Michael A. Goorjian facts for kids

Michael A. Goorjian (born February 4, 1971) is an American actor, filmmaker, and writer. He is known for winning an Emmy Award for his role in the TV movie David's Mother.

Many people also know him as Justin on the TV show Party of Five and as Bob in the movie SLC Punk!. As a director, Goorjian is famous for his movie Illusion, which starred the legendary actor Kirk Douglas.

Early Life and Acting Start

Michael A. Goorjian was born in San Francisco, California. He grew up in the nearby city of Oakland. His father's family is Armenian, and his grandparents were survivors of the Armenian genocide. His mother's family is Scottish-American.

Goorjian attended Bishop O'Dowd High School, which had a great drama program. When he was 14, he auditioned for a local play. He thought it would be a fun way to miss some classes. He got the main role in a play called Computer Crazy.

To his surprise, the rest of the actors were senior citizens. He even had to perform the play at his own junior high school! Even though it was a bit embarrassing, Goorjian discovered he loved acting. He later studied at the UCLA School of Theatre, Film and Television.

Career in Film and Television

Winning an Emmy Award

In 1994, Goorjian starred in the TV movie David's Mother with actress Kirstie Alley. He played David, a teenager with special needs. His performance was so powerful that he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. Critics said he brought amazing detail to the role.

Famous Roles

Goorjian's first big movie role was as a dancer named Skittery in the 1992 Disney musical Newsies. After that, he appeared in many other films.

Some of his well-known movies include:

• Chaplin, with Robert Downey Jr.
• Forever Young, with Mel Gibson
• Leaving Las Vegas, which was nominated for an Oscar
• Hard Rain, with Morgan Freeman
• SLC Punk!, where he played the memorable character Bob
• Illusion, which he also directed

Goorjian has also appeared in many popular TV shows. He had a recurring role on Life Goes On and was a main character on Party of Five. He has also been a guest star on shows like House, Alias, Monk, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Behind the Camera

Directing Films

Besides acting, Goorjian is also a talented director. His first major independent film was Illusion (2004). He not only directed it but also wrote the script and starred in it alongside Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas. The movie won several awards at film festivals.

He also directed the documentary You Can Heal Your Life (2007). More recently, he directed, wrote, and starred in the award-winning film Amerikatsi (2022).

Writing Books

Goorjian is also an author. He wrote a fantasy novel for young adults called What Lies Beyond the Stars. It is the first book in a planned trilogy. The second book, Beyond the Fractured Sky, was released in 2018.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Michael A. Goorjian para niños