Marisa Tomei

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Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei, April 2008
Born December 4, 1964 (1964-12-04) (age 43)
Brooklyn, New York
Occupation actress
Years active 1983–present

Marisa Tomei (born December 4, 1964) is an Academy Award-winning American film and stage actress.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Tomei, an Italian American,[1][2] was born in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of Patricia "Addie", an English teacher, and Gary A. Tomei, a trial lawyer.[3] She has a younger brother, Adam, and was partly raised by her paternal grandparents, Rita and Romeo Tomei.[4] Tomei grew up in Midwood.[5] While there she became captivated by the Broadway shows that her theater-loving parents took her to, and became drawn to acting as a career. After graduating from Edward R. Murrow High School she attended Boston University for a year, then transferred to New York University in 1983 after landing a role in the soap opera As The World Turns. Soon after, she dropped out of school altogether as her career began to take off.

[edit] Career

Tomei followed up As the World Turns in 1987 with a role on the sitcom A Different World. Her breakthrough performance came in My Cousin Vinny (1992), for which she won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. After her Oscar win, she received a Screen Actor's Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Female Supporting Actor for Unhook the Stars. Next, she received an American Comedy Award nomination for Funniest Supporting Actress for Slums of Beverly Hills. She was nominated for a Satellite Award as Best Supporting Actress for What Women Want.

She received a second Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for In The Bedroom (2001). Tomei has also done substantial work in the theater, including taking lead roles on Broadway in Wait Until Dark (1998) and Salomé (2003), and many Off-Broadway plays.

In 1996, Tomei made a guest appearance on the sitcom Seinfeld, playing herself in "The Cadillac, Part 1" and "2". She has also made an appearance on The Simpsons, as a movie star who falls in love with Ned Flanders. In 2005, Tomei featured in an ad campaign for Hanes with the slogan "Look who we've got our Hanes on now", featuring various other celebrities including Michael Jordan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Damon Wayans, Matthew Perry and, on Spanish-language advertising, Aracely Arambula and Pablo Montero.

In 2006, Tomei had a recurring role on the TV series Rescue Me, playing Johnny's ex-wife Angie. In 2007, she returned to the big screen in the Sidney Lumet-directed Before the Devil Knows You're Dead opposite co-stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Ethan Hawke. This role received extra attention for the usually modest Tomei, who had nude love scenes with both Hoffman and Hawke.

[edit] Personal life

In the early 1990s, Tomei dated Robert Downey, Jr. (her co-star in Only You). In 1999, she dated actor Dana Ashbrook and had a relationship with Frankie Pugliese. She tends to keep her personal life away from the media. Even though Tomei dropped out of college, she received an Honorary Degree from Boston University.[6] She is currently dating former WWE Superstar Vito LoGrasso.

[edit] Filmography

Year Film Role Other notes
1984 The Flamingo Kid Mandy
1985 The Toxic Avenger Health Club Girl uncredited
1986 Playing for Keeps Tracy
1991 Oscar Lisa Provolone
Zandalee Remy
1992 My Cousin Vinny Mona Lisa Vito Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Equinox Rosie Rivers
Chaplin Mabel Normand
1993 Untamed Heart Caroline
1994 The Paper Martha Hackett
Only You Faith Corvatch
1995 The Perez Family Dorita Evita Perez
Four Rooms Margaret
1996 Unhook the Stars Monica Warren
1997 A Brother's Kiss Missy
Welcome to Sarajevo Nina
1998 Slums of Beverly Hills Rita Abromowitz
2000 Happy Accidents Ruby Weaver
The Watcher Dr. Polly Beilman
What Women Want Lola
King of the Jungle Det. Costello
Dirk and Betty Paris
2001 In the Bedroom Natalie Strout Nominated - Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Someone Like You Liz
2002 The Wild Thornberrys Movie Bree Blackburn voice
Just a Kiss Paula
The Guru Lexi
2003 Anger Management Linda
2004 Alfie Julie
2005 Loverboy Sybil
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School Meredith Morrison
Factotum Laura
2006 Danika Danika
2007 Grace Is Gone Woman at Pool
Wild Hogs Maggie
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead Gina Hanson
2008 War, Inc. Natalie Hegalhuzen
2009 The Wrestler Cassidy post-production

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Awards
Preceded by
Mercedes Ruehl
for The Fisher King
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
1992
for My Cousin Vinny
Succeeded by
Anna Paquin
for The Piano
Persondata
NAME Tomei, Marisa
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Actress
DATE OF BIRTH December 4, 1964
PLACE OF BIRTH Brooklyn, New York
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH