# Robert Bella

Robert Bella is an American filmmaker, best known for his work as a television Director, Writer & Producer on shows such as The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Castle and The Following. Bella has also worked on over 100 plays as an actor, director, producer and writer. He is a co-author of Training of the American Actor, and he wrote the stage adaptation of the film Stand and Deliver.

## Early life

Bella was born in Brooklyn, New York. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, where he studied acting with Stella Adler, David Mamet and William H. Macy.

## Career

When he was 23 years old, Bella became an NYU adjunct faculty member. By the time he was 25, he was teaching Master Classes around the world, on subjects such as directing, script analysis, performance technique, on-camera acting and audition skills. His former acting students include Jessica Alba, Rose Byrne, Heather Burns, Eddie Cahill, Justin Chatwin, Abbie Cornish, Peter Facinelli, Matthew Fox, Bryan Greenberg, Simon Helberg, Diane Neal, Jason Ritter, Gina Rodriguez, Shaun Sipos, and Skeet Ulrich.
Bella became one of the founding members the Atlantic Theater Company, where he served as the Managing Director, Associate Artistic Director and executive Director of the Atlantic Acting School. His experience producing and directing numerous Off-Broadway plays ultimately led him to try his hand at filmmaking.

### TV and film

In 1996, Bella produced and directed the independent film Colin Fitz Lives!. The film tells the story of two security guards who must protect a rock star's grave against excitable fans who may attempt to commit suicide there. It was shot on 35mm in New York City. The budget was $150,000, and the film was shot in 14 days. It had its World Premiere in Dramatic Competition at the 1997 Sundance Film Festival. The film won awards at numerous film festivals, including the Austin Film Festival, WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival and the Long Island Film Festival, but it did not receive distribution until IFC Films released the movie on-demand in 2010.
Bella has worked as an ADR Director with numerous actors, including: Chevy Chase, Judi Dench, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg, Bill Hader, Freddie Highmore, Harvey Keitel, William H. Macy, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Christina Ricci and Jon Stewart.
Bella also worked as a Post Production Supervisor for various film studios, including DreamWorks Pictures. His credits include Delivery Man, Lincoln, War Horse, Real Steel, The Help and I Am Number Four.
He has worked as a TV Director/Writer/Producer on shows such as The Rookie, The Rookie: Feds, Castle and The Following.

## Personal life

Bella is currently resides in Los Angeles, California.

## Filmography

| Year | Film & Television | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Notes |
| Year | Film & Television | Director | Executive producer | Producer | Post production | Writer | Actor | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Things Change | | | | | | Yes | Bellboy #1 | Written and Directed by David Mamet. |
| 1991 | Homicide | | | | | | Yes | Bodyguard | Written and Directed by David Mamet. |
| 1993 | Hitsville | | | | | | Yes | Mick | Written and Directed by Peter Biegen. |
| 1993 | Amid Summer's Night Dreams | | | | | | Yes | Skip | Written and Directed by Glen Gers. |
| 1993 | The Contenders | | | | | | Yes | Skip | Written and Directed by Tobias Meinecke. |
| 1993 | Money for Nothing | | | | | | Yes | Junior Bookie | Written and Directed by Ramón Menéndez. |
| 1997 | Colin Fitz Lives! | Yes | | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Pepe | In 2010, IFC Films released the film as part of: Sundance Selects – Colin Fitz Lives!. |
| 1997 | Gerald's Farm | | | | | | Yes | Chris | Short Film. Written and Directed by Jonathan Abrahams. |
| 1999 | Magnolia | | | | | | Yes | Detective #2 (uncredited) | Written and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. |
| 2004 | Spartan | | | | | | Yes | Davio | Written and Directed by David Mamet. |
| 2005 | This Revolution | | | | | | Yes | Bob Kramer | Written and Directed by Stephen Marshall. |
| 2006 | Knot | | | | | | Yes | Dad | Short film. |
| 2006 | Doogal aka The Magic Roundabout | Yes | | | Yes | | | | US Voice Director for The Weinstein Company. |
| 2006 | Penelope | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for Summit Entertainment and The Weinstein Company. |
| 2006 | Factory Girl | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company. |
| 2007 | Elite Squad | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company. |
| 2008 | The Promotion | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for Dimension Films. |
| 2008 | Revengers, Inc. | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mr. G | NYU UG Drama Department film project. |
| 2009 | Fanboys | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for The Weinstein Company. |
| 2009 | Road Kill: A Day in the Life of Henry David Road | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Yes | Yes | Henry David Road | World Premiere at the 2009 Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films. |
| 2009 | Fighting | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures. |
| 2010 | My Soul To Take | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for Relativity Media and Rogue Pictures. Written and Directed by Wes Craven. |
| 2011 | I Am Number Four | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for Bay Films and DreamWorks Pictures. Produced by Michael Bay. Directed by D. J. Caruso. |
| 2011 | The Help | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Tate Taylor. |
| 2011 | Real Steel | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Shawn Levy. Starring Hugh Jackman. |
| 2011 | War Horse | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg. |
| 2012 | Lincoln | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Produced and Directed by Steven Spielberg. |
| 2013 | Best Friends Forever | | Yes | | Yes | | | | World Premiere at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival. Directed by Brea Grant. |
| 2013 | Delivery Man | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Supervisor for DreamWorks Pictures. Written and Directed by Ken Scott. |
| 2014 | Need for Speed | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Scott Waugh. |
| 2014 | The Hundred-Foot Journey | | | | Yes | | | | Post Production Consultant for DreamWorks Pictures. Directed by Lasse Hallström. |
| 2015 | The Following | | | | | Yes | | | Staff Writer (Season 3) for Warner Bros. Television. Created by Kevin Williamson. |
| 2015–2016 | Castle | | | | | Yes | | | Staff Writer (Season 8) for ABC. Created by Andrew W. Marlowe. |
| 2018– | The Rookie | Yes | | Yes | | Yes | | | Director/Writer/Producer (Seasons 1-4) for ABC. Created by Alexi Hawley. |
| 2022-2023 | The Rookie: Feds | Yes | | | | | | | Director; 2 episodes |

## Theater

| Year | Play | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Credited as | Notes |
| Year | Play | Theatre Director | Theatrical producer | Playwright | Actor | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | The Water Engine | | | | Yes | Mr. Wallace, Understudy | Presented by The Goodman Theatre. Written by David Mamet. |
| 1985 | Home Free! | Yes | Yes | | Yes | Lawrence | Written by Lanford Wilson. |
| 1986 | Been Taken | | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Directed by William H. Macy. |
| 1986 | After Magritte | | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Stoppard. |
| 1986 | A Night Out | | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Harold Pinter. |
| 1987 | Knuckle | Yes | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Hare. |
| 1987 | The Woods | | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Mamet. |
| 1987 | Audrey's Complaint | | Yes | | | | World Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Tom Donaghy. Directed by Clark Gregg. |
| 1987 | Reckless | | Yes | | | | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Craig Lucas. |
| 1987 | Boys' Life | | Yes | | Yes | Don, Understudy | World Premiere. Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by Howard Korder. Directed by William H. Macy. Off-Broadway Premiere presented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. |
| 1989 | True West | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Sam Shepard. |
| 1989 | Measure for Measure | | | | Yes | Varrius | Presented by The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Starring: Kate Burton and Campbell Scott. |
| 1989 | Julius Caesar | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by William Shakespeare. |
| 1990 | Spike Heels | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Theresa Rebeck. |
| 1991 | Anton Chekhov's Three Sisters | | | | Yes | Solyony | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted by David Mamet. Directed by William H. Macy. |
| 1991 | The Virgin Molly | | | | Yes | Pvt. Molly Peterson | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. |
| 1992 | Mad Forest | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Caryl Churchill. |
| 1994 | The Crucible | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Arthur Miller. |
| 1994 | Stand and Deliver | | | Yes | | | Adapted from the film Stand and Deliver. |
| 1995 | Oleanna | | | | Yes | John, Understudy. | National Tour. Written by David Mamet. |
| 1995 | J. B. Priestley's Dangerous Corner | | | | Yes | Gordon | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Adapted and Directed by David Mamet. |
| 1997 | Trust | Yes | | | Yes | Roy | Sydney, Australia. Written by Steven Dietz. |
| 2001 | The Front Page | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur. |
| 2001 | The Dog Problem | | | | Yes | The Priest | Presented by The Atlantic Theater Company. Written by David Rabe. |
| 2002 | Balm in Gilead | Yes | | | | | Off-Off Broadway. Written by Lanford Wilson. |
| 2004 | Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love | Yes | | | | | Off Broadway. Written by Brad Fraser. |

## Awards and nominations

* Film Festival Awards
** Gold Award: Won, 1997, for Comedy
** Grand Jury Prize: Nomination, 1997, for Dramatic
** Best of Fest: Won, 1997, for Feature Film Competition
** Grand Jury Award: Nomination, 1997, for Narrative
** Feature Film Award: Nomination, 1997 (shared with Tom Morrissey)
** Feature Film Award: Won, 1997, for Best Feature
** Audience Award: Won, 1997.