Aahana Swrup
‘Song Sung Blue’ presents a moving musical story about a dynamic duo who navigate through their love, life, and music together. Shortly after their fateful meeting, Mike Sardina and Claire Stengl put together a tribute band for Neil Diamond, dubbing themselves Lightning and Thunder, a new Milwaukee-based performing act. As they begin booking state fairs, festivals, and other local gigs, they dream of making it big and actualizing their aspirations as musicians. Somewhere along the line, the two also fall in love, going from a two-person partnership on the stage to their personal life as well.
This brings together their two families, including their respective children from previous marriages. From young Dana to teenage step-siblings Rachel and Angelina, all Sardina kids form a significant support system around Mike and Claire, helping them through life’s thick and thin. Consequently, given their foundational role in the musician duo’s lives, fans are bound to grow intrigued about the real Sardina couple’s off-screen children.
Rachel, Dana, and Angelina Have Real-Life Counterparts in Mike and Claire Sardina’s Real Children
The Craig Brewer-directed ‘Song Sung Blue’ is a musical drama that is deeply rooted in the real-life stories of its central protagonists, Mike and Claire Sardina. The film itself is based on Greg Kohs’ eponymous documentary, which digs deep into the musical duo’s life, career, and inspirational love story, which ends in a devastating tragedy. As a result, even though the film employs its fair share of fictionalized divergences that serve a more dramatic and cinematic purpose, the story remains grounded in the reality of the Sardina couple and their experiences as Lightning and Thunder. Consequently, the characters Mike and Claire’s on-screen children, Angelina, Rachel, and Dana, also remain similarly rooted in reality. IN real life, Mike Sardina had two children, Angelina and Michael Jr., from his previous marriage to Diane Annunziata. Likewise, Claire Sardina, née Stingl, has two children, Rachel and Dayna Cartwright.
After Mike and Claire Sardina tied the knot, they became stepparents to their spouses’ children. Although the film strives for a sense of realism in depicting the story of the Neil Diamond tribute band duo, it also dodges the biographical tag by embracing a few key changes in the on-screen narrative. Perhaps one of the biggest changes from fact to on-screen fiction stems from the film’s portrayal of Angelina as an only child. In real life, Mike Sardina also had a son, Michael Sardina Jr., who was unfortunately not included in the film. Yet, reportedly, both Michael and Angelina were involved in the film’s development process as paid consultants, providing insight into their father’s life and career. Therefore, even though the project leans into some fictionality, like other aspects of its storytelling, the characters of the Sardina children remain rooted in real-life inspiration.
Rachel Cartwright is an Aspiring Actress Who is Currently Working on Her Biography
Rachel Cartwright, Claire Sardina’s eldest daughter, continues to remain close to her mother. At the time of writing, she resides near Wisconsin Dells, a scenic tourist city in Wisconsin. She got married to Mike Landeck, her partner of 10 years, in 2025, and has adopted two dogs and one cat with him. She and Landeck are also partners in business, as owners of the CBD Therapeutics of Wisconsin, a company that specializes in hemp and CBD products. Although the company used to have a retail store, it has since shifted its business model to an online basis. Cartwright has also hosted a Landright’s Angel Program to help people afford CBD. The couple also runs CBD workshops and offers CBD-incorporated yoga classes and massage. Furthermore, the owner expanded the business by adding a new facet through Cannabliss Event Services, offering partnerships with Married in Milwaukee for hemp-themed weddings.
Outside of Cartwright’s CBD family-owned business, she’s also an aspiring actress who is a part of the SAG-AFTRA union. In the past few years, she has made brief appearances on projects like the drama series ‘Always and Everyone’ and ‘Appleseed Lake.’ She also had a cameo in ‘Song Sung Blue,’ during one of the ‘Sweet Caroline’ music numbers. The actress is dedicated to pursuing her cinematic dreams. Furthermore, she is also working on penning her biography to share her life story with the world. Recently, she has been making appearances for the premieres of ‘Song Sung Blue’ with her mother, Claire Sardina. On December 2, 2025, she attended the film’s Milwaukee premiere, where her paths crossed with actor Hugh Jackman as well as filmmaker Craig Brewer.
Michael Sardina Jr. Claims Song Sung Blue Destroys His Father’s Legacy
Michael Sardina Jr. served on ‘Song Sung Blue’ as a consultant, alongside his sister, Angelina, to provide help with preserving realism and authenticity in dramatizing the life of their father, Mike Sardina. Yet, despite his behind-the-scenes involvement in the film, Sardina Jr. accuses Craig Brewer’s film of being full of lies. Notably, his reaction to the film remains starkly different from Clair Sardina and her family, who seem highly supportive of the cinematic endeavor. “Everybody thinks it’s such a wonderful film, it’s so touching. It’s all lies,” Sardina Jr. claims in an interview with Daily Mail. “And it steals all the hard work that my father put in his entire life so that Claire (Sardina), Rachel (Cartwright), and Dayna (Cartwright) can soak up a massive paycheck.” He also alleges that he was “purposefully” cut out of the film after working on it as a consultant for $30,000.
In talking about actors Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, Sardina Jr. further said, “Every interview that those monsters have been on national television don’t even mention my existence at all, even though I was the most prevalent force in my father’s life, even when I wasn’t in Wisconsin, because I’m his only son.” He added, “They didn’t even try to contact me. They didn’t try to get more information. They could have very easily asked Craig (Brewer).” For now, Sardina Jr. hopes to shine a light on the truth about his father’s story. He’s also reportedly pursuing a lawsuit against the production companies involved in the film’s creation. Alternatively, he claims to have also developed an yet-unreleased incorruptible AI interface.
Angelina Sardina is Married and Owns a Pet Service Business
Much like her brother, Michael Sardina Jr., Angelina Sardina, who also served as a consultant on the film, harbors some complaints against her father’s portrayal in ‘Song Sung Blue.’ “I mean, yes, it’s a great story,” She told Daily Mail. “It’s a beautiful story, but that’s not how it went down. And I guess that’s what’s upsetting because it’s a lie.” In the same interview, she claimed that the only true aspect of the film stems from its depiction of the real love between her father, Mike Sardina, and stepmother, Claire Sardina. Both Angelina and her brother were invited to the New York premiere of the film on December 11, which they attended. At the event, the pet service business owner allegedly chatted with Kate Hudson’s mother, Goldie Hawn, while her brother introduced himself to the lead actress. In her personal life, Angelina is a loving spouse to her wife Erian, with whom she has two children and is expecting a third.
Dayna Cartwright Lives a Private Life In Arizona
Among the Sardina-Cartwright ste-sibling clan, Dayna Cartwright lives a fairly private life, outside of the public eye. He lives in Phoenix, Arizona, near Apache Junction, where his mother, Claire Sardina, spends half of her year with her musical partner, Toney Luciano. As a result, viewers will catch frequent glimpses of him on his musician mother’s social media platforms. Nonetheless, it doesn’t seem like Dayna himself maintains a public social media presence. On December 11, 2025, he accompanied his mother and sister, Rachel Cartwright, to the New York of ‘Song Sung Blue.’
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