Starting off his career in theatre,Mike Faisthas begun to make a name for himself in Hollywood, appearing in some impressive movies and TV shows over the years. His first feature film debut was in the 2012 coming-of-age drama,The Unspeakable Act, and he has been steadily securing roles since then. These include the Steven Spielberg remake ofWest Side Storyand the Zendaya-ledlove triangle inChallengers, gaining incredible experience with some of the best directors in the business.
On television, Mike Faist played the lead role inPanicin 2021, and has beencast as the co-lead of the TV adaptation ofEast of Eden, based on the monumental novel by John Steinbeck. Aside from being an incredible actor in film and television, Faist’s work on stage is especially impressive, with a Tony nomination for his performance as Connor Murphy inDear Evan Hansen. A diverse, powerful performer, Mike Faist is a rising star in Hollywood.
The Atlantic City Story
Cast
The Atlantic City Story, released in 2020, follows an unhappily married woman who escapes to Atlantic City for a weekend. There, she encounters a young gambler and becomes captivated by his spontaneous lifestyle. Their chance meeting leads to the development of an unexpected bond and budding romance.
The Atlantic City Storyrevolves around an unhappy married woman who runs away from home and finds herself in Atlantic City. Once there, she meets a young gambler whom she feels instantly drawn to. Over the course of the film, a relationship blossoms between them.The Atlantic City Storyis a quiet, contemplative film that really explores the depth between the two main characters, always keeping them the focus of the narrative.
Mike Faist is really great in the movie, playing the gambler Arthur. He is a young, down-on-his-luck guy andMike Faist is able to make him feel like such a real, tangible personwith a stellar performance from start to finish. His chemistry with Jessica Hecht is impressive, and also important, given that the entire film revolves around their two characters, making it work as good as it does.
Panic
Panic is a 2021 mini-series released exclusively on Prime Video. Panic revolves around graduating seniors who compete in a series of deadly games that test their deepest fears to win cash. The game is a yearly ritual in the rural town of Carp, Texas, but this year’s games take the danger and fear to a whole other level.
Panicwas the first television series that Mike Faist had a main role in. Released on Amazon Prime Video, this teen drama miniseries was written and created by Lauren Oliver, and was adapted from her novel of the same name.Panicis a pretty solid entry into the teen genre, featuring a group of 23 high school graduates who attempt to complete dangerous tasks for the chance to win a significant amount of money. Preposterous in all the right ways,Panicis a good time.
Mike Faist plays Dodge Mason inPanic, the new guy to town who decides to participate in the competition. He is also the primary love interest for Jessica Shula’s Natalie, and the two of them have great chemistry in the series. As the rules of the competition change and things begin to become intense,Faist delivers with his performance, capturing the harrowing feeling of trying to complete the challenges.
I Can I Will I Did
I Can I Will I Did: This drama follows a bullied adolescent, fostered throughout his life, who discovers renewed hope and purpose through the mentorship of a Tae Kwon Do master and his paraplegic granddaughter. Released in 2017, the film explores themes of resilience and personal growth.
Released in 2017,I Can I Will I Didis about a bullied young man who finds hope with the help of a taekwondo master after bouncing around from foster home to foster home. It’s a touching little indie film that explores resiliency and about finding a place that you feel like you belong to. It’s impossible not to get a bit emotional while watching it, given the sometimes heartbreaking moments alongside the scenes of pure joy.
The Grand Master in the film is Grand Master Ik Jo Kang, an eight-degree blackbelt in taekwondo, who helped write the screenplay for it.
Mike Faist plays the main character Ben in the film, utilizing his immense talent to craft a performance that is both vulnerable and strong. Ben is a sad, angry young man who just needs someone to let him know that it will be alright and that he can overcome both himself and the adversity he faces, andMike Faist perfectly captures that longing Ben feels for those things.
Wildling
Wildling: Released in 2018, Wildling stars Bel Powley as Anna, a young woman who is freed from captivity and ventures into the outside world. The film explores her journey of self-discovery and the complex boundary between truth and illusion, as she unravels the mysteries surrounding her past.
Telling the story of a young woman who was taught to fear the outside world after being held captive in her attic throughout her childhood by her “father”,Wildingis an effective horror fantasy film with some great performances. Not content with throwing jumpscares at viewers,Wildlingbuilds up the tension throughout, sitting in the atmosphere it creates, and it is better off for it, with some truly bone-chilling moments throughout. Exploring feminist themes, the movie is a poignant look at a dark story.
Mike Faist delivers a strong performance inWildling, playing Lawrence, a bully who picks on the little brother of Liv Tyler’s Ellen. His biggest scene in the film can be hard to watch, as he attempts to assault Ana, the main character, before she rips his throat out with her teeth.It’s one of the film’s gnarliest deaths, and a wild ending for Faist’s incredibly unpleasant character.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit is a television series that premiered in 1999. Set in the criminal justice system of New York City, it follows an elite team of detectives who investigate sexually-based offenses, focusing on their efforts to solve complex cases and seek justice for victims.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unitis a landmark procedural that ranks fourth for total episodes of a scripted television series. Focusing on the NYPD’s Special Victims Unit, which investigates sex crimes, and crimes against women and children,SVUis a powerful series that sheds light on some truly awful situations. The series first premiered in 1999 and has run for 26 seasons, a monumental achievement.
Every Law & Order: SVU Season, Ranked
Law and Order: Special Victims Unit has produced 24 complete seasons since 1999, but the quality of the show hasn’t always been consistent.
Law & Order: Special Victims Unitis a great series for one-and-done performances, and that is true for Mike Faist, who plays Glenn Lawrence in season 19, episode 5, “Complicated”. This episode is pretty wild as it revolves around Glenn murdering his sister in a fit of rage, and then, 10 years later, he and his father have a young woman pretend to be the sister, which garners national media attention. Despite only appearing in one episode,Faist is great in it, perfectly nailing what is expected of the villain for anSVUepisode.
The Grief of Others
The Grief of Others follows the Ryrie family as they navigate the aftermath of their newborn’s death, each coping with their sorrow in isolation. This drama explores the family’s dynamics, as the parents and their children, Biscuit and Paul, confront their grief amid life’s challenges, culminating in an unexpected encounter.
Telling the story of the Ryrie family who lost their newborn just 57 hours after the birth,The Grief of Othersis a powerful exploration of love, grief, and understanding the loneliness and sadness in other people. A quiet film overall,The Grief of Othersshows a lot of restraint with the narrative, choosing to explore the tender, happy, and sad moments between the characters and their interactions.
Mike Faist plays Gordie Joiner inThe Grief of Others, a young man who is alone, shy and sensitive. His performance as the character is remarkable, and although he doesn’t have a ton of screen time, he is important to the film overall, as he is going through his own grief as an orphan following the recent passing of his father.As the only main character not part of the Ryrie family, Gordie plays a significant role in showing them his own grief among their own.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game
Pinball: The Man Who Saved The Game is a biographical film that chronicles the true story of Roger Sharpe, the man credited with reviving the popularity of pinball machines in the United States. Set in the 1970s, the film captures Sharpe’s legal battle to overturn New York City’s 30-year ban on pinball, highlighting his passion for the game and his influential role in its cultural resurgence.
Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Gameis a fun little movie, telling the story of Roger Sharpe, a journalist and “pinball wizard” who helped overturn New York City’s 35-year ban on pinball in 1975. Never really exploring anything too complex, the movie is just an enjoyable, charming experience, with strong performances and a pretty laid-back atmosphere throughout. It’s also a great watch to learn a little bit about the history of pinball.
Mike Faist stars as Roger Sharpe and is simply phenomenal in the movie, bringing to life such an interesting person on the big screen. Sporting an impressive mustache,Faist perfectly captured Roger Sharpe, showing all of his quirks and characteristics that made him the perfect person to help overturn the frankly absurd ban New York had on the game. At a glance, the character might not seem too complex, but there is a lot of depth to him by the end of the movie.
The Bikeriders
The Bikeriders is a 2024 drama exploring the turbulent relationship between Kathy and Benny, a member of the Vandals motorcycle club. As the club delves into violence, Benny faces a critical choice between staying with Kathy and his allegiance to the club.
Featuring an impressive cast that includes Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Michael Shannon,The Bikeridersis a great film that explores masculinity, loyalty, and identity within motorcycle culture. It’s a gritty, beautiful-looking film with some truly knockout performances, and perfectly executes its 1960 and ’70s setting, creating a film that feels timeless. While the story might be a bit conventional, its simplicity helps to elevate everything else around it.
The Bikeridersis a great film that explores masculinity, loyalty, and identity within motorcycle culture.
Alongside the rest of the stellar cast, Mike Faist is really great as Danny Lyon, a photographer whose real-life photo book,The Bikeriders, inspired the making of the film. Lyon doesn’t have a huge role in the film, asThe Bikeridersfocuses on the people in his book, buthis importance is obvious,aswithout Lyon, the film would not exist. Still, it seems impossible for Faist to give anything less than a great performance.
Challengers
Challengers follows tennis player-turned-coach Tashi as she transforms her husband Art into a Grand Slam champion. To revitalize his career, she enters him in a lower-tier tournament where he confronts his past, facing both his former best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend.
Challengersis a sexy sports drama starring Zendaya alongside Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, following their love triangle over the course of 13 years, against the backdrop of professional tennis. Directed by Luca Guadagnino,Challengerswas one ofthe best movies of 2024, featuring a career-best performance from Zendaya, and electric chemistry between all three of the movie’s leads as they explore envy, lost potential, and lust, making tennis surprisingly even more exciting than one might think.
Why Art & Patrick Hug At The End Of Challengers
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers left the big question of who won the match, but the most important and meaningful part of the ending is the hug.
All three leads inChallengersgive stellar performances, including Faist as Art Donaldson, a professional tennis player who ends up marrying Zendaya’s Tashi Duncan. He is the former best friend of O’Connor’s Patrick Sweig, the third side of the triangle. Art’s relationship with tennis, Tashi, and Patrick is complicated and,given that all three characters are incredibly complex, Faist’s performance has a lot of depth, making it one of the best performances of his career.
West Side Story
Based on the 1957 Broadway musical, Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is the second feature-length film to adapt the musical for the big screen. Starring Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort, the film tells the story of the forbidden love between a young couple on opposite sides of a conflict between two rival gangs in 1950s New York City.
The 1961 adaptation ofWest Side Storyis one of the most iconic musicals of all time, which put a lot of pressure on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake to be fantastic. Fortunately, Spielberg is one of the best directors of all time and hisWest Side Storyis a remarkable film, carving out its own identity alongside the musical giant. The film received seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, while Ariana DeBose won Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita. It’s one of the best modern musicals ever made.
Mike Faist fits right in with the rest of the cast, playing Riff, the leader of the Jets. He is superb in the role, being one of the movies' big standouts alongside DeBose. There is a lot more to the character than what might be seen on the surface, andMike Faistreally digs into Riff as a person,crafting a nuanced portrayal that might just be the best performance of his entire career at this point.
