BRIAN TELESTAI

Brian Telestai is an American actor based in the Pacific North West who works in audiobooks, VO, television, film, and theatre. Brian’s career in the entertainment industry started as a musician on The Vans Warped Tours in 2006 & 2007 as a founding member of the post-hardcore band I Am Ghost on Epitaph Records (bass/keys/bgvs). Although he has a gold record on his wall, Brian is equally proud of his ukulele cover of Lil Jon's "Get Low".

His voice has been described as approachable, articulate, and full of layers. He loves sinking his acting teeth into a compelling villain in a fantasy or a pair of friends with pithy, comedic dialogue. Brian is excited by stories and character arcs that champion the underdog and highlight the struggles of the human condition. He has been cast as the confident jackass, the millennial professor, the jaded optimist, the friendly bartender/barista, the holiday grump, the rockstar, and the tech company CEO.

Brian has narrated titles with traditional publishers like Tantor/Recorded Books, Penguin Random House, Audioworks/Spotify, Audible Studios, Hachette, and Simon & Schuster. He is also proud to have narrated books written by indie authors, leaders, musicians, aerospace engineers, and even a Pulitzer Prize-winning sports journalist. He loves voicing and reading Motivational and Environmental Non-fiction, Men's Mental Health, Musician Memoirs, Leadership, Dystopian Sci-Fi, Alien Contact, YA Horror and YA Fantasy, Suspense/Thrillers, Metaphysical/Supernatural Horror, Westerns, and Adventure/Survival.

Over Thanksgiving of 2021, Brian was involved in a near-death experience along the Oregon beach. While running, Brian accidentally stepped into a sinkhole, and shattered his right elbow. Blacking out from the pain, he came to while floating face up in the ocean. He managed to save his own life by swimming over to a nearby cliff and climb up the wet rock face with his remaining three limbs. He was hit by waves several times but was eventually able to climb to safety. After a joint replacement, he has been healing physically and mentally, with a renewed desire to create art that will outlive himself.

When not narrating or acting, Brian can be found forest bathing and stargazing along the Boise river, writing and producing musical screenplays, hiking and rock-climbing in National Parks, helping his wife with her performing arts camps, or snuggling with their Tuxedo and Burmese cats. He loves learning about NDE's, ancient history, cats (from snow leopards to sand cats), dinosaurs, and aliens/UAP.

As an actor, you can see Brian in season 2 of the Bible-era drama, The Chosen, as well as indie horror and sci-fi films, with selections at the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival and Sun Valley Film Festival. Brian's theatrical credits include work with the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Migration Theory (Boise), Dramatic Adventure Theatre (NYC/Tanzania), and Alley Repertory Theatre (Boise). Brian has also been interviewed and featured in dozens of national and international publications, radio shows, and tv shows. 

To work with Brian Telestai, email him at Brian.Telestai@gmail.com.