Bobby Tonelli
Encyclopedia
Robert Tonelli Jr., known as Bobby Tonelli (born October 25, 1975) is an American
actor
who has appeared in several Hollywood films including Cages
, Running Red, No Tomorrow
, and Darwin Conspiracy.
as a pitcher
until he suffered a rotator cuff
injury that hindered his chances to pitch at the professional level. Tonelli attended several small colleges in California
in hopes of rehabilitating his shoulder and professional baseball pitching career. Upon his decision to leave baseball in 1997, he fell into the fashion industry by chance where he traveled throughout Southeast Asia as a print and runway model, working for companies such as Donna Karan
, Versace, Levi's, and Louis Vuitton
, and for fashion show producer Daniel Boey.
In 1998, Tonelli traveled to Europe to continue modeling where he also attended the The Actor's Centre in London, England, as well as several renowned coaches in the US (Ivana Chubbuck
, Howard Fine
, John Holma).
began after a chance meeting with director Graham Streeter
. Because of his previous art background as an accomplished painter, Tonelli chose to paint all of the character Ethan's art in that film. During this time he also starred in the experimental short "Hallelujah" also directed by Streeter.
In 2007 Tonelli returned to Singapore where he was seen in the MediaCorp
English Program Life Story featured as the American coach of Ang Peng Siong
. He was one of the 6 contestants in the Art Central
reality program The Food Bachelor. Bobby was in the Suria
program Atas Heights, and can be seen in the highly rated Channel 8
drama The Little Nyonya
playing the part of Paul Robertson, a lawyer who helps and eventually marries Yueniang, played by the actress Jeanette Aw
. Tonelli was recently seen in the original musical "Sleepless Town" and played a policeman in a Mediacorp
Channel 5 drama series titled Fighting Spiders
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
who has appeared in several Hollywood films including Cages
Cages
Cages is a 2005 film, directed by American film director Graham Streeter which tells the story of a single mother named Ali Tan who attempts to escape repeated bad releationships which puts her before the man she resents the most—her father, Tan...
, Running Red, No Tomorrow
No Tomorrow
"No Tomorrow" is the debut single by American pop rock band Orson. It was released on 27 February 2006, eventually climbing to the top of the UK Singles Chart three weeks after its release. "No Tomorrow" is the lead single from Orson's 2006 debut album, Bright Idea...
, and Darwin Conspiracy.
Early life
Bobby Tonelli was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. He attended Chaparral High School in Las Vegas, NV and graduated in 1994. He had a promising career in baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
as a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
until he suffered a rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
injury that hindered his chances to pitch at the professional level. Tonelli attended several small colleges in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in hopes of rehabilitating his shoulder and professional baseball pitching career. Upon his decision to leave baseball in 1997, he fell into the fashion industry by chance where he traveled throughout Southeast Asia as a print and runway model, working for companies such as Donna Karan
Donna Karan
Donna Karan is an American fashion designer and the creator of the Donna Karan New York and DKNY clothing labels.-Early life:...
, Versace, Levi's, and Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier – commonly referred to as Louis Vuitton , or shortened to LV – is a French fashion house founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label is well known for its LV monogram, which is featured on most products, ranging from luxury trunks and leather goods to ready-to-wear, shoes,...
, and for fashion show producer Daniel Boey.
In 1998, Tonelli traveled to Europe to continue modeling where he also attended the The Actor's Centre in London, England, as well as several renowned coaches in the US (Ivana Chubbuck
Ivana Chubbuck
Ivana Chubbuck is an acting coach and author and is the founder and director of the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. Her students included Brad Pitt, Halle Berry, Terrence Howard, Elizabeth Shue, Catherine Keener, Djimon Honsou, America Ferrera, Eva Mendes, Kate Bosworth, Ian Somerhalder, April Bowlby and...
, Howard Fine
Howard Fine
Howard Fine is an American acting teacher, the founder of the Howard Fine Acting Studio in Hollywood, CA, and a theatre director.-Early life:...
, John Holma).
Career
Tonelli's acting career consisted of smaller roles in television and feature films from 1999-2004. In 2002, his involvement in the Singaporean feature film CagesCages
Cages is a 2005 film, directed by American film director Graham Streeter which tells the story of a single mother named Ali Tan who attempts to escape repeated bad releationships which puts her before the man she resents the most—her father, Tan...
began after a chance meeting with director Graham Streeter
Graham Streeter
Graham Streeter is an American film director and screenwriter.Streeter was raised in northern California until high school. He lived in Osaka, Japan for 10 years while working in television and production, then returned to the United States and attended California State University, Sacramento...
. Because of his previous art background as an accomplished painter, Tonelli chose to paint all of the character Ethan's art in that film. During this time he also starred in the experimental short "Hallelujah" also directed by Streeter.
In 2007 Tonelli returned to Singapore where he was seen in the MediaCorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
English Program Life Story featured as the American coach of Ang Peng Siong
Ang Peng Siong
Ang Peng Siong is a swimmer from Singapore, who once held the world no.1 ranking in the 50 m freestyle.-Biography:Ang was taught to swim at the age of five by his father Ang Teck Bee, who competed in judo at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo...
. He was one of the 6 contestants in the Art Central
Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center.Central may also refer to:-Directions and generalised locations:* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as Middle Africa...
reality program The Food Bachelor. Bobby was in the Suria
Suria
Suria, also Syria, is the female deification of supposedly good flowing water, conceived as a weaning Mother goddess, in ancient Celtic polytheism. She was worshipped in Roman Britain and altar-stones raised to her have been recovered at various sites in the United Kingdom. Her name may be derived...
program Atas Heights, and can be seen in the highly rated Channel 8
Channel 8
Channel 8, as a television channel, may refer to*MediaCorp Channel 8, Singapore*TVB8*Channel 8 Australia, a now defunct erotic TV channel*Canal 8 de Tucumán, a television station in San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina...
drama The Little Nyonya
The Little Nyonya
The Little Nyonya is a 34-episode drama serial which debuted on 25 November 2008 on Singapore's free-to-air channel, MediaCorp TV Channel 8. The storyline, which involves an extended Peranakan family in Singapore, is set in the 1930s and spans 70 years. The series was partly sponsored by the Media...
playing the part of Paul Robertson, a lawyer who helps and eventually marries Yueniang, played by the actress Jeanette Aw
Jeanette Aw
-1979–2000: Early life and education:Born Jeanette Aw Ee-Ping to Chinese parents. Her father has Peranakan ancestry while mother is a Hokkien. Jeanette is the youngest of three children, she has an older sister and older brother...
. Tonelli was recently seen in the original musical "Sleepless Town" and played a policeman in a Mediacorp
MediaCorp
Media Corporation of Singapore, better known as MediaCorp, is a group of commercial media companies in Singapore, with business interests in television and radio broadcasting, interactive media, and, to a lesser extent, print publishing and film-making....
Channel 5 drama series titled Fighting Spiders
Fighting Spiders
Fighting Spiders is a blockbuster drama television program from Singapore that premiered on MediaCorp Channel 5 on April 14, 2009. The show was created by Ngin Chiang Meng and Jenny Lim....
.