P.J. Marino, a native of Boston's North End, was raised in the city's vibrant Italian-American community. Growing up, he was an athletic and social individual, playing sports and working in restaurants, forging lifelong friendships. During his studies at Merrimack College, he pursued a degree in marketing, and it was during one of his cooperative education work terms that he met a fellow student, Paul Nardizzi, who was also a stand-up comedian.
Nardizzi challenged P.J. to try his hand at an open mic at Nick's Comedy Stop, an experience that would forever change the course of his life. It was at Nick's in 1993 that P.J. began his journey in the world of comedy, meeting and befriending other up-and-coming comedians, including Gary Gulman, Dane Cook, and Bill Burr. After honing his craft in the New England comedy scene for a few years, P.J. booked his first national commercial audition for a Nike spot featuring Ken Griffey Jr., a pivotal moment that led him to make the move to Los Angeles in 1997.
Upon arriving in LA, P.J. studied with renowned acting coach Aaron Speiser and attended casting director workshops, preparing himself for the challenges of the entertainment industry. He soon found himself auditioning for various TV shows, films, commercials, and web series, quickly establishing himself as a dependable blue-collar character actor. To date, P.J. has appeared in over 100 projects, with some of his most memorable roles including a recurring part in Everybody Hates Chris, the lovable but worn-out video game character Luigi Jumpman in the MTV Networks-produced web series Video Game Reunion, and a guest star in the Season 2 finale of HBO's Barry, starring and directed by Bill Hader.
In addition to his acting work, P.J. has also made a name for himself on stage. He was seen in the 2004 production of The Talking Cure, written by Oscar-winning playwright Christopher Hampton and directed by the legendary Gordon Davidson, alongside Sam Robards at the Mark Taper Forum. He also appeared in Harbor at the Victory Theatre, opposite Matthew Lillard.
Beyond his work in front of the camera, P.J. has extended his passion for TV and film into the realm of writing and producing screenplays. His drama-mystery script, Captain Tsunami's Army, is currently in production and is set to be completed in 2024, starring P.J. alongside Madeleine McGraw, Tessa Munro, and Craig Frank, with Jeremy Sisto taking on the lead role. P.J. has several other completed scripts in various stages of development, further solidifying his status as a talented and versatile artist.
