Biography
Michael Mando spent his formative years traveling around the world, learning different languages, and amounting the sort of personal history that would prepare him for just about any character he could hope to play. Following his adulthood return to his home country of Canada, Mando brought his wealth of life experience to the art of performance, taking on stage, television, and film roles alike. Known best for his recurring roles on the science fiction series "Orphan Black" (Space/BBC America 2013-) and the crime drama "Better Call Saul" (AMC 2015-), Mando managed to bring humanity to even the strangest and most fantastical of his fictional worlds. Michael Mando was born on July 13, 1981 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. Following a childhood spent regularly relocating across the globe with his father and two brothers, Mando returned to Quebec to enroll in the University of Montreal. Following an academic tenure devoted to the study of psychology and international relations, Mando changed courses in 2004 with a pursuit of the performing arts at Dawson College's Dome Theatre program, where he undertook roles in productions including "As You Like It" and "Orpheus Descending." After graduation in 2007, Mando leapt almost instantly to a career onscreen. His earliest jobs were minor television roles on programs including "The Border" (CBC 2008-2010) and "Flashpoint" (CTV 2008-2012). Mando made his screenwriting and directing debut with the short film "Conditional Affection" (2010), which he followed with his first big screen role in the horror film "Territories" (2010). Soon after, he landed his first regular television role, appearing throughout the first season of the hockey-themed French-language series "Les Bleus de Ramville" (TFO 2012-13). In the years to follow, Mando lined his resume with roles on television shows like "Psych" (USA 2006-2014) and "The Killing" (AMC/Netflix 2011-14) and in movies such as "The Colony" (2013) and "Elysium" (2013). That same year, Mando began his turn on the critically acclaimed science fiction series "Orphan Black" (Space/BBC America 2013-), playing Vic, the abusive boyfriend of series star Tatiana Maslany's character Sarah. Mando was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for his performance on the sci-fi program. Following Mando's leave from "Orphan Black" after its second season, the actor nabbed a role on another high profile drama: "Better Call Saul" (AMC 2015-), the prequel spinoff of the wildly popular program "Breaking Bad" (AMC 2008-2013). On "Better Call Saul," Mando played criminal Nacho Varga.
