Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei is a veteran actress of many theatrical productions on stage, TV, and film. She was born in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, NY, on December 4, 1964. Growing up, Marisa wanted to be an archeologist, however, at the age of 12 she saw the play "Chorus Line" and found the magic of the theatre. During her junior high school years she studied acting and dancing, and in the summers performed in plays at the Golden Bridge Colony in upstate New York.

After high school, Tomei attended Boston University. A friend encouraged her to continue actin and Marisa proceeded to find work with a small role in the movie "The Flamingo Kid", which amounted to only several lines. With this meager start and perseverance, Marisa next joined the cast of the daytime soap opera "As The World Turns" for the next eighteen months.

Her major stage debut was in the play 'Daughters', which won her a Theatre World Award. Her next accomplishment was in the Off-Broadway play 'Beirut', which won her a Dramalogue Award. She starred in the Afterschool Special, "Supermom's Daughter", which won an Emmy Award.

Marisa's big screen break came when she co-starred as Joe Pesci's hilariously foul-mouthed girlfriend in "My Cousin Vinny", a performance that won her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.