ABOUT

Michael Shinzaki was born and raised for all eighteen years of his childhood in San Diego, California, where he progressed through the public education system with flying colors. Though he excelled in academics with relative ease, he was constantly plagued by some sort of inexplicable craving towards self-expression, to talk, share stories, laugh, simply to entertain (often during class), much to the chagrin of his teachers. These antics did not bode well in the classroom and were often stymied in favor of attentiveness and conformity. Michael instead channeled his creativity and energy into other avenues such as student government, school newspaper, and three high school athletics, soccer, baseball, and tennis.

Upon graduating high school, Michael enrolled into UCLA as a Computer Science and Engineering major, because he figured he was bright enough and that it was the safe choice to make. But three weeks and eighty-six homework assignments into the quarter, he realized he did not want to squander the rest of his lifetime with his nose in a book solving math problems in a dark basement. There had to be something more constructive and fitting to pursue.

Around this time, Michael discovered a genuine fascination with acting. Clueless about where to start, he simply began with modest self-study, reading scripts, learning monologues, anything he could get his hands on. Soon thereafter, he enrolled at The Acting Corps, a performing arts conservatory in North Hollywood. There he studied Meisner and Chekhov technique under professional supervision, as well as other valuable tools such as scene study, cold reading, on-camera technique, and improv work.

Combining his inherent knack for sharp wit, humor, and creativity along with this professional acting training, Michael can play a wide range of characters, ranging in all sorts of ages and backgrounds. He can be the introverted nerdy computer whiz in the library, or the charming and sweet-talking young gun, the oblivious and misunderstood class clown who simply aims to please, or the sinister delinquent, with a stash of cash and drugs under his bed.

Aside from acting, Michael has played poker semi-professionally since the age of eighteen. He enjoys Mexican food, blog writing, as well as napping on the couch with his three dogs, Oscar, Nathan, and Scottie.