...

. In 2015-2016 he had a recurring role as "The Cat" in the

Amazon Studios Amazon MGM Studios is an American film and television production and distribution company owned by Amazon, and headquartered at the Culver Studios complex in Culver City, California. Launched on November 16, 2010, it took its current name on O ...

original '' Mad Dogs'', which also starred

Steve Zahn Steven James Zahn ( ; born November 13, 1967) is an American actor. In film, Zahn is best known for his lead roles in '' That Thing You Do!'' (1996), '' Happy, Texas'' (1999), '' Joy Ride'' (2001), ''National Security'' (2003), '' A Perfect Geta ...

and

Michael Imperioli Michael Imperioli (born March 26, 1966) is an American actor. He is best known for his role as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO crime drama series ''The Sopranos'' (1999–2007), which earned him the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Suppor ...

. Since 2014, Mark has co-hosted LA Talk Radio's "Perfectly Imperfect Radio" program.

Personal life

Povinelli currently resides in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

with his wife, Heather Davis, and their two children. Mark's brother-in-law, Erik Davis, was the 2020 El Presidente of Old Spanish Days Fiesta and is a television executive.

Works

Films: * 2021: '' Nightmare Alley'' - The Major * 2013: '' Pawn Shop Chronicles'' - Harry * 2012: '' The Hot Flashes'' - Coach Paul Lazarini * 2012: '' Mirror Mirror'' - Half Pint * 2011: ''

'' - Kinko / Walter * 2010: ''

Jackass 3D ''Jackass 3D'' (known as ''Jackass 3'' on home media) is a 2010 American 3-D film, 3D reality film, reality comedy film directed by Jeff Tremaine. It is the third installment in the Jackass (franchise)#Films, ''Jackass'' film series, and the sequ ...

'' - Himself * 2008: '' Beer for My Horses'' - Merriweather * 2007: '' Epic Movie'' - Oompa Loompa * 2006: ''Employee of the Month'' - Glen Ross'

stunt double In filmmaking, a double is a person who substitutes for another actor such that the person's face is not shown. There are various terms associated with a double based on the specific body part or ability they serve as a double for, such as stunt ...

* 2004: '' The Polar Express'' - Elf Television: * 2018: '' My Dinner with Hervé'' -

* 2016: ''Sigmund and the Sea Monsters'' - Sigmund * 2016: '' Still the King'' - Santonio Trillions * 2015: '' Mad Dogs'' - The Cat * 2015: '' Dog with a Blog'' - Gary * 2015: '' Happyish'' - JJ Keebler * 2013: ''

Anger Management Anger management is a psycho-therapeutic program for anger prevention and control. It has been described as deploying anger successfully.Schwarts, Gil. July 2006. Anger Management', July 2006 The Office Politic. Men's Health magazine. Emmaus, PA: ...

'' - Little Elvis * 2013: ''Child of the 70's'' - Bridges * 2012: ''

Criminal Minds ''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created by Jeff Davis that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005. It follows a group of criminal profilers who work for the FBI as members of its Behavioral ...

'' - Mr. Conrad * 2012: '' Breakout Kings'' - Kurt Peebles * 2012: ''

'' - Todd, The bartender * 2011: '' A.N.T. Farm'' - Officer 39 * 2011: ''

'' - Bobby, " Our Children, Ourselves" * 2010: ''The Whole Truth'' - Judge Roland Tomassy * 2010: ''

'' - Kevin Kiley * 2010: ''

'Til Death ''Til Death'' is an American sitcom that aired on Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox from September 7, 2006, to June 20, 2010. The series was created by husband and wife team Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa, who were also the writers and executive pr ...

'' - Luther (2 episodes) * 2010: ''

Cold Case ''Cold Case'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series. It ran on CBS from September 28, 2003, to May 2, 2010. The series revolved around a fictionalized Philadelphia Police Department division that specializes in invest ...

'' - Nathaniel 'Biggie' Jones '71 * 2009: ''

It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia ''It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia'', also known colloquially simply as ''Always Sunny'', is an American sitcom created by Rob McElhenney and co-developed by Glenn Howerton for FX (TV channel), FX. It premiered on August 4, 2005, and stars Charl ...

'' - Tiny (2 episodes) * 2008: '' Pushing Daisies'' - Simon * 2003: ''

Charmed ''Charmed'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Constance M. Burge and produced by Aaron Spelling and his production company Spelling Television, with Brad Kern serving as showrunner. The series was originally broadc ...

'' - Seamus Fitzpatrick * 2003: ''

The Parkers ''The Parkers'' is an American television sitcom created by Ralph Farquhar, Sara V. Finney and Vida Spears. The series ran for five seasons from August 30, 1999, to May 10, 2004, on UPN. It stars Mo'Nique, Countess Vaughn, Mari Morrow, Dorien Wi ...

'' - Frank Osgood * 2002: '' The Hughleys'' - Norman Stage: * 2023: ''The Return of Benjamin Lay'' -

Benjamin Lay Benjamin Lay (January 26, 1682 – February 8, 1759) was an English-born writer, farmer and activist. Born in Copford, Essex into a Quakers, Quaker family, he underwent an apprenticeship as a glovemaker before running away to London and finding ...

* 2009: ''Mabou Mines Dollhouse'' ''-'' Torvald Helmer

Awards

*2005 Best Actor - Fantasy at the ShockerFest International Film Festival

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Povinelli, Mark 1971 births Actors with dwarfism American actors with disabilities American male film actors American male stage actors American male television actors American people of Italian descent Living people Male actors from Ohio People from Elyria, Ohio