Michael A. Goorjian facts for kids

Michael A. Goorjian (born February 4, 1971) is an American actor, filmmaker, and writer. He is known for his roles in movies and TV shows. Michael won an Emmy Award for his acting in the TV film David's Mother (1994).

You might also know him as Justin from the TV series Party of Five (1994–2000). He also played Bob in the movie SLC Punk! (1998) and its sequel, Punk's Dead (2016). As a director, Michael Goorjian gained attention for his first big independent film, Illusion (2004). He wrote, directed, and starred in this movie alongside the famous actor Kirk Douglas.

About Michael Goorjian

Becoming an Actor

Michael Goorjian grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. His father's family is Armenian, and his grandparents survived the Armenian genocide. His mother's family is Scottish-American.

When he was 14, Michael decided to try out for a local theater group. He thought it would be a fun way to miss school! He got the main role in a play called Computer Crazy. He soon found out the other actors were much older, and he had to perform the play at his own junior high school. Even though it might have been a bit embarrassing, Michael kept acting. He later studied acting at UCLA.

Michael won an Emmy Award for his role in the TV movie David's Mother. In this film, he played David Goodson, a character who brought a lot of emotion to the story.

Early Film Roles

Michael's first big chance in Hollywood came in 1992. He was cast as a dancer named Skittery in the Disney movie Newsies. This film starred Christian Bale and Robert Duvall.

After Newsies, Michael appeared in many other movies. These include Chaplin with Robert Downey Jr. and Forever Young with Mel Gibson. He was also in the Oscar-nominated film Leaving Las Vegas. Other movies he acted in are Hard Rain with Morgan Freeman, SLC Punk!, Broken, and Conversations with God.

Michael has also been a guest star on many popular TV shows. Some of these include Lie to Me, House, Alias, Monk, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He also had a regular role as Ray Nelson on Life Goes On. In 2005, he appeared in the TV musical film Reefer Madness.

Theater Work

Michael Goorjian is one of the people who started a theater group in Los Angeles called Buffalo Nights. He starred in a play called Modigliani, which earned him an award nomination. He also won awards for his dance moves in the Los Angeles production of the musical Reefer Madness.

Directing Films

Michael Goorjian started directing with a comedy film called Oakland Underground. His next big directing project was Illusion (2004), which starred Kirk Douglas. This movie won many awards at film festivals. Critics praised Michael for making a film that was both well-made and thought-provoking.

After Illusion, Michael worked with a publishing company called Hay House. He directed several films for them. These include the documentary You Can Heal Your Life (2007) and The Shift. His recent work with Hay House is a film series called Tales of Everyday Magic. These films explore important ideas through personal stories.

Michael has also directed short films like Players’ Club and The War Prayer. He sometimes directs a circus and cabaret show in Eastern Europe called Palazzo.

Writing Books

Michael Goorjian is also a novelist. He wrote a book called What Lies Beyond the Stars. This is the first book in a planned series. The second book in the series is called Beyond the Fractured Sky.

Film and TV Roles

Actor

Movies

Television Shows

Director

• Illusion (2004)
• You Can Heal Your Life (2007) (Documentary)
• The Shift (2009)
• Tales of Everyday Magic (2012)
• Amerikatsi (2022)

Writer

• Illusion (2004)
• Tales of Everyday Magic (2012)
• Amerikatsi (2022)

See also

In Spanish: Michael A. Goorjian para niños