Lorraine Bracco – From Brooklyn to Hollywood
Lorraine Bracco was born in Brooklyn and grew up in a family of Italian-Americans. She attended Hicksville Italian Americansng Island.
Her acting career took off when Martin Scorsese cast her as mobster-wife Karen Hill in 1990’s Goodfellas, a classic box office and critical success. She would go on to star in The Sopranos and a number of other films.
How She Got Started
Lorraine Bracco got started in the film industry as a model. She first moved to Paris to pursue a modeling career and then made a few small roles in movies before returning stateside to focus on acting.
She starred in a few European films before getting her big break in the 1980s. She was cast in Lina Wertmuller’s Italian-language film Camorra, which paired her with her then-husband Harvey Keitel.
In 1987, Bracco earned a supporting role in Ridley Scott’s Someone to Watch Over Me. She would go on to star in a number of other movies.
Then she became an Academy Award-nominated actress for her role in Goodfellas, which also starred Ray Liotta. She was also nominated for an Emmy for her work on HBO’s The Sopranos.
Goodfellas
Goodfellas is one of Martin Scorsese’s greatest masterpieces, a stunning and accurate portrayal of the depravity and violence in mob life. The film tells the story of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta), who is a young gangster in 1970, as he and his friends Jimmy “the Gent” Conway [Robert De Niro] and Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci) become involved in activities that aren’t approved by the rest of the mob.
Bracco’s role as Karen Hill is a powerful performance, as she balances the ugliness of her husband’s crimes with her own personal desperation and jealousy. Her performance earned her an Oscar nomination.
Goodfellas is an amazing movie that will be enjoyed by all ages. Despite the harsh language and drug use it isn’t glorifying those activities and is a great movie for your kids to watch. They will learn about the evil of gangsters and how to protect themselves from them. It also helps teach them to respect their parents and not be afraid to do what they want in life.
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is one of the most iconic series of all time, a mob drama created by David Chase that chronicles the tumultuous life of Tony Soprano (James Gandolfini), an Italian-American crime boss who struggles to balance his family and his criminal life. During the course of six seasons, Tony faces frequent panic attacks and is threatened by rival gangs.
In his spare time, Tony enjoys classic rock music like Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, Eric Clapton and Steely Dan. He is a huge fan of his daughter Meadow Soprano, and hopes that she will follow in his footsteps as a doctor and escape the violence and gangster lifestyle.
As a father, Tony has a close relationship with his son Anthony Soprano and his daughter Meadow. They are involved in sports and attend a lot of events. The two children are very intelligent but rebellious, and they have their own issues with their dad’s crime activities.
Other Films
Bracco has starred in many films over the years. Her best known role is as Karen Hill in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. She has also starred in The Sopranos, Jerk, and Rizzoli & Isles.
She has a distinct Brooklyn accent and has been nominated for several awards, including the Academy Award. She is the author of a best-selling memoir, On the Couch, and a diet and nutrition book, To the Fullest, published by Rodale Books in Winter 2015.
A model who was born in Brooklyn, New York, Lorraine Bracco began her career modeling for Wilhelmina. She made her film debut in 1979 with the French-directed Duos Sur Canape, and went on to star in other movies such as The Pick-up Artist, Someone to Watch Over Me, Switch, Riding in Cars with Boys, The Basketball Diaries, Medicine Man, Radio Flyer, Hackers, and more. She has been married and divorced twice. She was previously in a 12-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel, whom she met while living in Paris.
