Lorraine Bracco

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Lorraine Bracco
Lorraine Bracco.jpg
Lorraine Bracco, 2007
Born (1954-10-02) October 2, 1954 (age 58)
New York, NY, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 1979–present
Spouse(s) Daniel Guerard (m. 1979–1982)
Edward James Olmos (m. 1994–2002)
Partner(s) Harvey Keitel (1982–1993)

Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the HBO series The Sopranos and as Karen Hill in the 1990 Martin Scorsese film Goodfellas. She currently appears as Angela Rizzoli on the TNT series Rizzoli & Isles.

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Early life [edit]

Bracco as a senior in high school, 1972.

Bracco was born in the Brooklyn, New York City neighborhood of Bay Ridge. She is the daughter of Eileen (née Molyneux) and Salvatore Bracco, Sr.[2] Bracco grew up in Westbury, on Barry Drive on Long Island. She graduated from Hicksville High School in 1972. Her father was of Italian descent, while her mother was born in England, to French parents.[3][4] Bracco is fluent in English, French, and Italian.

Career [edit]

In 1974 Bracco moved to France, where she became a fashion model for Jean-Paul Gaultier. While there, she was introduced to the director and novelist Lina Wertmuller. In the early 1970s, Wertmuller recruited Bracco in a new film production titled Camorra. "She dressed me up like an Italian woman of no means. A street woman clad in disheveled clothes, hair unkempt and all that, and threw me on the set. She was so creative. I mean, Lina accentuated my eyes with dark make-up, the way Sophia Loren used to appear in those epic roles in the '60s. And talk about talent. She's so bright and perceptive. I mean, she's just fantastic. And yes, I learned a lot from her. She's a master of her profession, and I've been blessed not only with her, but also with so many masters," recounted Bracco to Daniel Simone during an interview, which was published in the December 14, 2007 issue of Dan's Papers.[5]

Bracco acted in several French-language films. She also once worked as a disc jockey for Radio Luxembourg. She appeared as Paul Guilfoyle's hostage in the first season Crime Story episode "Hide and Go Thief". Her sister Elizabeth played a hostage in the series pilot. Her other films include Someone to Watch Over Me, Riding in Cars with Boys, The Basketball Diaries, Medicine Man, Radio Flyer and Hackers.

Bracco received her big career break when offered the role as the mobster-wife Karen Hill in Goodfellas, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, she won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress.

During the audition process for The Sopranos, David Chase wanted her to read for the lead female role of Carmela Soprano. However, Bracco had read the script and was drawn to the part of psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Bracco felt strongly enough about her ability and desire to play this part that she arranged a meeting with David Chase and talked him into letting her have a chance as Dr. Melfi.[6] It netted her three consecutive nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and at the Golden Globe awards for Best TV Actress in a Drama in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She lost out at the Emmys in 1999 and 2001 and at the Golden Globes in 2000 to her co-star Edie Falco. She was nominated again at the 2007 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, thus being pitted against The Sopranos co-star Aida Turturro for the award.

Personal life [edit]

Bracco has been married and divorced twice. Her first marriage was to Daniel Guerard from the late 1970s to the early 1980s, and they have one daughter, Margaux Guerard. She was in a 12-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel, and they have one daughter, Stella Keitel (1985). Bracco and Keitel had a lengthy custody battle over Stella; it caused her depression, cost her acting roles, and $2 million dollars in legal fees [7][8] Following a subsequent breakup with Keitel, she then married Edward James Olmos in 1994. Their marriage ended in 2002.

She is the owner of Bracco Wines, with association of Straight-Up Brands LLC.[9][10] Her line of wines was featured on the Season 1 finale of Bravo's show Top Chef in 2006. She appeared as a guest judge for the two-episode finale.[11] She also appeared as a special judge on Top Chef: All Stars in the episode titled, "An Offer They Can't Refuse" which featured Italian cuisine.

Bracco appeared on a season 6 episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay as a guest judge for the ravioli Throwdown.

Filmography [edit]

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1979 Duos sur canapé Bubble
1980 What Did I Ever Do to the Good Lord to Deserve a Wife Who Drinks in Cafes with Men? Barbara
1981 Fais gaffe à la gaffe! Margaux
1985 Un complicato intrigo di donne, vicoli e delitti (uncredited)
1987 Pick-Up Artist, TheThe Pick-Up Artist Carla
1987 Someone to Watch Over Me Ellie Keegan
1989 Sing Miss Lombardo
1989 Dream Team, TheThe Dream Team Riley
1989 Up to Date Sheila
1989 Sea of Love Denice Gruber (scenes deleted)
1990 Goodfellas Karen Hill
1991 Talent for the Game Bobbie
1991 Switch Sheila Faxton
1992 Medicine Man Dr. Rae Crane
1992 Radio Flyer Mary
1992 Traces of Red Ellen Schofield
1993 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Delores Del Ruby
1994 Being Human Anna
1995 Basketball Diaries, TheThe Basketball Diaries Jim's Mother
1995 Hackers Margo
1996 Liars, TheThe Liars Helene Miller
1997 Silent Cradle Helen Greg
2000 Ladies Room Gemma
2001 Riding in Cars with Boys Mrs. Teresa Donofrio
2001 Tangled Det. Anne Andersle
2003 Death of a Dynasty Enchante R&B Singer #2
2005 Crazy for Love Sheila
2010 Love & Distrust N/A Director
2011 Son of Morning Leda
2012 Bensonhurst Spelling Bee, TheThe Bensonhurst Spelling Bee Short film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Commissaire Moulin Jenny Episode: "Le transfuge"
1986 Crime Story Hostage Episode: "Hide and Go Thief"
1993 Scam Maggie Rohrer TV movie
1994 Getting Gotti Diane Giacalone TV movie
1996 Reckoning Kits Maitland TV movie
1998 Taking of Pelham One Two Three, TheThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three Det. Ray TV movie
1999–2007 Sopranos, TheThe Sopranos Dr. Jennifer Melfi 86 episodes
2001 Sex in Our Century Narrator TV movie
2003 Custody of the Heart Claire Raphael TV movie
2005 Law & Order: Trial by Jury Karla Grizano Episode: "Vigilante"
2007 Snowglobe Rose Moreno TV movie
2008 Long Island Confidential Norah Larkin TV movie
2008 Lipstick Jungle Janice Lasher Episode: "Nothing Sacred"
Episode: "Pink Poison"
2010 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Halfway House Matron Episode "Disciple"
2010– Rizzoli & Isles Angela Rizzoli Supporting Main Character
2011 I Married a Mobster Narrator 10 episodes

Bibliography [edit]

See also [edit]

References [edit]

  1. ^ Lorraine Bracco, On the Couch, p. 38
  2. ^ http://www.nyjnews.com/obits/Obit1.php?pid=3103578
  3. ^ http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-10-15/features/8703170821_1_lorraine-bracco-gun-cops
  4. ^ Witchel, Alex (September 27, 1990). "A Mafia Wife Makes Lorraine Bracco a Princess". The New York Times. 
  5. ^ [1][dead link]
  6. ^ On the Couch, Lorraine Bracco
  7. ^ http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/people/features/1983/#print Scenes From a Bad Movie Marriage John Lombardi Jan 12 1998 NY Mag
  8. ^ Lorraine Bracco, On the Couch, p. 129
  9. ^ "Bracco Wines". 
  10. ^ "Straight up brands". 
  11. ^ "Episode 12: The Challenge". BravoTV.com. 

External links [edit]
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