Actor Nick Pugliese: who he is, what he is known for, and fun facts

Nick Pugliese is a rising Hollywood talent known for his roles in School Spirits and Dramarama. Acting is his lifelong passion, but he considers embracing his identity as a biracial queer actor to be more important. He told American Studies in March 2025:

I hope that no matter the seasons of my life and career, or however much my surroundings may change, it's enjoyable, and I remain true to myself at my core.

Key takeaways

• Nick Pugliese plays fan-favourite ghost Charley in School Spirits, a Paramount+ supernatural teen drama about a high school student who finds herself stuck in the afterlife.
• Pugliese is a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a vocal advocate for inclusive narratives in Hollywood.
• The actor started performing in community theatre as a child and studied Theatre Arts in college.

Nick Pugliese's profile summary

Nick Pugliese grew up in an Italian Japanese household

The School Spirits actor was born in the San Francisco Bay Area, California, to an Italian American father and a Japanese American mother. He has one older brother.

Nick Pugliese often celebrates his Asian ethnicity, but has shared that he struggled with his biracial identity growing up. In his February 2025 essay for the Asian magazine Timid, he highlighted the struggles his Japanese family faced living in the United States and how he came to embrace his culture.

Should I check the box that says Caucasian? Or the one that says Asian —Throughout high school, I chose Caucasian — By the time I was [leaving] college, I had understood that I was not half of anything, but rather, more than one thing... I understood that it did not matter how I looked or what language I could or could not speak.

Nick Pugliese is openly gay

The actor has spoken publicly about his sexuality and has portrayed several queer characters on screen. Nick Pugliese's parents are liberals and supported him when he came out. In a March 2023 Instagram post, he uploaded several pictures from his childhood in honour of his School Spirits character Charley with the caption:

I'd like to submit these as evidence that you are, in fact, born gay.

28-year-old Nick Pugliese is also one of the most vocal advocates of LGBTQ+ people. In his August 2021 interview with HuffPost, the actor shared that he hopes to see the community being represented in all genres of entertainment.

We have not had a heist movie where the robber is a queer character. We have not had a psychological thriller with a queer character or a crime drama... I want queer lenses on everything — Not just a particular queer experience.

Nick Pugliese is dating

The 13 Reasons Why actor has a boyfriend but has kept their romance private. In his May 2025 interview with Mixed Asian Media, he shared that it was his first relationship, and he is still learning.

[Being] in this relationship, I have had to ask, 'Okay, who am I when somebody else is giving me love? How do I receive this love? How do I give this love back?' I have been doing a lot of that learning over the past two years.

Pugliese started with community theatre

Nick was born a natural performer and loved to entertain when he was young. He participated in elementary school productions and later started performing at a community theatre in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The upcoming American Asian actor studied Theatre Arts at Loyola Marymount University. He landed his first television role in 2017 in an episode of 13 Reasons Why as Larry Kotter.

He made his indie film acting debut in the 2021 Jonathan Wysocki-directed Dramarama as Gene, a high school theatre geek who comes out as gay before heading off to college. In 2023, Pugliese got his major TV role as Charley in the Paramount+ series School Spirits alongside Peyton List, Kristian Ventura, and Sarah Yarkin.

Nick Pugliese is a budding writer and producer

The Bay Area native is venturing into the creative and behind-the-scenes work. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-wrote his first project, Thank You for Being Here, with his Dramarama co-star Danielle Kay.

Pugliese shared in his February 2025 interview with Numéro Netherlands that his work in the short film is what led to him being booked in School Spirits. He was inspired to start writing after failing to book work.

There was such little work out there, and I was struggling to even get an audition. I got tired of waiting around for someone to send me a script. I just wanted to act.

Nick also co-wrote and co-produced the 2025 short film Junket with actress Sarah Yarkin. Most of his content focuses on his queer and biracial identity. His films have featured in several festivals like the National Film Festival for Talented Youth, Outfest, and Frameline.

Nick Pugliese: movies and TV shows

Nick Pugliese is a star on the rise with a promising future in the entertainment industry. He brings depth to the characters he plays and continues to be an important voice for the LGBTQ+ and Asian communities.

READ ALSO: Who is Kaipo Dudoit? Exploring the life and works of this rising star

Briefly.co.za highlighted Kaipo Dudoit's biography. The actor is a regular in Hawaiian theatres with credits in stage productions like 'I iHula' Kane, Was of a God Kaoo, and Much Ado About Nothing Benedick.

Kaipo landed his major movie role in 2024 after being cast as David Kawena in the Disney live-action remake of Lilo & Stitch. The Hawaiian native is also a Hulu dancer and a licensed massage therapist.

Source: Briefly News