Michael Cognata
Biography
Cognata attended the Boston Arts Academy (2006) where he majored in theatre. In 2008, Cognata made his television debut in a national commercial for Subway and performed with the poetic entertainment group called ARTiculation. The Boston Herald writes in a 2009 article, "Give the creativity and enthusiasm of this highly talented group of young poets a chance. Their performance is good enough to make even a cynic believe in the power of art." Cognata then moved to New York City and Los Angeles to obtain television roles including Julian Robbins, brother-in-law to battalion chief Wallace Boden on NBC's Chicago Fire (2018), and recurring as Tito, Lip's intern on Showtime's Shameless (2016). He appeared in Hallmark's Romance at Reindeer Lodge (2017). In addition to his work in film and TV, Cognata represented his hometown in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe (2006), where he performed the play A More Perfect Union.
Movie Appearances
Killer Whales
as Father T-Dale
2022
A Deadly Obsession
as Kellen
2012
Trash Bags
as Miles
TBA
The Assault
as Jordan
2014
Slamma Jamma
as Lizare
2017
Sins of the Preacher
as Police Officer
2013
Downpour Summer
as Brendan
2016
Breakdance Academy
as Kyle
2010
Romance at Reindeer Lodge
as Greg
2017
A True Crime
as Detective Myers
2019
TV Appearances
Castle
as Darren Ives
2009
Life in Pieces
as Realtor Don
2015
grown-ish
as Officer Dickson
2018
9-1-1
as Officer Crawford
2018
Julia
as Martin
2022
Chicago Fire
as Julian Robbins
2012
Shameless
as Tito
2011
The Last Ship
as Firefighting Sailor
2014
Good Trouble
as Derrick
2019
The Pitt
as Allen Billings
2025
The Fix
as Andre Spencer
2019