Alano Miller ’02
Alano Miller ’02 joins Khiry Walker ’15 in the Public Theatre’s SALLY & TOM by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Steve H. Broadnax III. Miller plays the role of Kwame/James.
Theater-trained actor Alano Miller played imposing, often morally complex characters on such high-profile television series as “Jane the Virgin” (The CW, 2014-) and “Underground” (WGN America, 2016-).
Born in Orlando, Florida, he was the youngest of eight children by parents of Cuban, Bahamian and Jamaican descent. His introduction to performing came through public speaking competitions, which he began participating in at the age of five years old; by his teen years, he had earned dozens of major oratorical awards and three national titles, as well as a National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts award and a Presidential Scholar Award from President Bill Clinton in 1997.
After Purchase, Miller received a master’s degree from Penn State University.
He soon applied his training to theater roles in regional and New York productions, including Nathan Louis Jackson’s “Broke-ology” at Lincoln Center in 2009.
His screen career also began during this period, first in short films and later in supporting roles on TV series like “Damages” (FX/Audience Network, 2007-2012).
From 2014 to 2015, he played the malevolent Roman Zazo, who murdered and later impersonated his own benevolent twin, Aaron, on the acclaimed comedy “Jane the Virgin.”
Miller then joined the cast of “Underground,” playing another imposing character: the escaped slave Cato, who inspired equal amounts of fear and loathing from his fellow fugitives.
Miller has built a dynamic career as a versatile actor who has moved effortlessly form one genre to another, shining in comedy and drama, film, television and theater. He can be seen as ‘Evan Fisher,’ the title star of “Cherish the Day”, an anthology drama by Ava DuVernay.
He can also be seen in a strong supporting role in “Sylvie’s Love” as ‘Lacy’ alongside Eva Longoria and Tessa Thompson that premiered on Amazon after its debut at Sundance 2020.
Miller co-starred in Focus Features’ “Loving” alongside Joel Edgerton, Michael Shannon, Ruth Negga and Nick Kroll and directed by Jeff Nichols. Miller also appeared in the 2013 film, “Wish You Well” helmed by Darnell Martin, starring alongside Ellen Burstyn, Josh Lucas and Ned Bellamy.
Additionally, Miller starred in the Emmy award-winning B.A.N. episode of FX’s “Atlanta,” as well as the CW’s critically acclaimed and Golden Globe Award winning show, “Jane the Virgin.”
Miller’s other television credits include guest appearances on “NCIS,” “Battle Creek,” “Stalker,” “Person of Interest,” “Golden Boy,” “Ironside,” “Vegas,” “Damages,” “How to Make it in America” and “Royal Pains.”
—Excerpted from AppleTV and IMDB