Biography
Gabriella Santinelli is an award-winning actress, vocalist, coach, and faculty member of the USC School of Dramatic Arts.
While still a theatre senior at Northwestern University, Santinelli made her professional debut as Papagena in The Magic Flute with Chamber Opera Chicago.
Since then, she has performed extensively on four continents, including Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera (UK National Company), numerous leading roles with The D’Oyly Carte Opera Company (West End/Savoy Theatre), and a world tour of Robert Wilson’s avant grade masterpiece The Black Rider (Barbican/London; Sydney Festival; A.C.T./SF; Ahmanson/LA).
In 2004, Santinelli won an Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for Jerry Springer The Opera (world première company; National Theatre & West End; original cast album).
Additional career highlights include an apprenticeship with the Atlantic Theatre Company under David Mamet and William H. Macy, Mozart’s Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Covent Garden), Le Nozze di Figaro at Highclere Castle (aka “Downton Abbey”), Sondheim’s Company (UK Regional), Three Sisters (UK première Mamet adaptation), The Exonerated (Off West End), Do I Hear A Waltz? (London Fringe), The Last Pilgrim (London Fringe, world première), Freud, Dora and the Wolfman (Chicago, world première) and An Ideal Husband (Sierra Madre Playhouse).
In 2019, Santinelli became an Oscar-winning dialect coach, working with Danielle Macdonald and Ashley Thomas on Academy Award-winning live action short, Skin. Santinelli also coached Macdonald on Skin the feature (A24) and American Horror Story (F/X).
Santinelli enjoys an ongoing collaboration with British actor Will Kemp for his roles on Spinning Out (Netflix), Reign (CW), Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce (Bravo), Petals On The Wind (Lifetime), Doom Patrol (DC Universe), Princess Switch 3 (Netflix), Love Romance & Chocolate, A Christmas Waltz and Royal Matchmaker (Hallmark; Best Actor Award).
She has also prepped actors to work on The Crown (Netflix), Harry and Meghan: Escaping The Palace (Lifetime), The Morning Show (Apple TV+), Blindspotting (Starz!), Mindhunter (Netflix), Waking The Dead (BBC), Dr Who (BBC), Pandora (CW), Teen Wolf (MTV), Love Is_ (OWN), Bull (CBS) and the feature film The Mauritanian.
Santinelli recorded for over a decade with London Voices at Abbey Road and Air Studios, including The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Star Wars III, and Harry Potter III and VII Part 2. Hollywood studio singing includes Mulan, Oblivion, Godzilla, X-Men: Apocalypse and La La Land.
Renowned venue appearances include The Royal Albert Hall: Verdi’s Requiem, Live to Picture The Lord Of The Rings I & II, Sir Paul McCartney’s Ecce Cor Meum (+studio recording); Royal Festival Hall: The Lord Of The Rings Symphony; Queen Elizabeth II Hall: Musetta in La Bohème; LA Philharmonic at Walt Disney Concert Hall: Holst’s The Planets and Ted Hearne’s Sound From The Bench (John Adams, conductor); LA’s Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels: Handel’s Messiah, LA Opera’s annual liturgical productions and Staff Soprano; The Hollywood Bowl: La La Land Live In Concert, conducted by Oscar-winner Justin Hurwitz.
On Screen: Losing Isaiah, A Summer In Genoa, The Bloodhound, and shorts for American Film Institute. Commercials: Big Al’s Burger’s (Ireland), Airwick (UK).
Voiceover & Group Looping/ADR: Ellen: The Ellen Degeneres Show, Pingu’s English (Levels 1-4), GHD Hair Products, DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Gambit, Dread, Absentia, The Christmas Prince Switch, Christmas Prince III – Royal Baby.
Santinelli resides in the Hollywood Hills, where she writes screenplays, and coaches actors from around the world.
gabysantinelli.com