Leah Remini
| Leah Remini | |
|---|---|
| Born | Leah Marie Remini June 15, 1970 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, model |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouse | Angelo Pagán (2003–present; 1 child) |
| Website | |
| LeahRemini.com | |
Leah Marie Remini (born June 15, 1970) is an American actress and model. She is best known for her role as Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens and as Stacey Carosi on the NBC sitcom Saved by the Bell. She was also one of the co-hosts on daytime CBS network talk show/series, The Talk before being fired for reasons not disclosed.
Contents |
[edit] Early life
Leah Remini was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, the daughter of Vicki Marshall, a private school teacher, and George Remini, who owned an asbestos removal company.[1] Her mother is of Austrian Jewish background and her father was Sicilian.[2][3] Remini has an older sister, Nicole Remini (born 1969), who was her assistant on The King of Queens. She also has four half-sisters, including Christina (born 1969).[4]
Remini moved to Los Angeles at the age of 13 with her mother.[2] When Remini was 14, she left school and worked as a hostess at a restaurant while auditioning for acting jobs.[5]
[edit] Television career
One of Remini's early television roles was on Who's The Boss as Charlie Briscoe, which led to a spin off series entitled "Living Dolls" where Remini starred with Halle Berry. Remini also starred on Saved by the Bell, where she played Stacey Carosi. She then appeared in two short-lived series, First Time Out and Fired Up. In 1994, Remini auditioned for the role of Monica Geller in "Friends" but the role went to Courtney Cox; However, she did appear in a 1995 episode. In 1998, Remini landed the role of Carrie Heffernan on the CBS sitcom The King of Queens. During her time on the show, she had a supporting role in the comedy film, Old School (2003). Remini also starred in her own reality show which aired on VH1. The King of Queens ran for nine seasons, from September 21, 1998 to May 14, 2007. Since The King of Queens ended, Remini has starred in nine-episode webisodes of In the Motherhood, along with Chelsea Handler and Jenny McCarthy. She has made two guest appearance on Chelsea Lately. On December 15, 2009, Remini appeared as Carrie Heffernan on Lopez Tonight with George Lopez as Doug Heffernan in an episode reuniting the cast of the George Lopez sitcom.[6] In fall of 2011 Leah Remini signed a talent deal with ABC.[7]
- The Talk
- Remini was a co-host on The Talk, a talk show which premiered October 18, 2010, on CBS. Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Holly Robinson Peete, and Sharon Osbourne were her co-hosts. The show is similar to The View and seeks to address motherhood and contemporary issues.[8] Remini drew criticism within the first week of the show's debut, accused of being too loud and obtrusive. It was stated on one episode that she had received a significant amount of negative Twitter tweets about it. Remini addressed the issue, stating she refused to change who she is and asserted that thousands of fans like her for who she is. Her co-hosts supported her response.[9] The network did not, however, and she was not asked to return to the show after the end of the first season. Just weeks after Remini was let go, her former co-host, Holly Robinson Peete, was also informed that her contract wasn't being renewed either.
- Failure to ever disclose why Remini and Robinson were each let go brought on criticism of the show and protests from the stars' fans. [10] [11] While there was speculation that their former Talk co-host, Julie Chen, had involvement in the decision as she's married to the CBS President and CEO, Leslie Moonves, it was Sharon Osbourne, their other former Talk co-host, who explained their dismissals, stating: "Some people dont really know who they are. And you have to know who you are when you're in something like this." [12]
- While co-hosting The Talk, Remini turned down various parts on situation comedies, stating that any new role would make her feel she were cheating on Doug Heffernan, her character's husband on The King of Queens. She also stated she needs more time for her daughter, Sofia.[13]
Remini and Peete appeared on The Young and the Restless on July 28, 2011.[14]
In October 2011, it was announced that Remini signed a talent development deal at ABC and ABC Studios, which requires the network and the studio to develop a comedy project for Remini to star in and produce.[15]
[edit] Personal life
On July 19, 2003, Remini married actor Angelo Pagán who also appeared on The King of Queens as Rico and other various characters.[16] They have a daughter, Sofia Bella, born on June 16, 2004. Remini is a member of The Church of Scientology.[3] In December 2005, she helped promote the gala opening of Church of Scientology's "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" Museum.[17] Responding to criticism of Scientology during an interview on CNN, Remini said:[3]
| “ | If somebody is going to get turned off about something because of what they read or heard, then that person's not smart enough to even enter a church. If you're really against something, then know what you're against. | ” |
[edit] Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | Critics and Other Freaks | Actress at Audition | |
| 1998 | Follow Your Heart | Angie | |
| 2003 | Old School | Lara Campbell | |
| Television | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Head of the Class | 1 episode | |
| 1989 | Who's the Boss? | Charlie Briscoe | 2 episodes |
| Living Dolls | Charlie Briscoe | 12 episodes | |
| 1990 | Normal Life | Carol | 1 episode |
| 1991 | Paradise | Rose | 1 episode |
| The Hogan Family | Joanne | 1 episode | |
| The Man in the Family | Tina Bavasso | 6 episodes | |
| Saved by the Bell | Stacey Carosi | 6 episodes | |
| 1991–1993 | Cheers | Serafina Tortelli | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Blossom | Ellen | 1 episode |
| Getting Up and Going Home | Stephanie O'Neil | Television movie | |
| 1993 | Evening Shade | Daisy | 3 episodes |
| Harlan & Merleen | Frankie | Television movie | |
| 1994 | The Commish | Gail Ross | 1 episode |
| Renegade | Tina | 1 episode | |
| 1994–1995 | Phantom 2040 | Sagan Cruz (Voice) | 8 episodes |
| 1995 | Star Witness | Television movie | |
| Diagnosis: Murder | Agnes Benedetto | 1 episode | |
| Friends | Lydia | 1 episode, "The One with the Birth" | |
| First Time Out | Dominique Costellano | 12 episodes | |
| 1996 | Biker Mice from Mars | Carbine (Voice) | 2 episodes |
| NYPD Blue | Angela Bohi | 1 episode | |
| 1997–1998 | Fired Up | Terry Reynolds | 28 episodes |
| 1998–2007 | The King of Queens | Carrie Heffernan | 207 episodes |
| 2002 | Legend of the Lost Tribe | Koala (Voice) | Television movie |
| 2005 | Fat Actress | Herself | 4 episodes |
| 2007–2008 | In the Motherhood | Kim | 8 episodes |
| 2009 | Married Not Dead | Jessica | Television movie |
| 2009 | Lopez Tonight | Carrie Heffernan | Cameo appearance |
| 2010-2011 | The Talk | Herself | Talk Show |
| 2011 | The Young and the Restless | Herself | 1 episode |
| Video Games | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1993 | Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers | Grace Nakimura | Voice |
[edit] References
- ^ "Leah Remini Biography (1970-)". Filmreference.com. http://www.filmreference.com/film/47/Leah-Remini.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b Brady, James (2003-10-26). "Leah Rimini (TV and film actress)". http://www.parade.com/articles/editions/2003/edition_10-26-2003/in_step_with_0. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ a b c Sieberg, Daniel (2001-04-20). "Leah Remini:Working hard as a queen among kings". CNN.com. http://archives.cnn.com/2001/CAREER/jobenvy/04/20/leah/index.html. Retrieved 2009-06-15.
- ^ The Bob Rivers Show: Leah Remini, star of 'King of Queens'
- ^ Michael A., Lipton (1999-03-29). "Tough Love". People (http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20127813,00.html) 51 (11).
- ^ Lynette, Rice (2009-03-25). "‘In the Motherhood’: Thanks, but no thanks, for your ideas, mommies!". ew.com. http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2009/03/25/in-the-mother-1/. Retrieved 2009-07-21.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Leah Remini Signs Talent Deal With ABC –". Deadline.com. http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/leah-remini-signs-talent-deal-with-abc/. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ^ Domanick, Andrea (August 11, 2010). "CBS' 'The Talk' to Premiere Oct. 18". Broadcasting and Cable. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/455932-CBS_The_Talk_to_Premiere_Oct_18.php.
- ^ "'The Talk': Let's talk ... what did you think? - Pop2it - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. 2010-10-18. http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/2010/10/the-talk-lets-talk-what-did-you-think.html. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ^ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/talk-leah-remini-holly-robinson-232147
- ^ http://perezhilton.com/2011-11-04-holly-robinson-peete-opens-up-about-being-fired-from-the-talk
- ^ http://www.eonline.com/news/howard_stern_gets_talk_hosts_finally/280413#ixzz1lrlsRcpC
- ^ "The Jacksonville Observer » Leah Remini Admits ‘The Talk’ Is Harder Than She Thought". Jaxobserver.com. 2011-03-01. http://www.jaxobserver.com/2011/03/01/leah-remini-admits-the-talk-is-harder-than-she-thought/. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
- ^ SoapOperaDigest. Comings & Goings; pg. 12. August 2, 2011 issue.
- ^ http://www.deadline.com/2011/10/leah-remini-signs-talent-deal-with-abc/
- ^ "I Do, I Do, I Do!". People 60 (8). 2003-08-23. http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20140871,00.html.
- ^ Vargas, Sibila (2005-12-20). "Showbiz Tonight". CNN. http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0512/20/sbt.01.html. Retrieved 2006-06-08.
[edit] External links
- 1970 births
- Actors from New York City
- American film actors
- American people of Austrian-Jewish descent
- American people of Italian descent
- American people of Jewish descent
- American people of Sicilian descent
- American Scientologists
- American television actors
- American television talk show hosts
- American voice actors
- Converts from Judaism
- Living people
- People from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn
