Island actor adds Modern Family to resumé
Malcolm Campbell | CBC News | Posted: December 8, 2017 11:43 AM | Last Updated: December 8, 2017
Danilo Dijulio has been in The Office, Parks and Rec and Silicon Valley
After a "summer of discontent" Danilo Dijulio is hitting his stride again.
The actor, who grew up, in part, on Lennox Island, P.E.I., says jobs were hard to come by, but this fall he has booked a number of commercials and a small film.
They don't know your name, but it means you're working a lot so I'll take that, that's a good place to be. —é Danilo Dijulio
One of his most recent roles was as a doctor in the sitcom Modern Family in a scene opposite Ty Burrell and Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin.
"It was very surreal," Dijulio said.
"It was incredible to be around and work with a couple of guys that, you know, you can really root for. And seeing them have that level of success and they stayed humble and they stayed like real people. So it was really nice."
A dark time
Dijulio said meeting Martin was especially meaningful to him because Coldplay's music got him through a tough time in his life, and particularly one day in specific.
He had returned home to Ontario shortly after making the move to Los Angeles, where he lives today.
His father had just passed away, and he and his mother were going to his dad's house to clean it out when they got lost along the way.
"We drove around for two hours on backcountry roads in London, Ontario trying to find our way back to the main road listening to Coldplay and that was like our therapeutic music," he said.
"We laughed and talked about dad and cried. So I told him his music's always had a special place in my heart cause it got me and my mom through a rough day."
'That guy'
Dijulio said even though it's his job, and he has been in more popular shows recently, hearing support from family friends after they see him in a television appearance is great.
"My facebook will blow up my phone will blow up with people sending me screenshots," he said.
"It's nice to get that, the support."
Dijulio is hoping his success continues, to the point where he becomes a recognizable face to people in the audience.
"Hopefully I'll be 'that guy from that thing that you saw' in everyone's brain," he said.
"Cause once you're that person typically they've seen you about 10 times they just don't remember where they've seen you. They don't know your name, but it means you're working a lot so I'll take that, that's a good place to be."
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