Joe Manganiello

Joseph Michael Manganiello is an American actor, director, producer, and author. He began his professional film career playing Eugene "Flash" Thompson in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man. Manganiello achieved widespread recognition for his breakout role as the werewolf Alcide Herveaux in five seasons of the HBO drama series True Blood. He is also known for starring as Big Dick Richie in the comedy-drama films Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL, and for playing Brad Morris on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother.

Manganiello was born on December 28, 1976, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Susan and Charles Manganiello, and was raised in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, alongside his younger brother, Nicholas. He attended St. Bernard School and Mt. Lebanon High School, graduating with honors in 1995. In high school, he captained varsity football, basketball, and volleyball teams, participated in the school's TV studio, and acted in school theater. After suffering sports injuries, he pursued acting, attending the University of Pittsburgh before earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in acting from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2000.

After moving to Los Angeles, Manganiello quickly made his feature film debut in Spider-Man (2002), later making a cameo in Spider-Man 3 (2007). Throughout the 2000s, he built an extensive television background, appearing in recurring and guest roles on series such as ER, So Notorious, One Tree Hill, 'Til Death, and How I Met Your Mother. He also maintained an active stage career, performing in productions of A Streetcar Named Desire, Skirts & Flirts, and Unusual Acts of Devotion.

In late 2009, Manganiello joined the cast of HBO's True Blood for its third season. His performance earned him a Scream Award for Breakout Performance, a Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role in Television, and recognition as Entertainment Weekly's Favorite Pop-Culture Werewolf of All-Time. Following his success on television, he starred in feature films including What to Expect When You're Expecting, Sabotage, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, Rampage, and the Magic Mike series. In 2016, he was cast as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe, making his first appearance in Justice League (2017).

Beyond acting, Manganiello expanded into writing, directing, and business. In 2013, he published his first book, Evolution. He made his feature directorial debut with the 2014 documentary La Bare, which he also produced and financed with his brother Nick through their production company 3:59. He won an Emmy in 2017 for narrating the sports documentary Pittsburgh is Home: The Story of the Penguins. Manganiello has also worked extensively with Dungeons & Dragons as a writer, consultant, and official ambassador, and launched the fantasy-themed apparel and accessories brand Death Saves in 2018. Additionally, he serves on the board of trustees for UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.