Brian Delate was born in Trenton, New Jersey, but spent most of his childhood in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His father, Joseph, was a talented tennis player and World War II veteran, while his mother, Patricia, held a key position at Gallup and Robinson in Princeton, New Jersey.
Delate struggled as a student, except when his passion was ignited by sports, sailing, and tennis. After graduating from high school in 1967, he worked in a record store for a year before joining the army in 1968. He spent 1969 in Vietnam as a decorated non-commissioned officer.
After his military service, Delate attended Bucks County Community College, where he discovered his passion for theatre. He transferred to Rider University, earning a BFA in directing and acting. During his senior year, he was selected as a directing intern at Princeton's McCarter Theatre and was nominated for inclusion in the Who's Who of Colleges and Universities for 1975.
After college, Delate moved to New York City and began his professional acting career, starting with the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1981. He went on to perform in numerous plays, including Tracers, which earned him critical acclaim in both New York and London.
Delate's early career was marked by a mix of theatre, film, and television work. He spent three seasons with the River Arts Repertory and Phoenix Theatre Company, doing rotating repertory theatre, and appeared in numerous productions, including the only sanctioned stage production of Casablanca permitted by Warner Brothers.
Delate has had the privilege of working with many talented directors and actors, including Michael Patrick King, Neil Jordan, Estelle Parsons, Al Pacino, Jodie Foster, and Ed Harris, among others. His recent work includes the HBO series The Comeback and the films Brave One, Salome, and The Shawshank Redemption.
In addition to his acting career, Delate has been writing, directing, and acting in his first indie feature, Soldier's Heart, which explores the effects of PTSD caused by war and the healing process. He has also co-written the screenplays Dante's Obsession and War Queen.
Delate resides in Los Angeles with his daughter, Tirsa, who recently graduated from Bryn Mawr College with honors.
