Annabella Sciorra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Annabella Sciorra
Sciorra in 2008
Born	Annabella Gloria Philomena Sciorra (1960-03-29) March 29, 1960 (age 65) New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater	HB Studio American Academy of Dramatic Arts
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1988–present
Spouse(s)	Joe Petruzzi ​ ​ (m. 1989; div. 1993)​

Annabella Sciorra (pronounced SHOR-uh; born March 29, 1960) is an American actress. She became well-known after her first movie, True Love (1989). Throughout the 1990s, she appeared in many films. These included Jungle Fever (1991), The Hard Way (1991), The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992), The Addiction (1995), Cop Land (1997), and What Dreams May Come (1998).

Annabella Sciorra was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for her role as Gloria Trillo on the TV show The Sopranos (2001–2004). She also played Detective Carolyn Barek on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005–2006). More recently, she had recurring roles on GLOW (2018), Truth Be Told (2019–2020), and Tulsa King (2022). She has also performed on Broadway.

Annabella Sciorra's Early Life and Training

Annabella Sciorra was born in Brooklyn, New York City. Her parents were immigrants from Italy. Her mother was a fashion stylist, and her father was a veterinarian. When she was a child, Annabella studied dance. Later, she took acting classes at the Herbert Berghof Studio and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. These schools helped her learn how to act.

Annabella Sciorra's Acting Career

Starting Out: Film Debut and First Roles (1989–1990)

Annabella Sciorra began her professional acting career in 1988. She had a small part in a TV miniseries called The Fortunate Pilgrim. Her first big movie role was as Donna in True Love (1989). This was a romantic comedy-drama that won a special award at the Sundance Festival. Critics really liked her performance. One critic from The New York Times said she perfectly captured the movie's mood. For this role, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead. After this, she appeared in other important films like Internal Affairs, Cadillac Man, and Reversal of Fortune (all 1990). Reversal of Fortune even received three Oscar nominations.

Becoming Well-Known: Acclaimed Roles and Popular Movies (1991–2000)

In 1991, Annabella Sciorra co-starred in the comedy The Hard Way. She then gained a lot of attention for her role as Angie Tucci in the drama Jungle Fever. This movie was directed by Spike Lee and was considered for a major award at the Cannes Film Festival. Critics praised her acting in Jungle Fever. One reviewer from the Los Angeles Times said she had "considerable presence." Another from The New York Times wrote that she "shines" and "glows."

The next year, in 1992, Sciorra starred in the popular thriller The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. This movie was number one at the U.S. box office for four weeks. Critics noted her "accomplished performance" as Claire Bartel. This film is now seen as a classic example of 1990s thrillers.

Annabella Sciorra continued to work steadily through the 1990s. Her film roles included romantic leads in The Night We Never Met, Romeo Is Bleeding, and Mr. Wonderful (all 1993). She also worked with filmmaker Abel Ferrara on The Addiction (1995). Other notable films were Cop Land (1997) and the fantasy drama What Dreams May Come (1998). Film critic Roger Ebert called her performance in What Dreams May Come "heartbreakingly effective."

Television Success: The Sopranos and Other Shows (2001–Present)

In 2001, Annabella Sciorra was nominated for an Emmy Award. This was for her role as Gloria Trillo on the HBO series The Sopranos. This part was very important for her career. She played the character on and off until 2004. After that, she co-starred in the movie Find Me Guilty (2006), directed by Sidney Lumet. This film was based on a true story about a long Mafia trial. Critics called her performance "excellent."

She also had main roles in TV series like Queens Supreme (2003) and Mental (2009). She made guest appearances on shows such as The L Word, ER (both 2007), The Good Wife (2012), Blue Bloods, and CSI (both 2013). She had recurring roles as Detective Carolyn Barek on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2005–2006) and as Rosalie Biagi on GLOW (2018).

In 2018, Sciorra played Rosalie Carbone on the second season of Netflix's Luke Cage. The show's producer said he was a big fan of her work and that she was "no joke" in the role. She played Rosalie Carbone again in two episodes of Netflix's Daredevil later that year.

From 2019 to 2020, Annabella Sciorra played Erin Buhrman in the Apple TV+ drama Truth Be Told. Since then, she has appeared in recurring roles on New Amsterdam (2021), Godfather of Harlem (2021), Blue Bloods (2021–2022), and Tulsa King (2022).

Annabella Sciorra's Personal Life

Annabella Sciorra was married to actor Joe Petruzzi from 1989 to 1993. She was also in a relationship with actor Bobby Cannavale from 2004 to 2007.

Annabella Sciorra's Awards and Nominations

Annabella Sciorra has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations.

Images for kids

• 

  Annabella Sciorra in 2008