Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Cerasoli.
Hi Michael, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I roped friends and family into my creative projects as a young kid. These projects were directed, edited, and costumed by me. My official directorial debut was screened at Kidfest by Orlando’s Enzian Theater when I was 12. Once I hit my teens, I discovered my passions for acting and improv. In the years since then have had many opportunities to be involved in projects across Orlando, appearing in leading roles in several plays, musicals, and on-camera works. My first true job was event entertainment, and I gravitated to it immediately. Portraying many famous characters, like Spider-Man, I have had the honor of creating countless lifelong memories for kids and adults alike. This is when I fell in love with cosplay and began to pursue content creation in the cosplay sphere.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One thing’s for sure: I am still on that road! Many struggles come with taking a non-traditional path. I catch flack when people on the outside don’t understand what I do and think I should navigate life on their terms. It’s not always easy making a living as a creative- but I, and I alone, am in charge of my destiny. I genuinely love what I do and am thrilled to discover what my future holds. I’m only getting started!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I run a one-person show as a digital creator, just as I have been doing my entire life. I pride myself in the versatility of the characters I portray, which comes from my training as a working actor. I am best known for various endeavors in cosplay circles, such as my photography and digital composite artist work to create portraits that stand out and tell a story. I have also made many cosplay pieces, my proudest so far being an over 6-foot wide pair of moving black wings to cosplay the character Castiel from the TV show Supernatural. I also spend most of my time offline in cosplay with the Orlando-based character company Ever After Character Events. I have the unique opportunity as a cosplayer to do this for my passion and make my living from it. I am known by my peers for being high-energy and entertaining at events. Frequently, I am told by families visiting Orlando from out of state that their time with me was the best part of their vacation, which is a great honor. One of the most special recent connections was with a young girl named Claire, who I, as Spider-Man, spent time in a Hospital as she was recovering from a major surgery. Months later, Spider-Man had a public meet-and-greet opportunity at Winter Garden’s Eggs Up Grill, and Claire came to visit to show Spidey all the healing progress she had made. This was one of many connections I will remember for the rest of my life and one of the reasons I love cosplay so much. That is what it is about for me.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
The greatest risk is to be true to yourself in every phrase’s meaning. To unabashedly be who you are is the riskiest thing imaginable and the most rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Email: cosplay@michaelcerasoli.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/michaelcerasoli
- Youtube: www.youtube.com/mvvalentine
