Linda Fiorentino
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Linda Fiorentino (born Clorinda Fiorentino on March 9, 1960 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American actress noted for her dark beauty and husky voice. She is known for her roles in films such as Dogma, Vision Quest, Men in Black, and The Last Seduction, perhaps her signature role, where she plays femme fatale Bridget, almost the textbook example of a murderous seductress in a modern film noir.
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[edit] Early life
Fiorentino, an Italian American,[1] graduated from Washington Township High School, in Sewell, New Jersey and was a graduate of Rosemont College, Rosemont, Pennsylvania at only 20 years old. She was encouraged by a professor to study acting and she is an alumna of Circle in the Square Acting School in New York City. She lived in Hell's Kitchen section of New York City with another struggling actor, Bruce Willis.
[edit] Career
Fiorentino got her first professional acting role in 1985 when she starred in the movie Vision Quest. It was not until 1994 that she was widely recognized, when she received rave reviews and accolades for her performance in the movie The Last Seduction. Because it was aired on HBO television, rather than being presented in motion-picture theaters, she was ineligible to get any hypothetical Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, despite glowing reviews and accolates. Despite some reports of her being difficult to work with, the director John Dahl cast her again in Unforgettable, and he would work with her again later. Her co-star, Anthony Edwards, from Gotcha! has also directed her in one of his films. The 1992 movie Chain of Desire presents a singing performance by her character, although whether or not she is actually singinging that song is unknown.
Since 2002, after a series of unsuccessful projects, Fiorentino has kept a low profile and her most recent film role, in Liberty Stands Still received little attention, because it was filmed months before, and it was released a few months after the tragic events of September 11, 2001, which might have been why it was never really promoted.
Fiorentino has been seen attending political functions such as the screening of Street Smart, and also attended a dinner for the State of the Union dinner in New York City in 2006. She is currently working on the untitled "Tina Modotti" project based on the biography of Modotti's life.
[edit] Personal life
She was married to director John Byrum for a time, but they divorced in 1993. Her family includes two older brothers, her mother Clorinda, 5 younger sisters, and nieces and nephews. She splits her time between Westport, Connecticut and New York City.
[edit] Trivia
- In 2000, she donated $1,000 to the United States Senate campaign of Hillary Rodham Clinton.
- In 2001, Fiorentino was expected to play the American artist Georgia O'Keeffe with Sir Ben Kingsley. Unfortunately, the director and producers added quite sexual acts which she refused to do, since that was not in her contract. They sued Fiorentino, and then she countersued for defamation and over nudity requirements that were not initially proposed in the contract. She won the lawsuit in 2003, but that film was never made.
- Fiorentino has studied photography, off and on, since 1987 at the International Center of Photography in New York City.
- In 1995 she was placed 66th in the list of "100 Sexiest Stars in Film History" by Empire magazine.
- In 1997, she supposedly won the role in the science fiction comedy movie Men in Black during a poker game.
[edit] Selected filmography
- Spot and His Friends (2008) .... Os the Zebra
- Madagascar 2 (2008) .... Sammy the Giraffe (voice)
- One-Eyed Jacks and Suicide Kings....Director/Producer
- Untitled Tina Modotti Project....
- Liberty Stands Still (2002)....Liberty Wallace
- Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)(uncredited) .... Bethany Sloane
- Where the Money Is (2000) .... Carol MacKay
- Ordinary Decent Criminal (2000) .... Christine Lynch
- Dogma (1999) .... Bethany Sloane
- Body Count (1998) .... Natalie
- Men in Black (1997) .... Dr Laurel Weaver/"L"
- Larger Than Life (1996) .... Terry Bonura
- Unforgettable (1996) .... Dr. Martha Briggs
- Jade (1995) .... Trina Gavin
- The Desperate Trail (1994) .... Sarah O'Rourke
- The Last Seduction (1994) .... Bridget Gregory/Wendy Kroy
- Beyond the Law (1992) .... Renee Jason
- Chain of Desire (1992) .... Alma D'Angeli
- Shout (1991) .... Molly
- Strangers (1991) .... Helen
- The Moderns (1988)...Rachel
- Wildfire (1988) .... Kay
- After Hours (1985) .... Kiki Bridges
- Gotcha! (1985) .... Sasha
- Vision Quest (1985) .... Carla