Mortelliti was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His family moved to Washington Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey in 1982, where he spent his childhood with his mother, Marilyn Mortelliti, father, Nicholas Mortelliti, older brother, Gregory and younger brother Adam. He was raised Roman Catholic and graduated from Washington Township High School in 1998. Mortelliti began studying violin at the age of 8 and was also a competitive gymnast most of his childhood. Mortelliti's first theatrical experience was in a D.A.R.E. to keep kids off drugs program assembly where he was chosen by his 5th grade teacher to play the victim of a drug overdose. Upon entering middle school at Orchard Valley Middle School, Justin became drawn to musical theater, appearing on stage as a Dodo Bird in Alice in Wonderland, The Lion in The Wizard of Oz and Aladdin in Aladdin. In 8th grade, Justin auditioned for the role of Oliver in a local theater's production of the musical and won the title role. From there he moved on to his first professional theatrical performances at The Ritz Theatre when he appeared in Oliver, Gypsy and Oklahoma. Justin continued performing throughout high school in musicals and plays including, Bye Bye Birdie (as Randolph Macafee), The Pirates of Penzance (Frederic), Leader of the Pack (Jeff Barry) and Grease (Danny Zuko) and joined a local summer theater group called The Gloucester County Summer Drama Workshop. Around this time, Justin began writing music for fun. In 1996, a local talent agent spotted Justin in one of the school plays and he began auditioning professionally, leaving school on a regular basis to board a Greyhound bus to NYC for auditions.
Mortelliti was accepted into the acting conservatory Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University where he earned his BFA in acting and theater arts. He also studied in London, England at The London Academy of Theater.
Mortelliti is married to fellow actor Mark Evans. and together they have one child, a daughter, Larsen Jean.

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