Paul Iacono Biography

Paul Stanley Iacono (born September 7, 1988) is an American actor. He is best known for portraying RJ Berger in the MTV scripted series The Hard Times of RJ Berger.

Early years

Iacono was born in Secaucus, New Jersey to Italian American parents Michele and Anthony Iacono, a Town administrator. Iacono went to Professional Performing Arts School in New York with best friend and Fame co-star Paul McGill.

Career

Iacono's career began when, as a child, he discovered a talent for impersonating Frank Sinatra and Ethel Merman. He took his act to many regional theaters across his home state of New Jersey, and at the age of 4 appeared at New York's Don't Tell Mama cabaret lounge. Iacono was the Oscar Mayer Lunchable "Commercial Kid" in 2000. The same year, he was presented the Life of the Theater Award by the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2000.

Iacono first gained wide notice for his numerous appearances on TV's The Rosie O'Donnell Show over the course of 6 years from 1997 to 2002.

By the age of 10, Paul had shared the stage with such greats as Mickey Rooney in The Wizard of Oz and Stephanie Mills in the famous "Paper Mills Version" of Stephen Schwartz's Children of Eden. Iacono can be heard on the original cast recording. Other theatrical credits include Mame with Christine Ebersole, Noël Coward's Sail Away with Elaine Stritch and Marian Seldes, and John Guare's Landscape of the Body, with Lili Taylor and Sherie Rene Scott.

Paul's film career includes a featured role in the 1980s styled slasher film, Return to Sleepaway Camp, and a role as the ultimate bar mitzvah brat Ricky Lopefrawitz in the independent film Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee.

Iacono appears in an Adidas commercial featuring rapper Bobby Ray "B.o.B" Simmons, Jr. And also appears in Bobby Ray's Music Video "Magic", featuring "Rivers Cuomo".

Iacono also starred in Fame, the MGM and Lakeshore reinvention of the 1980 movie musical, Fame. The story followed a group of students through four years at New York's High School of Performing Arts (of which Iacono is a real-life alumnus). Iacono played Neil Baczynsky, an aspiring filmmaker. According to Entertainment Weekly, co-star Megan Mullally gave Iacono high praise for his improvisational acting and singing skills. The film was released on September 25, 2009.

Personal life

In April 2012, Iacono revealed that he was gay during an interview with Michael Musto from The Village Voice.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2004	Winter Solstice	Jr.	(Uncredited)
2005	Shakes	Young Shakes	(Short)
2008	Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee	Ricky Lopefrawitz
2008	Return to Sleepaway Camp	Pee Pee
2009	Fame	Neil Baczynsky
2010	Consent	Mickey
2010	Mac & Devin Go to High School	Mahatma Chang Greenberg
2012	No God, No Master	Tony Cafiero
2012	Rhymes with Banana	Ted
2013	G.B.F.	Brent Van Camp
2013	The Bad Guys	Paul

Televison

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2000	Dora the Explorer	Benny the Bull	Episode "Maestra"
2005	The Naked Brothers Band: The Movie	Party Boy	(TV Movie)
2007	Human Giant	Billy Boy	2 Episodes
2010-2011	The Hard Times of RJ Berger	R.J. Berger	24 Episodes

Stage

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1997	Children of Eden	Donny	Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey
1998	The Wizard of Oz
1999	Mame		Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey
2006	Landscape of the Body Donny		Signature Theatre, New York City
2007	The Dark at the Top of the Staris	Punky Givens	Transport Theatre Company at the Connelly Theatre, New York City.