Dani Pagliarello
Daniela Pagliarello is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, and director based out of Toronto. After being accepted into York University's acting conservatory and graduating with a BFA, Daniela dove head first into Toronto's theatre scene, garnering notable accolades for her work including being the first woman ever recorded to have played the titular character of Ui in Bertolt Brecht's "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui", a role which also landed her a My Theatre Award nomination. She has also appeared on multiple TV shows, including roles in "The Handmaid's Tale" and "Mrs. America".
Daniela made her digital debut with the web series "Food n Money", which she wrote, directed and starred in. Spanning ten episodes, Food n Money showcased the true extent of her range, with Daniela taking on the roles of 6 very different characters, including the lovechild of a woman and a pizza box and a geriatric talent agent who has shacked up with a much younger man. The show was met with praise, and has been referred to as 'Broad City on acid'. This year also saw Daniela found her own production company, aptly named Food n Money Productions.
Daniela's newest project "Shitty Roommate" sees her entering the realm of situational comedy. A humorous and poignant take on the lives of the ultra-rich, Shitty Roommate tells the story of an affluent woman living in an upscale apartment and surrounded by all the material luxuries she could ever need and yet finding herself missing out on one of the most important things in life, friendship. ...Or at the very least, constant validation and attention of others. Written, directed and starring Daniela, Shitty Roommate further showcases her burgeoning talents in all aspects of the film industry. On making her own work:
"When I go home to visit my parents and see the dust covered comedy DVDs and SNL specials stacked on top of our old TV in the basement, I realize my family has been unconsciously grooming me to be someone who believes that wearing a wig for a night on the town is not being dishonest....it's character development".
