Daniel Franzese

Daniel Franzese (born May 9, 1978) is an American actor. He has worked in film, TV and theater.

Early life
Franzese was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York, the son of Denise and Ralph "R. J." Franzese, a lounge singer. Franzese attended Piper High School in Sunrise, Florida from 1992–1996. His mother, Denise, was a lunch lady at Piper.

Actor
Franzese has appeared in more than fourteen films, including Bully, Party Monster, Mean Girls, Bristol Boys and War of the Worlds. Franzese was also featured in the web series Foodies; the first episode aired in 2011.Since 2016 Franzese stars in the television show Recovery Road on Freedom as Verne.

Curator
On October 12, 2007, Franzese curated his first art show called Halloween, a multi-artist show which examined celebrity, vanity, money and the day we get to dress up and ask strangers for goodies.

On April 25, 2008, at the World of Wonder Storefront Gallery in Los Angeles, California, Franzese curated an art show called depARTed. The show featured art inspired by stars that died before their time. All art was inspired by famous personalities from Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Anna Nicole Smith to notable figures like Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King Jr., to artists like Keith Haring and Isabella Blow. Artists included Ron English, Keyth Ryden (also known as KRK Ryden), and Jessicka.

Franzese's show, Crusaders and Haters, at Royal/T gallery showcased an assortment of work from artists from all over the world, depicting superheroes and villains in pop culture. The show opened July 17, 2009.

Personal life
On April 22, 2014, Franzese came out publicly as gay, stating that while his friends and family knew, it was time "everyone knew the truth".