There are certain actors who appear on screen and establish and instant connection. Regardless of the role or genre of film, the audience feels a certain sense of Deja-vu that they’ve seen this person somewhere before though they may not have. In the case of Teo Celigo, both scenarios are perhaps true. The Slovenian born actor appeared in Billboard Music Award and American Music Award Winner David Guetta’s music video “This One’s For You” which has garnered more than 274 million views on YouTube.
He’s graced the cover of the band Glass Animals second album “How To Be A Human Being” and was featured in a commercial for Mexico Tourism directed by Grammy Award-winning director Dave Myers. These projects augment Celigo’s primary focus as a film actor. His work in the drama Cue the Sun is simply the most recent example of Teo doing what he does best, effortlessly and subtly drawing the story in with a gentle hand. Charisma with a cool ease is the brand of this European talent and it contributes immensely to the authenticity of the message found within Cue the Sun.
Winner of Best NJ Short-Drama at the Brightside Tavern Film Festival, Cue the Sun begins with a premise not unheard of. When a young woman named Kate gets dumped by her fiancé, she is emotionally crushed. A mistaken phone number opens the door to a new friendship for Kate and someone whom will unintentionally lead her to new love. A film such as this is rooted in the chemistry among the actors. In addition to Teo as Gregory and Lisa Campbell as Kate, the cast notably includes Jonathan Tierney of Martin Scorsese’s multiple Oscar Nominated The Irishman.
It was writer/director Jack Foley who prompted Teo to take the role of Gregory. There is a warmth in Gregory that communicates his bygone ethos of commitment to his grandmother and family. He is “old school” but only in the most benevolent of ways. The on-camera connection between Kate and Gregory is the stamp of authenticity for the film. Several characters set a course for their eventual interaction that will result in a strategized serendipity of the most satisfying kind. Celigo stipulates that finding the tone of his character was equal to finding his equilibrium among the cast.
Teo relates, “All I needed to find for Gregory was his open mindedness about life. It’s where his charm comes from. He’s someone who doesn’t get bogged down in life but manages to respond to it rather humorously. Most of us tend to get exhausted by life whereas he just surfs on its waves. That’s where he’s different. I liked playing that. When you’re a supporting actor in a film, you have to fit into the concept of the film without much room to experiment. You have to blend in with its style and the cast. It can be challenging since you’re a piece of the puzzle who has to seamlessly fit in.”
Those who are enchanted by Teo’s performance in Cue the Sun might want to watch Celigo’s lead role as Dominic, a regular guy who becomes possessed by Vlad the Impaler’s spirit on a trip to a Romanian castle with his friends in Dracula:The Impaler (available on Amazon Prime and recipient of an astounding 91% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes).
Though the polar opposite of Gregory in Cue the Sun, Dominic does depict a similar magnetism which emanates from the actor himself. Teo Celigo may not seek to capitalize on this natural quality, preferring to select challenging roles that cultivate his creative growth, but this natural aspect is undeniably a part of what makes every film he is in more fun to watch.
Writer: Arlen Gann