Joe Sernio Honored with The Robert Pastorelli Rising Star Award

March 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Actor Joe Sernio is this year’s pastorelli award winner. Sernio was nominated for the award back in 2009 at The Garden State Film Festival.

Winners of the Pastorelli award are painstakingly chosen for talent in acting, determination and quality of character.

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"Those who know Joe professionally know his drive and dedication and those who know him personally, know you could not find a more supportive or loyal friend. " Says Lori Draz of The Garden State Film Festival.   "We hope everyone will join us in honoring Joe, and support the Film Festival in our efforts to bring the State of New Jersey the best in a cultural event of the year and to also support our outreach programs throughout the year to seniors, underserved youth and the military overseas among others."

"When I received the call to let me know I was being considered it was an honor just to hear that. Then hearing that I won the award I had tears in my eyes… I cannot thank everyone enough for all of your support through the years. Not many people know what it takes to do what actors do or go through what actors go through. It’s not the hardest job in the world but it is definitely not the easiest by any means but having support from family and friends make it all worth doing it." Says Sernio.

"It is truly an honor to have an award like this and to especially have something in the form of an award given to me with the Pastorelli name on it.” My promise is to take this award in all future adventures I choose and to help keep the Pastorelli name strong.

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Sernio started out acting by being introduced to big names in the industry by friends Lori Draz, and Joey B "Man of a Thousand Voices" in his restaurant in downtown Jersey City. Sernio owned a piece of the family business after the sudden death of his father in 2002. From there they would take Joe under their arm and introduce him to anyone they came across in the industry. Since meeting Lori and Joey B Sernio has been on the fast track appearing on such shows as Love Monkey, As The World Turns, Hope and Faith, Rescue Me, and his latest All My Children as the ICU orderly "Joe".

He has been in 2 award winning independent films "The Roadhouse" which won best picture in 2009 and "Mourning On Charlotte Street" which has won best drama, best picture in 2010, best suspense, Best thriller, and also got Sernio nominated for best actor in a New York Film Festival. He has also appeared in many print and commercials. He stared as The Bentley Diamond Guy for over 2 years in all print and television ads as well as the national print campaign on Italian actors in Stuff Magazine and Maxim Magazine called “The Real Goodfellas”.
Sernio recently teamed up with Vinny Pastore (Big Pussy) from the Sopranos on some off broadway theater. He was involved in a few live script readings and is now working on a father son act that him and Pastore will write and star in.

Joe became close to The Garden State Film Festival after meeting one of his mentors the late Carroll Raver. Husband of Executive director Diane Raver. Joe and Carroll became close until Carroll passed away a few years back. "He is someone that I will never ever forget, someone who took the time to point me in the direction I needed to go". Sernio says.

The awards dinner where Sernio will accept his award is April 3, 2011. Sernio says that he will be supported by his friends, family, and girlfriend at the festival.

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Sernio would like to thank The Garden State Film Festival, His Family, His Friends, His Fans, His Mother Toni, Diane Raver, Lori Draz, and of course The Pastorelli Family for this amazing award.