Meet Marco Antonio Cunha
When I was six years old, I had a vivid imagination. Although at that time, I didn't like to express it publicly. My Kindergarten teacher quickly noticed and sat down with my mom to discuss it. She convinced my mom to take me to a drama club for kids that conflicted with soccer practice. Even though I was the kid who zoned out while staring at the dandelions and the bees, I dreaded the thought of doing something different. Amidst my screaming to the cosmos for help, my mom somehow got me in the car. When she returned to pick me up, she had trouble getting me in the car again. Only this time, I was screaming to the cosmos for her to let me stay. Hence, an actor was born.
I shortly began auditioning professionally. I booked a featured role in a film, a print job, and a commercial. However, rationalizing rejection was hard for my child self. I decided to stop seeking professional work and focus on school. Nevertheless, I felt compelled to audition for my school plays. Thanks to the invaluable dedication of my elementary music teacher–who cast me as the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz–I kept growing.
When I reached my junior year of high school, Zippity Dewdar from Big Rock at Candy’s Mountain put a huge wall right smack in my path. I couldn’t explore the role as fearlessly as I had hoped–I lacked the necessary craft. Luckily, my friend’s mom was an acting teacher. She provided the foundation I needed to take my work to the next level.
I began feeling the impulse to act professionally again, and although the thought was daunting, I knew in my heart that I was back on the path I was meant for. I went on to study at the Long Island High School for the Arts before attending Marymount Manhattan College, where I earned my BFA–summa cum laude–despite the challenges presented by yours truly: COVID 19.
Telling the stories of our struggles–and exploring the ways we deal with them–propels me to acting. The adventure is exhilarating. Although I am not a newcomer, in many ways, I’m just getting started. I dedicate my work to the ones who encouraged me and nurtured my growth; to the ones who taught me how to risk, fail, and fail smarter; to the ones who inspired me to unapologetically own my passion and responsibility for my craft. I dedicate my work to my teachers.