Rossi was born in Staten Island, New York City. He is of Italian, Spanish, Lebanese, and Syrian descent.[1] Growing up, he loved to ride dirt bikes.[2] He has openly admitted to dealing drugs for years before moving to California.[3] He studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute in New York, where he appeared in several theatre productions.[4][5]
In 2019, Rossi joined the Advisory Board of the Harlem Film House, which presents the Hip Hop Film Festival, an annual event that focuses on filmmakers from the global culture of hip hop, and promotes financial sustainability for independent filmmakers from marginalized communities.[9][10][11]
Philanthropy
Rossi gets involved with the men and women of the military, with fellow Sons of Anarchy actors Kim Coates, Dayton Callie and Ron Perlman.[12] An Ambassador to the Boot Campaign, Rossi works with multiple organizations that raise money for wounded soldiers and those returning with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).[13] Throughout the off-season, Rossi has often traveled to different bases to visit US military personnel.[5] He has helped to organize the yearly Boot Ride event that benefits the Boot Campaign, giving fans a chance to spend a day riding with the Sons of Anarchy cast while raising money for U.S. military veterans.
Shortly after Hurricane Sandy hit Staten Island, Rossi, with friends and family, founded Staten Strong, a program administered by the Boot Campaign.[14][15] Staten Strong rebuilt three homes for Hurricane Sandy victims on Staten Island.[16]
Rossi resides in Austin, Texas. He consumes a "mostly plant-based diet" and occasionally consumes eggs.[19] He is married to Meghan McDermott. The couple's first child was born in 2015,[20] and their second in 2017.[21]