Robert DiBella, a Bronx High School History Teacher by day, Screenwriter by Night.

Written By Andrew Jett

 Robert DiBella, a Bronx high school History teacher by day, Screenwriter by night. Could his ideas be the next big thing trending on Netflix.

DiBella, is a high school social studies teacher in the Bronx, but his passion is to become a successful screenwriter.  DiBella was born in Mineola, located on Long Island back in the 90s.  He always liked to write and started with writing his own standup comedy routines which he performed in clubs on Long Island and even at Carolines Comedy Club in Manhattan.  His first book was published in 2013, “Memoir Of A Variable” , a spy novel that I thought had a really clever title from a teacher who loves history and hated math.  

In 2019, DiBella also wrote the remake of the movie “The Bleeder” which is now called the “The Brawler” starring Zach McGowan playing Chuck Wepner the man who almost beat Muhumand Ali.  “The Brawler” which aired on Netflix led to DiBella’s friendship with McGowan who is best known for playing Charles Vane in Black Sails, a television show that was created for Starz.  After The Brawler completed filming, DiBella wrote a couple scripts with Mcgowan. DiBella says “Zach is the coolest guy you’ll ever meet! He’s not only a great actor but an incredible creative talent.”  Black Sails, a historical fiction pirate show is now trending on Netflix and is said to be the new “Game of Thrones”.  In addition to being a scriptwriter DiBella also wrote two short films “Redemption on Gun Hill Road” (2023) and “The Confined” (2017) both of these short films received very good reviews.  

Being a history buff, DiBella talks about one of his favorite places to see was Antietam Battlefield in Maryland. His favorite vacation spot is Florence Italy which he visited with his wife Lena.  He described it saying “It was the most beautiful place I have ever been and I would love to go back.”  He further stated “I love Florence, Italy, which is one of my favorite cities. There is so much incredible history and architecture there. It feels like another world and a step back in time. The food is so fresh and every building has a story.” I asked him if he and his wife  Lena would ever think of moving away and leaving New York.   New York is getting very expensive as is other states such as California and Florida.  DiBella told me it is hard living in New York and it is pricey but it is the place he loves and the place he wants to be. DiBella states as the saying says “once a New Yorker always a New Yorker” although this isn't true for all New Yorkers I found it very interesting the love he has for the place he grew up. 

When I asked DiBella whether he thinks of moving to California, a hot spot for film writers in the business, he responded ” No way! New York is expensive and a pain in the neck sometimes but it’s home and where all our family lives. I love that we can be in Manhattan one weekend and on a beach on Long Island the next, then hiking upstate somewhere in the woods.” I agree with DiBella on this, I love how close he is to family and how excited he is about the many opportunities that lie ahead living and working in New York.

As a writer DiBella faced some challenges. I asked him what his biggest challenge as a writer was. His answer was fascinating, especially as someone who has great knowledge of history being a history teacher. DiBella answered my question by saying  “So Help Me God, a Civil War movie that I wrote that really challenged me as a writer and a history teacher. It’s a true story about an artillery unit trying to save the Union. The unit is from right here in Flushing Queens, so I felt obligated to do right by these characters and tell a good story. The script has gotten a lot of positive attention so let’s hope it gets made!!!” Many writers can relate to this statement made by DiBella. It speaks to the amount of countless hours researching and verifying through as many sources you can to create an accurate and meaningful story.  

Understanding what it takes to be a writer, I asked DiBella if  being a high school history teacher just pays the bills. I was curious about knowing what he loves about being a teacher.  DiBella answered my question saying “Letting students know that there is a whole world out there to explore. Being a history teacher you get to teach about places all around the planet and get kids interested about other places. I just took a group of forty six high schoolers to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and it was great to see them taking pictures of artifacts and getting excited about history.” DiBella's answer shows that he doesn't just love the topic he teaches, he loves teaching his students and has a deep passion for his profession. 

One of the most interesting things about DiBella is that he is not scared to be as creative as possible. He believes if you have a creative thought write it down and build on it. I have known DiBella my entire life, he is my older cousin and for many years both of us have talked about our enthusiasm for movies and television shows.  DiBella's current favorite television show is “Homeland” , an espionage thriller starring Claire Danes. To this day, I always ask DiBella for creative writing advice and he is a huge help and inspiration.  DiBella has inspired me to want to be a writer and I cherish that. From playing video games to sitting down and having a big meal we are always coming up with new creative ideas that can be the subject of a masterpiece TV series.

DiBella’s hobbies and enjoyments are creative writing, teaching, traveling, and playing video games.  His favorite quote is  “If we weren’t all crazy we would all go insane”- Jimmy Buffet. He loves this quote because it reminds him to be himself and that everyone has something going on in their life and we just need to relax and live. I found this statement to be very wise and an understanding of the human experience. I believe one day DiBella’s creative screenwriting ideas will make it big and continue to grow.