Marisa Tomei

Marissa Tomei was born on December 4, 1964 in Brooklyn, New York. Her mother, Patricia "Addie" Tomei, is an English teacher and her father, Gary Tomei, is a lawyer. Her brother, Adam Tomei, is also an actor.

Tomei graduated from Edward R. Murrow High School in 1982 and the attended Boston University, though she dropped out after she was offered a role on the CBS daytime drama As the World Turns. Her first film appearance was a small part in movie, The Flamingo Kid (1984). She won fame and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress co-starring as Joe Pesci’s girlfriend in My Cousin Vinny (1992). She had starring roles in a string of films, including Untamed Heart (1993) and Only You (1994). Tomei has also done work in theater, both in Broadway and Off-Broadway plays. Recently, she has had a recurring role on the FX firefighter series Rescue Me.

Tomei has dual citizenship in the US and Italy. She is not married, but tends to keep her love life out of the tabloids.