Michelle Bellaver

Michelle Bellaver was born in San Jose, California. She has one older brother, Tony, his wife Mary Marsh (both artists) and her parents are Ken and Helen Bellaver (also an artist). Michelle started acting in high school. Before Michelle became an actor she had a love for art history, the Belle Epoque era, Andy Warhol, punk culture and Egyptology. She was happy to find a passion for theatre since she had no skills in sports! She felt lucky to have been taught by her high school drama teacher, Patty Gassman, in Stanislavsky at a young age. Even as a teen, Michelle felt the need to commit completely to her roles, immersing herself in deep character development and dramaturgical research of the plays. Disappearing into her characters has become her trademark. After high school, she relocated to San Francisco and finished her undergraduate degree in theatre at San Francisco State University, magna cum laude, where she mentored with Rhonnie Washington in Michael Shurtleff's guideposts acting technique. After graduation, Michelle was represented by the prestigious JE Talent agency in San Francisco before moving to Los Angeles where while pursuing her acting career, Michelle became a writer of screenplays for 400 Blows Films and Redwood Pictures and published a short story in the Windsor Review literary magazine. She also developed an interest in photography, learning how to develop in a darkroom at Rayko Photo. In the spring of 2008, Michelle journeyed to Spain and France, walking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage and spending time in a zen buddhist center in Paris. Spending time alone walking the ancient pilgrimage, she became clear that her life's passion was telling stories through acting, not writing or photography, and she vowed to return to America and dedicate her life to the art of acting. In 2010, Michelle began her graduate school studies at the University of Florida's School of Theatre and Dance in Gainesville Florida, where she was transformed and inspired by working with the amazing acting professors in Lessac vocal technique, period styles, Practical Esthetics, and Uta Hagan. During her studies she became a member of the Screen Actor's Guild. On top of acting in productions at UF, Michelle began working at a professional Equity theatre, The Hippodrome Theatre. She played Brooke in the first regional theatre production of Other Desert Cities after it closed on Broadway. During her thesis year, she became an Actor's Equity member with roles at the Hippodrome, including her critically acclaimed portrayal of Suzette in Don't Dress for Dinner. In joining AEA, she continues a family tradition as actor Harry Bellaver, her third cousin, started Actor's Equity in 1913. Michelle will graduate from UF in the spring of 2014 and is headed to New York City!