Lorraine Bracco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lorraine Bracco
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Bracco in 2007
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| Born | October 2, 1954 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Partner(s) | Harvey Keitel (1982–1993) |
| Children | 2 |
| Relatives | Elizabeth Bracco (sister) |
Lorraine Bracco (born October 2, 1954) is an American actress. She is well-known for her role as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the TV show The Sopranos. This show was about a crime family. She also had a very important role as Karen Hill in the movie Goodfellas.
Lorraine started her career as a fashion model in France. In the 1980s, she appeared in movies made in Italy. Her first English-language movie was The Pick-up Artist in 1987. She has been nominated for many top awards. These include an Academy Award and several Emmy Awards.
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Early life and beginnings
Lorraine Bracco was born on October 2, 1954. She grew up in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn, New York. Her parents were Eileen and Salvatore S. Bracco Sr. Lorraine has a sister, Elizabeth Bracco, who is also an actress. She also has a brother, Salvatore Jr.
Her father's family came from Italy. Her mother was born in England and had some French family. Her parents met during World War II. They got married in 1946. Lorraine's mother came to the United States as a war bride. Lorraine grew up in Hicksville, New York, on Long Island. She finished high school at Hicksville High School in 1972.
Career highlights
Starting in modeling and acting
In 1974, Lorraine Bracco moved to France. There, she became a fashion model for a famous designer named Jean-Paul Gaultier. She lived in France for about ten years. While she was still modeling, a playwright named Marc Camoletti asked her to be in a movie. It was called Duos sur canapé (1979).
Lorraine didn't think she could be an actress at first. She even said no. But she eventually made the movie. She found the experience "boring" and thought her acting was "terrible." Still, she acted in two more French movies to earn money. A friend suggested she take acting classes. She loved the lessons, which helped her decide to become an actress.
Breakthrough roles
Lorraine Bracco got her big break in 1990. She was offered the role of Karen Hill in the crime drama Goodfellas. This movie was directed by Martin Scorsese. Her performance was highly praised. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also received a Golden Globe nomination.
Some of her other movies include Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) and Switch (1991). She also appeared in Medicine Man (1992) and Hackers (1995).
Later, Lorraine auditioned for the TV show The Sopranos. The show's creator, David Chase, wanted her to play Carmela Soprano. But Lorraine had read the script. She really wanted to play Dr. Jennifer Melfi, a psychiatrist. She felt playing Dr. Melfi would be a new and exciting challenge. Lorraine convinced David Chase to let her try out for Dr. Melfi.
This role brought her many nominations. She was nominated three times for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards. She was also nominated three times for Best TV Actress in a Drama at the Golden Globe Awards.
Recent work
Lorraine Bracco also owns Bracco Wines. Her wines were shown on the TV show Top Chef in 2006. She was a guest judge on the show.
From 2010 to 2016, Bracco starred in the TV crime drama Rizzoli & Isles. She played Angela Rizzoli, the mother of the main character. She was in all 105 episodes of the show. She also had a role in the Showtime comedy series Dice starting in 2016. From 2017 to 2018, she played Mayor Margaret Dutton in the CBS show Blue Bloods.
In 2020, Bracco starred in an HGTV show called My Big Italian Adventure. The show followed her as she fixed up a 200-year-old house. She bought the house for just €1 in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. In 2022, she voiced Sofia the Seagull in the movie Pinocchio. In 2023, she starred as Meryl in the film Jacir.
Personal life
Lorraine Bracco married Daniel Guerard in 1979. They divorced in 1982. They have one daughter named Margaux Guerard.
Lorraine was in a relationship with actor Harvey Keitel for 12 years. They met when she lived in Paris. They have one daughter together, Stella Keitel, born in 1985.
Her second marriage was to actor Edward James Olmos in 1994. They divorced in 2002.
Lorraine Bracco practices Shotokan Karate, a type of martial art. In 2015, she wrote a self-help book. It was called To the Fullest: The Clean Up Your Act Plan to Lose Weight, Rejuvenate, and Be the Best You Can Be.
Images for kids
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Bracco as a senior in high school in 1972
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Bracco in 1997
See also
In Spanish: Lorraine Bracco para niños
- List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards
