The Final Movie

Marc Donato



Marc appeared opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee Zellweger and Robin Wright-Penn in Warner Bros “White Oleander” based on the acclaimed best –selling novel by Janet Fitch. Marc won a Young Artist Award for his work in the movie.

Marc also played Haley Joel Osment’shis best friend in Warner Bros. “Pay it Forward,” which also starred Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt.

The actor has also been seen opposite Sigourney Weaver in “A Map of the World,” Adam Sandler in “Billy Madison” and opposite Sarah Polley and Bruce Greenwood in Atom Egoyan’s acclaimed “The Sweet Hereafter.” In addition, Marc appeared in David Cronenberg’s short “Camera.” which premiered at the 2000 Toronto Film Festival.
Marc’s work in “Locked in Silence” was recognized with Emmy Award nomination, which saw him go up against Hume Cronyn, James Earl Jones, Bonnie Bedelia and Debbie Reynolds. He has also been nominated for a Young Artist Award 11 times, winning three.
Marc’s last feature saw him starring opposite William Hurt in “The Blue Butterfly“ is based on a true story of a terminally ill 10-year old boy whose last dream is to catch the most beautiful butterfly on Earth.

What is "The Final" about?
You know how the cool kids in high school always tortured the more geeky kids, the ones that are considered the outsiders? Well, what if the guys that are always picked on decide to get together and teach the cool ones a lesson they will never forget? The movie asks us to consider our actions, how even the smallest act of kindness can be noticed and appreciated. That’s what “The Final” is about.

Tell us a little about your character.
I play Dane, the ringleader of all those that suffer at the hands of the cool kids. He comes from a broken home where all his parents do is fight. His school life isn’t any better. There he’s constantly being harassed by dumb jocks and the “in crowd” to the point where he thinks his life is a living hell.

Dane is a vulnerable young man. He is both scared and strong at the same time. He has been pushed to the edge to the point where he feels he has no other choice but to push back. Dane is really smart and puts together this ingenious plan. So even when he’s being pushed around, on the inside he’s just waiting for the right time to put his plan into action.

One of the lines is: “ask yourself one question…what did I do to get here?” I hope that this one line will make the audience stop and think about Dane and how he felt he had no other choice in life - how our circumstances and the people around influence us. Dane is really asking “what did you all do to make me do this?”

How do you feel about the film and what it is trying to convey?
It was a challenging role - one which allowed me to grow as an actor. The genre of this particular film was completely different from the other films I have worked on. It is a film which on the surface appears simple and straightforward, but slowly we realize that it is more complex. It forces us to look at ourselves and into what society has chosen to ignore. When I first read the script, I knew I wanted to work on this film. Because it taps into all our fears, it makes us look at things we would rather not see.

What was it like working with the Production Company?

Overall my experience was an extremely positive one. It was an amazing experience. Working with the crew on “The Final” was fantastic. The director had a vision for this film that I respected. He allowed the actors to evolve. He understood our questions and he listened to us as actors. His vision of the film was amazing. Joey is a director whom the actors can easily approach with their own ideas. The producers and the production company are young and vibrant and I was excited to be able to work with them. The crew was fun. I looked forward to coming to work each day. I especially liked working with my fellow actors. Everyone got along and had a great time.