# Yani Gellman
**Yani Gellman** is a Canadian film and television actor born in Miami, Florida, best known for playing the Italian pop star Paolo Valisari in *The Lizzie McGuire Movie* (2003) and Officer Garrett Reynolds in the mystery series *Pretty Little Liars* (2010–2012)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). His screen career began in 1998 with Canadian television, and he has since worked across teen films, soap operas, and genre television in Canada and the United States[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | Miami, Florida; most reference sources give 1985, while IMDb lists September 27 without a year and one fan wiki gives 1978[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gellman-yani-1985) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman) |
| Family background | Born to a Canadian father and an Australian mother; the family moved during his childhood to Australia, Spain, and Texas before settling in Toronto[5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2091818) |
| Breakout role | Paolo Valisari, an Italian international pop star, in *The Lizzie McGuire Movie* (2003)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman) |
| Signature TV roles | Rafael Torres in *The Young and the Restless* (86 episodes, 2008–2011) and Officer Garrett Reynolds in *Pretty Little Liars* (23 episodes, 2010–2012)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman) |
| Active years | 1998 to present, beginning with *Goosebumps* and *Animorphs*[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman) |
| Behind the camera | Writer and director of the award-winning short *Greetings, from the Planet Krog!* (2020)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/) |
## Early life
Gellman was born in Miami, Florida, to a Canadian father and an Australian mother[5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2091818). His father worked as a journalist, and the family moved frequently during his childhood, living in Australia, Spain, and Texas before settling in Toronto[5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2091818). Most biographical references give his birth date as 1985[2](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gellman-yani-1985) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman), although IMDb lists September 27 without a year[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/) and the [Pretty Little Liars](https://www.edgepedia.org/pretty-little-liars) fan wiki gives 1978[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman).
His first acting experience came at about age ten, when he was pulled into the chorus of *Hello Dolly* at summer camp[6](https://fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/partx/yanigellman/). He studied drama through the University of Toronto Theatre Program after attending a high school with a strong arts program[6](https://fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/partx/yanigellman/).
## Career
**Television beginnings.** Gellman's screen debut was a 1998 episode of the series *Animorphs*, playing Brad in "The Forgotten"[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). The same year he appeared in two episodes of *Goosebumps* (season 4, episodes 73 and 74)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). He followed these with guest parts on *[The Famous Jett Jackson](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-famous-jett-jackson)* and *Blue Murder*, and a lead role as Michael Medina in all 26 episodes of the series *Guinevere Jones* (2002)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman).
**Early film work.** After several television productions, he took supporting roles in the 2000 film *Urban Legends: Final Cut* (as Rob) and *Jason X* (2001, as Stoney); in both films his characters become victims of serial killers[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). In 2002 he played Pablo, the love interest of the title character, in the television movie *The Matthew Shepard Story*[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman), and he played the lead in the Canadian film *Children of My Heart* (2000)[6](https://fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/partx/yanigellman/).
**The Lizzie McGuire Movie.** Gellman became known among teenage audiences after playing Paolo Valisari, an Italian international pop star, in 2003's *The Lizzie McGuire Movie* opposite [Hilary Duff](https://www.edgepedia.org/hilary-duff)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). The role remains one of the two parts he is most identified with[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/).
**Soap opera and teen drama work.** He played the lead role of Antonio in the Canadian series *Monster Warriors* (2006–2007)[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman), then joined the long-running soap opera *The Young and the Restless* as lawyer Rafael Torres, appearing in 86 episodes between 2008 and 2011[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). In 2011 and 2012 he played Diego Flores in seven episodes of *90210*[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman).
**Pretty Little Liars.** From 2010 to 2012, Gellman played Officer Garrett Reynolds in *Pretty Little Liars*, a recurring role across 23 episodes in seasons 1 through 3[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman). He also reprised the character in the web series *[Pretty Dirty Secrets](https://www.edgepedia.org/pretty-dirty-secrets)* (2012)[7](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-119826/filmografia/).
**Guest roles and later work.** Through the 2010s he appeared in single episodes or short arcs of *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, *The Mentalist*, *Criminal Minds*, *Beauty & the Beast*, *[Castle](https://www.edgepedia.org/castle-tv-series)*, *Major Crimes*, *The Client List*, *CSI: Cyber*, *iZombie*, *Saving Hope*, *Bosch*, and *Dynasty*[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman) • [8](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-119826/filmografia/). His film work in this period included Louis in the shark thriller *[47 Meters Down](https://www.edgepedia.org/47-meters-down)* (2017)[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/), Jared Church in *Trigger Point* (2015), and Pete Keller in *Category 5* (2014)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman). More recently he appeared as Mr. Arda in *Departing Seniors* (2023), his highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes at 63 percent[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman), and in *A Bestselling Kind of Love* (2024) as Tom Gibbs[9](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/yani-gellman).
## Writing and directing
Beyond acting, Gellman wrote and directed the short film *Greetings, from the Planet Krog!* (2020), which IMDb describes as award-winning[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/). Kinopoisk likewise credits him with one film each as director, screenwriter, and producer[10](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/name/9995/).
## Personal life
Gellman has Sephardic ancestry and holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/). Early in his career he also worked as a model in print ads, including for Omega watches[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman).
## Nationality in the sources
Most early references describe Gellman as a Canadian actor, reflecting his upbringing and career base in Toronto[1](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman) • [5](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2091818). Several later databases, including Rotten Tomatoes and Movie List, describe him as American, reflecting his Miami birth[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman) • [9](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/yani-gellman).
## References
1. [Yani Gellman, Pretty Little Liars Wiki](https://prettylittleliars.fandom.com/wiki/Yani_Gellman)
2. [Gellman, Yani 1985–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/gellman-yani-1985)
3. [Yani Gellman, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0312454/)
4. [Yani Gellman, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/yani_gellman)
5. [Yani Gellman biography, El Cinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2091818)
6. [Where Are They Now?: Yani Gellman, Friday the 13th Films](https://fridaythe13thfilms.com/saga/partx/yanigellman/)
7. [Yani Gellman filmografia, AdoroCinema](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-119826/filmografia/)
8. [Yani Gellman filmografía, SensaCine](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-119826/filmografia/)
9. [Yani Gellman movies list, Movie List](https://www.movie-list.com/actors/yani-gellman)
10. [Яни Гельман, Кинопоиск](https://www.kinopoisk.ru/name/9995/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Canadian actors › Surnames G to I*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license