Actor, entertainer and entrepreneur Johnny Santiago has appeared on several popular television shows, including "Sex and the City" and "Passions," as well as several films, including the lead role in the feature "A Life Less Gone" and a supporting role in the film "P.O.V."
Johnny Santiago’s career in the entertainment industry began when he returned from Europe, where he studied in England at the University of Reading and worked in Milan as a model with the top agency Marcella’s Studio.
Drawing on inspiration from his experiences abroad, Johnny created, designed, developed and operated Torch Restaurant, a 1940’s French supper club. With Torch, Johnny pioneered and transformed New York City's Lower East Side, while creating a Zagat’s top rated restaurant that also enjoyed write-ups and reviews in the International press. Time Out New York described Torch’s ambience and appeal as, “Post-Hitler Paris meets pre-Castro Havana.”
While in New York City, Johnny began to pursue another passion-- acting. Johnny was accepted into the prestigious William Esper Studio, where he studied with Bill Esper.
Johnny combined his training at Esper Studio with his entrepreneurship and created the conceptual band, "Bootä." Once again capitalizing on his instinct and charisma, Bootä quickly became a New York underground sensation. Catching the attention of Sami Yaffa, of Hanoi Rocks fame, soon Bootä was performing and gaining considerable heat, which led to appearances on Japanese and New Zealand television as well as headlining Patrick McMullan’s Annual Party at The Regent Ballroom, NYC.
While enjoying acting in New York, the international exposure of his band Bootä and the wild success of his restaurant, Torch, irony prevailed when Torch accidentally burned down.
After much deliberation whether to re-build and re-open Torch in New York City or elsewhere around the world, Johnny decided to move to Los Angeles to further pursue television, film and theatre, where he became a member of Tim Robbins’ prestigious theatre company, The Actor’s Gang. Johnny recently completed co-writing his screenplay "Foreign, Beautiful and Illegal (F.B.I.)," with his friend and business partner, F.J. Rio.
Johnny now stars in the lead role in the feature film, "A Life Less Gone," as well as a supporting role in the feature film, "P.O.V.," both of which have just wrapped.
7/01/2008 - Johnny Santiago signs with Lawson Artist Management (Los Angeles, CA) Actor, entertainer and entrepreneur Johnny Santiago has signed with Lawson Artist Management for personal management. Johnny Santiago's television credits include "Sex and the City" and "Passions" and his film credits include ""A Life Less Gone" and "P.O.V." Read complete press release
