Michael Bernardi, a second-generation actor began his career as early as 9 years of age working as a child stand-up comic. During that time, he acquired the nickname of "Wonderboy", a name also given to his father when he was a child performing in the Yiddish theatre. He attended SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Performing Arts and Strasberg Institute during 2003, finishing his training around 2007. Soon after, Michael began his screen career in 2008 with the romance comedy The House Bunny (2008), starring Anna Faris. The next year in 2009, Michael did work on Monk (2002). He worked in two Jim Wynorski films, beginning with Dinocroc vs. Supergator (2010) followed by another creature-horror flick Camel Spiders (2011). He also appeared in the comedy Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star (2011), starring Christina Ricci and Nick Swardson.

Michael Bernardi's father, the actor Herschel Bernardi, was one of several actors to play the lead role of Tevye the Dairyman in the original Broadway production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. In 2015, Michael C. Bernardi made his Broadway debut playing Mordcha the Innkeeper and the understudy for Tevye in a revival of Fiddler on the Roof.