Michael Ornstein
Actor and creative artist
Four decades in the creative arts – taking in Broadway, Hollywood, painting… and finding fame on ‘Sons of Anarchy’ as Chucky
Michael Ornstein is an actor, writer and visual artist. He began his creative career as an actor in New York, taking in 25 years on and off Broadway, before moving into film and television – where he is perhaps best-known for playing Chucky in the TV shows ‘Sons of Anarchy’ and ‘Mayans M.C.’ In recent years, he has shifted his primary focus to another of his great passions – painting. In this in-depth interview, Michael talks us through his varied and accomplished career, and how choosing to pursue the creative arts from a young age “gave me a purpose in life;” reflects on the nature of fame and celebrity, and how the blessing of playing such memorable a role as Chucky has come with the typecasting curse, where he is often seen as the character rather than as himself; and talks about how his creative career journey has culminated in monetising his most enjoyable pursuit – painting – through the fascinating new medium of NFTs.