Woodland Hills High School was thrilled to welcome actor Joe Manganiello to the Woodland Hills High School Library as part of the Woodland Hills Interaction Series.
A Pittsburgh native who graduated from Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Drama, Manganiello made his feature film debut in the 2002 edition of Spider-Man. His breakout role came on the HBO supernatural horror series True Blood, and he has since appeared in a wide range of roles on television and film. He currently portrays Mr. 0/Sir Crocodile in the Netflix series One Piece and is heavily involved in the Dungeons and Dragons franchise, where he is directing and producing a documentary about the famed role-playing game.
Earlier this year, Manganiello published his memoir, Bloodlines. The book pulls back the curtain on Manganiello’s severe health challenges in recent years, including a journey through multiple autoimmune-related illnesses, significant surgeries, and near-death experiences. It also documents Manganiello’s personal journey in discovering long-lost family connections and history, some of which was documented in a stirring episode of PBS’ Finding Your Roots.
Manganiello spoke with the students about the personal challenges of writing a memoir at a relatively young age, the emotional process of reliving difficult memories, the grace he tried to give others in his life while still trying to relay an accurate retelling of his life, and more. He also spoke about key moments in his career, including his early days as an actor and how the classical acting training he received at CMU helped prepare him for his breakout role in True Blood.
Manganiello answered questions from students, signed copies of his memoir, and graciously accepted several pieces of art that students created in his honor. He wasn't the only one in the spotlight throughout the visit - his rescue dog, Bubbles, rested on his lap throughout his conversation with the students. Manganiello shared that his adoption of Bubbles made a significant impact on his life while he was dealing with his medical issues and resurfacing his past family trauma.
The Woodland Hills Interaction Series and the entire Woodland Hills School District would like to extend its sincere gratitude to Joe Manganiello for taking time to speak with our students on Wednesday.