Antoinette Abbamonte

Mermaid Signature Company
Actor and Producer

Los Angeles, California

Member Since:
August 2013

Last online:
> 2 weeks ago

Invites sent:
0

About Antoinette

about: ANTOINETTE ABBAMONTE

A professional actress, writer and advocate, who just happens to be deaf, Antoinette Abbamonte pushes boundaries within the entertainment industry and beyond.

She recently gained attention for her portrayal as the perceptive ‘Lisa Chesnick’ opposite Larry David in his critically acclaimed HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Her standout television roles also include appearances on the beloved ABC Family series Switched At Birth, and two FOX hit-comedy shows, Raising Hope and Ryan Murphy’s The New Normal. Music fans recognize her as the deaf mother exploring her relationship with her hearing daughter in rock band Adelitas Way’s music video Alive, from award-winning director Gavin Bowden.

Coming soon, this talented actress aspires to bridge the gap into the hearing world with her insightful role in the new feature film Titus (working title). The story follows a young girl in search of redemption whose journey ultimately helps a deaf woman find her freedom.

Antoinette seeks to advance artistic boundaries for herself and the industry in many ways. In addition to starring in Titus, she has stepped into the project as a consultant, working closely with the editing team related to the use of closed and open captions. She previously worked as a moderator on Edgar Wright’s critically acclaimed feature film Baby Driver and was the ASL Director alongside celebrated director/writer Linda Palmer on the upcoming indie feature Turnover.

A Brooklyn, New York native, deaf from birth and raised in a deaf family, Antoinette was accepted as the first deaf student at the renowned American Conservatory Theatre (A.C.T.) in San Francisco. She went on to study at the National Theatre of the Deaf, pushing herself and the other actors around her to new heights. Since then, she has performed on numerous stages around the country, including a national tour of Children of a Lesser God with Cleveland SignStage Theatre Company and most recently as ‘Peggy’ in South Coast Repertory’s production of Found On Pandora Avenue.

Antoinette has taught theatre workshops at A.C.T., Deaf Arts Council, Deaf Media, Opera Piccola, and scores of other schools and theatres for children. Currently, she works with deaf home-school students in the Los Angeles area, directing and instructing American Sign Language and drama. She participated in the children’s video Sign and ABC’s for Alymer Press, and authored two books, the insightful Gratitude, Trust, Intimacy and Love and the children’s book Tree Wise.

An advocate for artists of diversity and with disabilities in Hollywood for years, Antoinette continues to encourage production teams to consider deaf actors not only when the role is written for a deaf individual, but for any role. She was instrumental in the successful SAG, AFTRA and AEA tri-union campaign I.AM.PWD (Inclusion in the Arts & Media of People With Disabilities) and has represented Deaf and HOH Actors on panels and at conferences throughout the country. Currently, Antoinette helps lead the charge as a Women In Film committee board member and by speaking at industry events around the country to help guide and educate filmmakers, directors and producers on career opportunities related to diversity and people with disabilities.

Antoinette is a proud activist off-screen, seeking to level the playing field for the non-hearing community. Among her victories, she negotiated with the Los Angeles Science and Discovery Museums to add subtitles and closed captions to the educational films to ensure deaf children receive an equal opportunity to learn.

Gender:
Female

Height:
5' 5"

Weight:
118

Body type:
Average

Hair:
Long

Hair color:
Brown

Eyes:
Brown

Ethnicity:
Caucasian

Certifications

Credits

Titus (working title) (2017 - 2018)
Film by Diana Zuros (Drama) Actress/Producer Add a Plot »
Turnover (2018)
Film by Linda Palmer ASL Director
The New Normal (2012)
Television (Comedy and Romance) Actress A single mother's life after she accepts the offer to be a surrogate mother for a gay couple.
The Vamps Next Door (2011 - 2012)
Television (Comedy) Actress Add a Plot »
Switched at Birth (2012)
Television (Drama, Family and Romance) Actress Tells the story of two teen girls who discover that they were accidentally switched at birth. Bay Kennish grew up in a wealthy family with two parents and a brother, while Daphne Vasquez, who lost her hearing as a child due to a case of meningitis, grew up with a single mother in a poor neighborhood. Things come to a dramatic head when both families meet and struggle to learn how to live together for the sake of the girls. Written by Anonymous
The Sense of Things (2011)
Film (Short and Drama) Actress Penelope is a woman who has become unsatisfied with her fragmented life. She goes through her daily routine knowing that something is missing, until one day an unexpected letter changes her life forever.
Beyond Essays (2010)
Film (Short and Drama) Actress In the last weeks of her final semester, a rebellious activist student tries to pass English class to graduate, despite her professor, who focuses on winning a Faculty of the Year award.
Raising Hope (2010)
Television (Comedy and Family) Actress Jimmy becomes a single parent to an infant after the mother he had a one-night stand with ends up on death row.
Endgame (1999)
Film (Short and Comedy) Actress It's been 17 minutes and Natalie is becoming impatient. Gregory is still thinking about his next chess move and he needs his time, because Natalie made an excellent move with her knight. Gregory must almost certainly surrender his rook. When Gregory still hesitates about what to do, Natalie starts thinking about deaths of famous chess players and her own. Meanwhile Gregory is having his own thoughts. He could have won this game, if only he wasn't distracted by her attractiveness. How will he save his face? Written by Arnoud Tiele (zelva@tiele.nl)