Biography

Strange Dave is an American character actor, creature performer, and stuntman recognized for his uncanny physical versatility. He gained worldwide acclaim for his role as the titular monster in the viral horror short The Smiling Man (2015), earning him a Best Actor award at the Fright Night Film Fest.

Born in Orange County, California, Dave studied theatre and choir in high school. He debuted at Rob Zombie’s Great American Nightmare and helped launch the Venardos Circus in 2014. A professional fire breather and natural contortionist, Dave’s distinct movement style is influenced by his lived experience with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and AuDHD. These specialized skills were showcased when he was cast as a fire breather in the Katy Perry: Chained to the Rhythm (2017) music video.

Known for portraying complex entities through heavy prosthetics, Dave is an international cosplay exhibitor whose Arkham Joker went viral at San Diego Comic-Con for its terrifying accuracy.
- IMDb mini biography by: Gemini AI