Marisa Tomei facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marisa Tomei
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Tomei at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival
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| Born | December 4, 1964 New York City, U.S.
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| Citizenship | United States, Italy |
| Education | Boston University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1983–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Partner(s) | Logan Marshall-Green (2008–2012) |
| Awards | Full list |
Marisa Tomei (born December 4, 1964) is a talented American actress. She is well-known for her funny role in the movie My Cousin Vinny (1992). This role helped her win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She was also nominated for the same award for her work in In the Bedroom (2001) and The Wrestler (2008).
Marisa Tomei started her acting career in TV shows like the soap opera As the World Turns (1983–1985). She also appeared in the first season of the sitcom A Different World (1987). Some of her other famous movies include Chaplin (1992), What Women Want (2000), and The Big Short (2015). Many young fans know her as May Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She played Aunt May in movies like Captain America: Civil War (2016) and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
Tomei is also a skilled stage actress. She was a founding member of the Naked Angels Theater Company. She made her Broadway debut in Wait Until Dark in 1998. She has received awards and nominations for her theater work too.
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Early life and beginnings
Marisa Tomei was born on December 4, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York City. Her mother, Adelaide "Addie" Bianchi, was an English teacher. Her father, Gary A. Tomei, was a lawyer. Marisa has a younger brother, Adam Tomei, who is also an actor. Her grandparents helped raise her.
Marisa's parents are both of Italian descent. Her family came from different parts of Italy, including Tuscany and Sicily. She finished high school at Edward R. Murrow High School in 1982.
Growing up in Brooklyn, Marisa loved going to Broadway shows with her parents. This made her want to become an actress. In junior high, she acted in a school play called How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. She also took dance classes. After high school, she studied at Boston University for one year.
Acting career highlights
Early roles and stage debut (1983–1991)
After her role in As the World Turns, Marisa Tomei joined the sitcom A Different World in 1987. Her first movie role was a small part in the 1984 comedy The Flamingo Kid. She played a waitress and had only one line. In 1986, she had a small role in the comedy film Playing for Keeps.
Marisa also started her stage career in 1987. She was 22 when she performed in the play Daughters. Her performance earned her great reviews and the Theatre World Award. She continued to act in plays like Beirut and What the Butler Saw. She also appeared in movies like Oscar (1991) with Sylvester Stallone.
Breakthrough and Oscar win (1992–1999)
Marisa Tomei became very famous after her role in the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny. She starred alongside Joe Pesci. Critics loved her performance. One critic said she was a "fine comedian." For this role, Tomei won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1993. She won against other well-known actresses.
After winning her Oscar, Tomei played silent film star Mabel Normand in the movie Chaplin. She acted with Robert Downey Jr., who played Charlie Chaplin. The next year, she starred in Untamed Heart with Christian Slater. They won the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss for their scene. Tomei had also won the MTV Movie Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for My Cousin Vinny the year before.
She continued to appear in movies like The Paper (1994) and Only You. She also received her first Screen Actors Guild award nomination for her role in Unhook the Stars. In 1998, she was nominated for an American Comedy Award for the movie Slums of Beverly Hills.
During the 1990s, Tomei also made TV appearances. She played herself in an episode of Seinfeld in 1996. She also voiced a character named Sara Sloane on The Simpsons. In 1998, she made her Broadway debut in the play Wait Until Dark.
Becoming an established actress (2000–2009)
In 2000, Tomei appeared in the comedy What Women Want with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. This movie was very successful. In 2001, she starred in the drama film In the Bedroom. This movie was nominated for a Best Picture award. Tomei received many awards for her role, including a ShoWest Award. Critics praised her performance, calling it her "finest screen role." In the Bedroom earned Tomei her second Academy Award nomination and her first Golden Globe Award nomination.
In 2003, Tomei was in the popular comedy Anger Management with Jack Nicholson and Adam Sandler. The next year, she appeared in Alfie with Jude Law. In 2006, Tomei had a role in the TV series Rescue Me. She won an award for her supporting role in this show. In 2007, she was in the comedy Wild Hogs, which was a very successful movie. She also starred in the drama films Grace is Gone and Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.
In 2008, Tomei played Cassidy, a dancer, in the film The Wrestler. Many critics said this was one of her best performances. The Hollywood Reporter said she gave "one of her most arresting performances." For this role, she was nominated for her first BAFTA, second Golden Globe, and third Academy Award.
Recent work and Marvel roles (2010–present)
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In 2010, Tomei appeared in the comedy-drama Cyrus. She also hosted the 2011 Scientific and Technical Awards. She starred in the mystery film The Lincoln Lawyer. Her other movies in 2011 included Crazy, Stupid, Love and The Ides of March.
In 2012, Tomei was featured on the TV show Who Do You Think You Are?. On the show, she traveled to Italy to learn about her family history. In 2014, she starred in the movie The Rewrite with Hugh Grant. She also appeared in the drama Love Is Strange.
From 2016 to 2021, Marisa Tomei played Aunt May in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She appeared in several popular superhero movies:
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019)
- Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)
She also took roles in the crime drama The Big Short (2015) and the comedy-drama The King of Staten Island (2020). In 2019, Tomei returned to Broadway in the play The Rose Tattoo. In 2023, she starred in the romantic comedy She Came to Me and the film Upgraded.
Personal life
Marisa Tomei was in a relationship with actor Logan Marshall-Green from 2008 to 2012. She has never been married. In 2009, she shared her thoughts on marriage, saying she wasn't a big fan of it as an institution.
Tomei supports voting and helps people get the ID they need to vote through an organization called VoteRiders.
Marisa Tomei has also explored her family history on TV shows like Who Do You Think You Are? and Finding Your Roots. On Finding Your Roots, she discovered that she is cousins with actress Julianne Moore.
Awards and recognition
Marisa Tomei won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in My Cousin Vinny (1992). She was also nominated for an Oscar for her roles in In the Bedroom (2001) and The Wrestler (2008). She has received many other nominations, including for a Daytime Emmy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.
See also
In Spanish: Marisa Tomei para niños
