Movies - TV
Band Of Brothers Changed James Madio's Life Beyond His Acting Career
By JEFF KELLY
In a series like "Band of Brothers," it's always going to be tough to stand out from the crowd, but that’s exactly what James Madio, who played Frank Perconte, did, even in a young cast that featured then-unknowns like Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Tom Hardy. However, Madio didn’t just gain a career boost from the series, he also gained a life-changing experience.
The actor got to know Perconte, who was still alive at the time of filming, and told Smithsonian Magazine, “It changed me as a young man. I was this kid from the Bronx with no education on World War II. I went to Europe for a year and got to meet these guys who fought there. It taught me respect and understanding for what they did. It shaped me into the man I am today."
Madio and Perconte grew to become good friends in the years that would follow. In fact, he wound up being invited along with Perconte to attend a reunion with other World War II veterans in Europe, and over the years, he and his co-star Michael Cudlitz have attended a number of events remembering and celebrating the real life men of Easy Company.