Andrea Conte to appear in Burn Notice and Necessary Roughness

The Burt Reynolds Institute for Film & Theatre (BRIFT) has fine tuned the abilities of many actors over the past years. Whether here on the East Coast or out Hollywood way, BRIFT alumni are garnering much deserved recognition for their talents and professionalism.

Andrea Conte, a New York Theatre Trained Actress and BRIFT graduate, who studied at the Institute for four years before moving to Los Angeles, has been cast in two USA Network television shows in very different roles that will air during the month of June. On Wednesday evening, June 29^th, at 10 pm, Conte will flex her comedy chops as Faye in the USA Network pilot premiere of Necessary Roughness. The one hour show, which has been picked up for a full series, focuses on the life of a Long Island divorcee (Callie Thorne) forced to work as a therapist for a pro football team in order to make ends meet. Conte plays her Long Island Nuevo Riche patient with a carbohydrate addiction.

Fans will see Conte again the very next evening –Thursday, June 30^th -- at 10 pm on the USA Network’s most popular show, Burn Notice, co-starring as The Chic South Beach Realtor.  Burn Notice, one of two shows actually shot on location in Miami, will enter its fifth season with a firm hold on the number one slot.

Conte’s recent credits include roles in the feature films Letters to God as Miss Emily, the Sweet School Teacher; Loving the Bad Man as Tina, the Wild Bar Flower; and SoBe Real as the Sexy French Woman. She was also cast in the part of Margot, the upper crust Beverly Hills Boutique Owner, on the Lifetime Network’s surprise hit series, Drop Dead Diva (Episode #109), and as Candace, the Blood Soaked Victim in the long running Americas Most Wanted.

A much sought after bi-coastal actress, Conte goes where the work is, racking up lots of travel miles along the way. She continues her work in theater and recently performed at the renowned Florida Stage in Staged Readings of new plays. The roles in Burn Notice and Necessary Roughness gave Conte, who is a member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA, an opportunity to continue working on the East Coast. When in Florida, Conte always returns to visit her teacher, the legendary Burt Reynolds, and her many friends at the Burt Reynolds Institute, a place she will always consider her home away from home.

********************

For photos and additional information, contact Kelly Dennehy, Executive Director of the Burt Reynolds Institute for Film and Theatre at (561) 743-9955.