Stahl-David was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of physicians. He graduated from Lincoln Park High School in 2001. He was in the Theater program. He graduated from Columbia College in Chicago, IL. He is the older brother to Eric Stahl-David and R. Andrew Stahl-David, both of whom graduated from Whitney Young High School. Prior to his acting success, Michael Stahl-David was a well known graffiti artist in Chicago, which he has gone on to discuss recently in a Q&A with the Chicago Sun Times.
Stahl-David began his acting career in 2001, when he played a minor role of Rossetti in New Port South. Later in 2003, he also played a minor role as Craig in Uncle Nino. David began his television acting career in 2007, when he made a guest appearance as Riordan Grady in th series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent: episode "Players". Later in that year of 2007, David portrayed Sean Donnelly, one of the four Irish brothers, in the short-lived series The Black Donnellys.
Although he was already an experienced actor, David has gained much notice for his lead role in the 2008 film Cloverfield, where he plays a character by the name of Robert Hawkins. In Cloverfield, the city of New York is attacked by a monster while his character has a going away party because he is moving to Japan. David is expected to play in a lead role as Justin in The Project (2008).
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