Susan's City Scene

MT: I went to Notre Dame Elementary in Belmont for grades one through eight. Then I went to Serra High School. And I got my B.A. in theater from Santa Clara University. I was Bay Area educated start to finish.

DJ: Do you have family on the Peninsula?

MT: All my family is in San Mateo. My parents, Ed and Bjorg Trucco, still live in the house where I grew up. My sister, Michelle, and her husband, Mike Flynn, and their two kids, Hannah and Keenan, live in the house my dad and my aunt, Annette Trucco, grew up in. Annette is still in San Mateo. And side note: My dad, my nephew and I all went to Serra High School. Three generations of ‘Padre Pride.’

DJ: How did you get started in acting?

MT: I started back at Serra High School. My first role was the lead in a production of ‘Up the Down Staircase.’ I was reluctant to audition for the play, but relented at the urging of Father Joe Bravo. He was the head of the drama department at the time, and it was with his encouragement and direction that I started on this path. I’m grateful to this day for Father Bravo taking the time and giving me the guidance to point me in the direction that would become my career.

DJ: What came next?

MT: As I mentioned, I have a degree in theatre from SCU, and was doing a lot of regional repertory theater to gain experience. So, I figured the next step was finding commercial and theatrical representation for professional work. I was lucky enough to get an agent in San Francisco and I booked my first paid/professional gig. It was a commercial for Molson Canadian Beer. I got my SAG (Screen Actors Guild) eligibility from that job. I guess it’s fitting that I’m talking about my first job for a Canadian beer as I’m currently in Vancouver, British Columbia, working on a new limited series for Netflix. The show is called “Midnight Mass,” and while I can’t get into any details, I think it’s going to be a good one and I’m honored to be a part of it.

DJ: What were your first auditions like?

MT: My first auditions were all over the map in terms of performance and nerves, as to be expected. It’s incredibly daunting to go in front of people who have the ability to change your life in an instant. I suffered the same pitfalls as so many newcomers. But even though I faced frustration on many occasions, there was something that kept me coming back and building my confidence with each audition. There was enough positive feedback in those early days and those early auditions, even if I didn’t land the part, that gave me the strength and direction and initiative to continue. That, and a healthy dose of luck!

DJ: Advice for someone interested in becoming an actor?

MT: My advice to anyone looking to pursue a career in acting has always been the same: Get thee to the stage! Do some work in the theater. Do a play, do a monologue, a one-act, a scene study class, whatever! Get familiar with the craft from the stage and the great works of the classic and modern playwrights. Learn script analysis and character breakdown. I found it to be very advantageous in my early years and still draw upon it today.

DJ: Tell us about your movie “Through the Glass Darkly.”

MT: “Through the Glass Darkly” is making its world premiere at the Frameline44 film festival. This is a thriller with great twists and turns. I won’t go into spoilers, of course, but it’s a fun, character-driven ride. I play the son of a small-town matriarch of a successful distillery company. In the story, my daughter goes missing and is presumably kidnapped as leverage for a large ransom payment.

DJ: When you have time to come home for a visit, what do you like to do?

MT: When I come to San Mateo, it’s all about family time. We gather, play pingpong, go for walks around Crystal Springs Reservoir, hit some local breweries and watering holes and, of course, have amazing home cooked meals together. You ask where I like to eat when I’m here? My aunt Annette is still one of the best chefs I’ve ever known. Can’t beat her cooking!

MORE ABOUT MICHAEL TRUCCO: A recurring role on “Beverly Hills 90210” brought Michael Trucco a starring role on the CBS series “Pensacola: Wings of Gold” opposite James Brolin. Trucco portrayed Samuel T. Anders on the sci-fi series “Battlestar Galactica” and Justin Patric on USA Network’s “Fairly Legal.” Other recurring roles were on “Arli$$,” “One Tree Hill,” “Castle,” “How I Met Your Mother” and “Revenge.” Guest appearances include “Big Bang Theory,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Criminal Minds,” “V,” “Psych” and “Scandal.”

ABOUT FRAMELINE44: Frameline44 — the world’s largest virtual LGBTQ+ film festival — runs through Sept. 27. The event features 10 world premieres, four international premieres, three North American premieres, and one US premiere, and includes new narrative features, documentaries, episodics and shorts programs. Tickets ($8-$12 per screening) are available at frameline.org.

Susan Cohn is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association and the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com.