Mark Blane

Mark Blane is a New York/Los Angeles based actor, writer and filmmaker originally from Indiana. He is known for writing, directing, and starring in the breakout indie dark comedy, 'Cubby' which toured globally in 2019 at festivals along with a North American theatrical release. He plays a recurring role in the new J.J. Abrams Apple TV+ series in 2020. 'Cubby', a coming of age dramedy by Blane, had its World Premiere in International Feature Film Competition at the 34th Edition of the Torino LGBTQI International Film Festival, and played as the New York Centerpiece at Newfest in NYC. The movie has been shown at Outfest, Frameline, Mostra Fire Barcelona, Inside Out Toronto, and Gaze Ireland. It also played festivals in Stockholm, Bologna, Brighton, Madrid, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Seattle, and Wales. Cubby was short-listed for The Innovation Award at Inside Out Toronto after playing TIFF Lightbox. The film was awarded the most prestigious award, Buried Treasure, at the 2020 Chlotrudis Awards for Independent Film alongside Best Picture Winner Parasite and Best Doc Winner Honeyland. Blane, along with his cast, was interviewed on Build Series AOL, invited to SAG-AFTRA Foundation for a Conversations Screening and Panel, and also appeared on KTLA, CBS-LA, PIX-11 NY, CheddarTV and Sirius XM with Michelle Collins, Larry Flick and Jess Cagle. Interviews/coverage include LA Times, New York Times, The Irish Times, IndieWire, Deadline, Out.com, The Advocate, NewNowNext, FilmThreat, and Queerty among others. Blane's performance in Cubby has been noted as "Addictive" (George Kozera) and "Disarmingly entertaining" (Rich Cline, Fresh Tomato Review). Gay Essential's Alistair Ryder (in a Fresh Tomato Review) notes the similarity of Blane's character to one of a Will Ferrell slacker comedy, or a Tim Robinson sketch, later noting the film as "Joyous Anarchy" and "Unheralded beauty". "A black comedy with surprising heart, Blane's debut heralds the arrival of a fresh talent."- Reeling Chicago, "Everything hinges on Blane's performance. Open and emotional and in-your-face as it is, there's more depth there than first meets the eye." - Eye for Film (Fresh Tomato Review) "Mark Blane is not only the director and screenwriter of the film, but also the actor playing the protagonist alter-ego, as did Xavier Dolan in his earliest and most intimate works that consecrated him a very successful queer author and celebrity. Cubby, therefore, could anticipate the birth of a new personality in the future of American queer cinema or, at least, a new name worth watching in its ranks." - Cinefilia Ritrovata, Bologna "Fresh" - LA Times. " A fierce debut by Mark Blane" - Susan Stover (Producer High Art, Welcome to the Dollhouse) "His performance is kaleidoscopic and engrossing" - Jonathan Caouette (Cannes Queer Palm and Golden Camera Nominee) Previous Work: Blane has written narrative commercial campaigns for Max Mara (Amy Adams), Stuart Weitzman (Zoe Saldana) and worked under Rosie O'Donnell, Kevin James, and Michael Moore. He was Co-Writer and Archival Producer on Oscar® nominated director David France's documentary, The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, which was sold to Netflix Originals after a premiere in Documentary Competition at Tribeca Film Festival 2017. New York Magazine called it "shattering" and Rotten Tomatoes put the doc on its Top 40 Best LGBT Films of All Time. His 2012 book and play The Rock & The Ripe sparked controversy in depicting true stories of queer teens who had committed suicide. Blane lives in Brooklyn, NY with his sister, actress Carly Blane. They are in development on a new feature (a thriller about cryptocurrency set in the near future).