In the high-stakes world of independent cinema, there is a recurring fascination with the “loser”—the man on the brink, the salesman with everything to lose, and the desperate soul clawing for a shred of dignity.
Enter Gianni Sallese, an actor whose rising trajectory between Toronto and New York City has positioned him as one of the most compelling talents to watch in indie cinema. Sallese is currently generating industry buzz for his starring role as “Gabe” in the upcoming feature film Timeshares, a project that blends claustrophobic tension with the dark, jagged edges of character-driven comedy.
Directed by the award-winning filmmaker Evan J. Richter, known for his success at the Big Apple Film Festival and a formidable presence on YouTube, Timeshare promises to be a frenetic, real-time descent into a salesman’s worst nightmare. For Sallese, the role is not just another credit; it is a masterclass in the “antihero” archetype, a performance he describes as an excavation of “ugly desperation.”
From Shakespeare to the “Worm of a Man”
The story of how Sallese landed the role of Gabe is a testament to the New York indie film community. While many actors find their breaks through traditional agencies, Sallese’s path was paved in the rehearsal rooms of Brooklyn.
“I was a member of this wonderful community in Brooklyn called ‘Script Club NYC,’ which I honestly cannot recommend enough,” Sallese says. “They do weekly readings of plays and then decide after some time to start a proper season. I was in their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream playing Demetrius, and the director, Jordan, was working as a casting director for this film.”
Sallese submitted for an audition “on a whim,” but it was the chemistry read with Richter that sealed the deal. “Apparently, I’m very believable as a pathetic, desperate worm of a man,” Sallese laughs. “Evan and I really hit it off. We saw eye-to-eye comedically, with very similar senses of humor, which was so integral to this film. I was happy to have somebody who would be willing to entertain my silliness, and I think he was happy to have somebody so willing to say yes to so many of his ideas.”
The Pressure Cooker: What is ‘Timeshares’?
Timeshares is not your typical corporate satire. The film follows Gabe (Sallese), a struggling salesman trapped in a dingy presentation room. The stakes are literal: he must sell off his remaining inventory of timeshares by the end of the day, or the mafia will kill him.
In a desperate bid for survival, Gabe enlists Eliza, a well-meaning and somewhat naive assistant, to help him close the deals. The film unfolds in real-time, heightening the sense of panic as the clock ticks down.
“It’s claustrophobic, fast-paced, and frenetic,” Sallese explains. “Things may not go according to plan, and we learn some shocking things about Gabe over the course of the film. It’s about the lengths a person will go to when they are backed into a corner.”
Building an “Unpleasant” Antihero
Standing 6’2” with a commanding presence and a Bari-Tenor voice, Sallese might seem an unlikely candidate for a “pathetic worm.” However, the AMDA-trained actor prides himself on his ability to disappear into a character’s psyche. For Gabe, that meant leaning into the character’s most abrasive and vulnerable traits.
“Gabe definitely has a difficult personality,” Sallese admits. “He’s desperate, unpleasant, a little creepy, and so badly wants to be loved, but goes about it all the wrong ways. Building this character was a matter of finding those less-than-savory elements in myself. We all have that desire to be loved; we all crave the approval of others. It was a matter of tapping into that ugly desperation I feel I possess.”
Sallese’s approach is deeply rooted in the honesty of the camera, and his role as Gabe shines for tapping into his own vulnerability. “The film camera is such a perceptive medium; it sees everything an actor does, thinks, and feels. You cannot afford any artifice. It manifested in a very bizarre way, which is where the comedy comes from. The thing is, there are people that are just sad and lonely, but they want to be loved, so it’s about being honest with that.”
When playing any antihero, Sallese points to the audience’s complicated relationship with “bad” people. “An antihero is somebody you cannot help but root for, in spite of the fact that he may be a bad guy or morally dubious,” he said. “We’re there to cheer for this guy, even if he kind of sucks and you wouldn’t like him in real life. Yet, he’s so interesting and engaging.”
Sallese brings a unique intellectual rigor to his performances, likely a byproduct of his academic background. While performing and directing professionally, he also recently completed a degree in History and Political Science at the University of Toronto. This background in research allows him to imbue his characters with a deep sense of historical and social context.
Born and raised in Toronto, Sallese has been a staple of the local theater scene, participating in over 20 theatrical productions. His range is staggering—from playing the iconic Dracula to voicing the role of “Napoleon” in the project Blown Apart!. His stage credits include heavy-hitters like Antigone: A Play Against Birth at Theater Lab and Cheap Culture at the Chain Theater.
Whether he is utilizing his skills in stage combat or his fluency in multiple dialects (including Italian and French), Sallese’s versatility is his greatest asset. It is this combination of classical training and improvisational energy that makes his portrayal of Gabe in Timeshares so highly anticipated.
Gearing Up For A 2027 Release
While the film has already wrapped major production elements, audiences will have to wait a bit longer to see Sallese’s frantic salesman on the big screen. The film is currently slated for a 2027 festival release.
The timeline is a deliberate choice by director Evan J. Richter. “Evan is pulling a Sean Baker and insists on editing himself,” Sallese notes. “He’s very particular about his vision, which I trust. It’s such a gift to have a director who also understands editing—the unsung realm of film that truly makes or breaks a performance. Editing is where the final story is told.”
The team is aiming for prestigious indie platforms like Slamdance, festivals that have historically championed bold, independent voices.
“Indie film is so incredibly important,” Sallese says. “It supports the ever-expanding landscape of cinema by allowing for stories that don’t fit into a corporate mold. Timeshares is exactly that—a weird, warped, and honest look at human desperation.”
As Sallese continues to split his time between the stages of Toronto and the film sets of New York, Timeshares stands as a pivotal moment in his career. It is a film that asks the audience to look at a man who “kind of sucks” and find the humanity within his struggle. And if the early buzz is any indication, Gianni Sallese is the perfect actor to lead that uncomfortable, hilarious, and high-stakes journey.
About Gianni Sallese: Gianni Sallese is an actor, writer, and director based in New York City and Toronto. A graduate of the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), his work spans film, theater, and voice-over. Known for his versatility and deep character research, Sallese is a rising force in the independent film scene.
Words Nadja Sayej
Photos Ashley Cotto (photos show Gianni Sallese alongside William Braithwaite, Wyatt Richter and Evan Richter)
