Raphael Sbarge, a man of many talents, has had a storied career spanning over 50 years as an actor, director, producer, and now podcaster. Born in Manhattan, he was the only child of a Broadway costume designer, Jeanne Button, and artist, filmmaker, and author, Stephen Sbarge.
At the age of 4 1/2, Raphael began acting when a new PBS show called "Sesame Street" was looking for kids. He made his stage debut at 7 in Tanglewood and continued to act at the Yale Rep starting at 10, when his mother was a professor at the Drama School. By 13, he had decided to pursue a career in acting, but his mother had no interest in being a "stage mother" and was busy with her own career. Undeterred, Raphael found himself an agent, began studying in NYC, and started working almost immediately.
By 16, he was in his first Broadway show, "The Curse of An Aching Heart," opposite film star Faye Dunaway. At 18, he co-starred in "Risky Business" with Tom Cruise in Chicago. He has since appeared in dozens of films, including "Independence Day," "Message in a Bottle," "Vision Quest," "Pearl Harbor," and "The Exorcist: Believer." His resume includes over 100 guest appearances and series regular roles on network television shows, including "Once Upon a Time," "Murder in the First," "The Guardian," and many others.
Raphael has also had a successful voice acting career, lending his voice to popular games such as "Mass Effect" and "Knights of the Old Republic." He has worked behind the camera as a director and producer, winning an Emmy for his work on the PBS series "10 Days in Watts" and receiving multiple nominations for his feature documentary "Only in Theaters."
In 2024, Raphael began co-hosting a new video podcast, "Inside The Arthouse," with the CEO of Laemmle Theaters, Greg Laemmle. They interview filmmakers, actors, and producers whose films are opening in theaters.
Throughout his career, Raphael has been on Broadway five times, including "Ah Wilderness" with Jason Robards and "Twilight of the Golds." He has performed on stages all over the country, sharing the stage with notable actors such as Al Pacino, Frank Langella, and Annette Bening.
Raphael lives in New York City with his wife, Jenna DeAngeles, and their dog, Ophelia.
