Enrico Colantoni Biography

Enrico Colantoni

Date of Birth: February 14, 1963

Enrico "Rico" Colantoni first appeared on Canadian television in 1987 on the series Night Heat and Friday's Curse (billed as Rico Colantoni). His first regular role on a series was as Louis Utz on the NBC-TV sitcom Hope & Gloria, but he first became known for his role as the womanizing, yet sensitive, photographer Elliot DiMauro on the NBC-TV sitcom Just Shoot Me.

His impressive list of credits includes the starring role of Sergeant Gregory Parker on the Toronto-based series Flashpoint, as well as the roles of mob boss Carl Elias on Person of Interest and Dr. Allen Connor on Remedy.

Born to Italian parents Gina and Quintino Colantoni in Toronto, Enrico became interested in acting when he saw his brother Hector, 11 years his senior, in a high school play called Child's Play, followed by You Can't Take it With You. Enrico took psychology and sociology at the University of Toronto, but then relocated to New York to study at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, where he earned the Princess Grace Scholarship and the Charles Jehlinger Award, before graduating from the Yale School of Drama and receiving the highly coveted Carol Dye Award. Meanwhile, Hector went on to become a Detective Sergeant and Enrico based his Flashpoint character on him. They also have a sister Frances.

Enrico cites fellow actors Gene Hackman and Al Pacino as inspirations for his craft. However, if the acting bug didn’t bite him, he would have aimed to become a teacher, in spite of his parents wanting him to become a priest.

He also has a theatrical directorial debut under his belt with a seven-minute piece called Hartshorne, a play about two conservative teenagers who become Satanists. The play was in collaboration with the Echo Theatre Company.

During a career spanning over 30 years, Enrico has been associated with multiple feature films. He made his film debut in the action film Money Train (1995), starring Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson. When he later auditioned for the role of alien leader Mathesar in Galaxy Quest (1999), his incredible talent couldn't be ignored. The director hadn't yet decided on what he wanted for the character, so when Enrico walked into the audition with a unique voice and mannerisms, he was hired on the spot and all the other actors playing aliens followed his lead.

During the 2000s, Enrico was directed by Steven Spielberg for the sci-fi adventure Artificial Intelligence: AI (2001) and by Steven Soderbergh in Full Frontal (2002) and Contagion (2011).

For his role as Veronica's father Keith Mars on the CW crime drama series Veronica Mars, Enrico shared a 2006 Family Film Award with Kristen Bell for Favorite Father and Daughter. In 2009, Enrico won a Gemini Award in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Continuing Lead Dramatic Role category for his role on Flashpoint, then in 2013, he won a Canadian Screen Award in the same category, also for Flashpoint. On September 6, 2010, Enrico was one of five inductees presented with a star on Toronto's Italian Walk of Fame.

Thanks to his involvement in Flashpoint, Enrico was chosen as a spokesperson for the Tema Conter Memorial Trust—later renamed Heroes are Human—an organization that helps first responders deal with post-traumatic shock syndrome. He also encouraged people to boycott pet stores when he took part in a campaign organized by the Companion Animal Protection Society.

Enrico was seen in the dramedy The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship (2015), and the horror drama The Dark Stranger (2016). More recently, he played Bill Isler in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019), which stars Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers.

Due to his role on Flashpoint, Enrico became the national spokesperson for the Tema Conter Memorial Trust (which has been renamed Heroes are Human), an institute helps first responders deal with post-traumatic stress. He is also an advocate for boycotting commercial pet stores, a campaign headed by the Companion Animal Protection Society.

Staying true to his origins, Enrico is a devoted Toronto Maple Leafs fan and is also revered as a skilled Italian chef.

Enrico lives in the Greater Toronto area with his wife Rosanna (née Francioni), with whom he has four children. He also has two children, Madelyn Francesca and Quintin, with his ex-wife Nancy Snyder.

Filmography:

The Dark Stranger (2016)
The Colossal Failure of the Modern Relationship (2015)
Flashpoint: Season Four (2012)
Flashpoint: The Third Season (2012)
Criminal (2004)
Full Frontal (2002)
Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002)
A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
Galaxy Quest (1999)
Stigmata (1999)
The Wrong Guy (1997)
Albino Alligator (1995)
Money Train (1995)