Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. (born 22nd of July 1964; Age: 59) is an American video and commercials director best known as the ex-husband of Tea Leoni, a Hollywood actress.
Neil has worked with several movie production companies as a director and has gone on to float his own firm. The New York native married for the second time after divorcing Tea and has fathered two children with his second wife.
Summary of Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s Biography
- Full Name: Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.
- Gender: Male
- Date of Birth: 22nd of July 1964
- Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s Age: 59 years old
- Ethnicity: White
- Nationality: American
- Zodiac Sign: Cancer
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christianity
- Marital Status: Married
- Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s Wife: Julia Sayre Hine
- Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s Children: Max and Charlie Tardio
- Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s Parents: Neil J. Tardio Sr. and Margaret Tardio
- Famous For: Being the ex-husband of Tea Leoni
How Old is Neil Joseph Tardio Jr?
Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. is 59 years old; the video and commercial director was born on the 22nd of July 1964. His birthplace is Rye, New York, which points to his American nationality. He is White by ethnicity.
His parents have been identified as Magaret and Neil J. Tardio Sr. His father is a director and owner of the NY-based movie production firm Tardio Productions, which specializes in TV commercials.
After acquiring his basic academic qualifications at Rye Country Day School, Neil proceeded to Boston University to study for a degree in Film/Cinema/Video.
What Does Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. Do for a Living?
Fresh from Boston University, Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. launched his career as an agency producer cum writer in Saatchi & Saatchi advertising agency and DDB/Chicago. In 1992, he moved on to work as a director in a Santa Monica, California-based production firm for music videos and commercials called Fahrenheit Films.
His debut assignment at Fahrenheit Films was a blessing; Neil was put on the “Rock The Vote” special for Madonna in 1992, which earned him a Peabody Award. With his work on “Rock The Vote” done and dusted, Neil moved on to Channel 1 and ESPN children’s sports program known as “PE TV” to direct 32 episodes. He later became a co-director of the web series “Lifeisode.”
Neil’s music video directorial portfolio includes A-list artists such as Queen Latifah and The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The director’s spot, “Joint Man“, for A Partnership with a Drug-Free America, became an Emmy award nominee. United Artists bought his original screenplay for Son of Santa, and he is currently collaborating with Mitch Hurwitz in writing a TV series.
Joseph Tardio Jr. did some comedy and storytelling work for the likes of AT&T, Coca-Cola, Budweiser, ESPN, Nike, McDonald’s, Volkswagen, and Virgin. Neil leveraged his own firm, Third Street Mining Company, to achieve all these.
The year 2015 saw him join the production crew of “Mrs. Bond” alongside other commercial veterans, social media phenomes, and acclaimed TV/Film directors for an exclusive US spot representation. Neil has a knack for dialogue and casting, which led him to join the “Durable Goods” team for US commercial representation.
Some of his recent works are visible in a comedic video created for Bank of America, a spot for Kaplan University out of Arnold Boston, a Tim Hortons video out of JWT Canada, and a Domino’s campaign out of Crispin Porter + Bogusky.
Some of Neil’s Future Endeavors
In the future, Neil is slated to work as a director for the feature movie, “ShortCut Man,” based on P.G. Sturges’ critically acclaimed novel. He is also expected to be casting the feature movie “The Wrong Man”. The video and commercials director is presently writing two children’s books.
Taking all his career endeavours into consideration, we can comfortably tag Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. as a director of music videos, TV shows/web series, and commercials. The cap of a screenwriter also fits, and his company, Third Street Mining Company, makes him a businessman.
Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. Has Been in a Number of Marriages
Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. has been married two times in his lifetime. He is best known as the former husband of movie star Tea Leoni. He is currently enjoying marital bliss with Julia Sayre Hine.
He was Téa Leoni’s Husband for Four Years
According to reports, Neil and Tea were both on vacation when they first crossed paths; this happened sometime in 1986, and they went on to date for almost five years before tying the nuptials on the 8th of June 1991.
The type of wedding ceremony they had was never disclosed, but reports said the event was hosted in Hope, New Jersey, at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. However, their union couldn’t stand the test of time as it ended on the 1st of October 1995, barely four years after their nuptials.
Why Did Neil Joseph Tardio Jr. Divorce Tea Leoni?
Following their divorce, both Neil and Tea were reluctant to discuss what led to their split. However, some tidbits began filtering into the public space with claims that the couple didn’t trust each other. Hence they decided to go their separate ways.
With that said, the fact that they didn’t have any kids made their divorce very easy to accomplish, and they have since moved on with other spouses.
Neil Later Married Julia Sayre Hine
After Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s divorce from Tea was finalized, the video and commercial director started going steady with Julia Sayre Hine. Julia is listed as a staff of a New York-based publishing company, Random House, where she works in her capacity as the manager of special marketing.
An alum of Barnard College, Julia graduated magna cum laude. Her mum works with the NY-based firm, Tips on Trips and Camps as a consultant, while her dad works with the Chicago-based Quaker Oats Company as its VP of Advertising and Marketing Communications.
When they exchanged wedding vows, Neil was still with Fahrenheit Films in Santa Monica, Calif. From what is perceivable, Neil got it right the second time around, as his union is thriving and is already blessed with children.
Having disclosed that, we must also acknowledge that Neil was once the subject of gay rumours. The video director was once rumoured to be homosexual, but he has proved them wrong with the success he has recorded in his marital life so far.
He is a Father of Two
Though he never sired any kids with Tea, Neil’s second union with Julia produced two children – a boy and a girl. The couple first received their son, Max Tardio, who soon became a big brother to his sister, Charlie Tardio. The Tardio family is currently living in Los Angeles, where they are bringing up their children.
From what is obvious, Neil appears to be a hand’s on dad as the video director has been severally spotted talking about parenting in public.
Where is Téa Leoni’s Ex-husband Now?
Though he left the limelight after divorcing his celebrity actress ex-wife, Neil Joseph Tardio Jr.’s whereabouts are still traceable. The father of two is still a resident of LA, California and is still in the business of directing videos for musicians and commercials.
Also, he is still married to his second wife, Julia, and the couple looks set to take their relationship as far into the future as possible.
