Anthony Natale was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada, alongside his older brother and younger sister, representing the generation of a large Italian family in White Plains, New York. Growing up in a household with a strong Italian heritage, Anthony's early life was marked by a diverse and vibrant cultural environment.
Anthony's educational journey began at a boarding school for the deaf, where he was initially enrolled. However, he was later transferred to a mainstreaming gifted program with hearing students, which allowed him to thrive academically and socially. Upon graduating as valedictorian, Anthony went on to attend California State University, Northridge, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in film production and a minor in theater arts.
Anthony's passion for acting began during his high school years, when he was deeply affected by the movie Grease. As someone who was hard of hearing and at a disadvantage before the advent of closed captions, Anthony found solace in a pop-up book about the film, which he took with him to watch. This experience sparked a desire in him to become an actor, with John Travolta serving as his early inspiration.
Throughout his school years, Anthony was known for his clowning abilities and his natural talent for making people laugh. He was destined to become an actor, regardless of whether he was deaf or hearing. Anthony's breakout role came when he played the part of the guy in the elevator during the pivotal scene from Jerry Maguire, signing the iconic line "You complete me" to his partner.
In addition to his work in film, Anthony has also appeared in the movie Mr. Holland's Opus and has been seen in Children of a Lesser God. He is also the star of the video "How to Talk to a Person Who Can't Hear," which was created to teach sign language to the general public. This groundbreaking project has received numerous awards, including accolades from the U.S. International Film & Video Festival and a Young Artist Award.
