Michael Petted: Artist and Educator
Michael Petted is an award-winning actor, director, writer, producer, musician, songwriter, and renowned acting teacher. His on-screen credits include FX's Emmy Award-winning American Horror Story (opposite Jessica Lange), FOX's New Girl, the indie feature Mayor Cupcake (with Lea Thompson, Judd Nelson, and Zoey Deutch), and the independent films Spade (opposite Jorge Garcia) and A Good Thing (with Tom Bower and Anne Gee Byrd). He also recurred on NBC's The Late Late Show alongside Thomas Lennon and has appeared in numerous award-winning independent films — most recently Beautiful Dead Things, which screened at over 20 international film festivals and is now streaming on Amazon Prime. Michael's most recent directorial project, the short film Artie and Alice, has screened at film festivals worldwide to great acclaim. Michael has had the honor of working under the direction of George Clooney, Gene Reynolds, and Howard Deutch, among others.
Stage productions include Eric Bogosian's Suburbia at The Skylight Theatre Company, Sam Shepard's True West, John Patrick Shanley's Italian American Reconciliation, and Robert Bolt's A Man for All Seasons alongside John Glover, directed by Howard Deutch.
Earned a Los Angeles Ovation Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in Lone Star (opposite Don Swayze and produced by Patrick Swayze and Doris Roberts) and starred in the Ovation-nominated A Gift from Heaven alongside Beth Grant and Tara Buck.
A passionate musician and professional percussionist, Michael has performed with legendary artists such as Slash (Guns N' Roses) and Bob Dylan, among many others. As a singer-songwriter, he continues to write, record, and perform original music available on all major streaming platforms.
Michael Petted is one of Los Angeles' most dynamic and sought-after acting teachers. With over 15 years of experience, he has trained actors to break through creatively and professionally — helping them book roles, deepen their craft, and build lasting careers.
Michael has been a dedicated acting teacher since 2009, when he began teaching full-time at the renowned Beverly Hills Playhouse. There, he spent over a decade teaching and shaping the craft of hundreds of actors — working with many from the moment they began their training through to advanced levels of work. Rooted in the lineage of Milton Katselas, he taught actors through the foundational stages of discovery into deeper, more professional levels of training. This long-term developmental approach continues to inform his teaching today.
The Playhouse is known for its celebrated alumni, including George Clooney, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alec Baldwin, Jorge Garcia, and Monica Barbaro, among many others.
For eight years, Michael also served as the Head Acting Instructor for the Hollywood Immersive program, working with actors from around the world — including Australia, England, and Africa — teaching scene study and performance technique, challenging actors to achieve breakthroughs in their work while preparing them for the demands and realities of professional-level acting.
Today, Michael teaches his own scene study and on-camera acting classes at The Hudson Theatre in Los Angeles, where his passion for growth, artistry, and practical technique continues to inspire actors at every level — from complete beginners to seasoned professionals.
"I train actors to explore freely, discover their unique voice, make the work personal through behavior, and listen to their impulses."
Whether you are a seasoned professional or just beginning your journey, join a community dedicated to the ongoing growth of the working actor — where the craft of acting meets the reality of the industry.
