Early life

Bracco was born in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bay Ridge. She is the daughter of Eileen (née Molyneux 1926-2010) and Salvatore Bracco, Sr. She has a sister, Elizabeth Bracco, and brother, Salvatore Jr. Her mother was from England and met her father during World War II. Eileen came with Salvatore to the United States as a War bride. Bracco grew up in Westbury, on Barry Drive on Long Island. She graduated from Hicksville High School in 1972. Her father was of Italian descent, while her mother was born in England to French parents. Bracco is fluent in English, French and Italian.

Career

In 1974, Bracco moved to France, where she became a fashion model for Jean-Paul Gaultier. While there, she was introduced to the director and novelist Lina Wertmüller. In the early 1970s, Wertmüller recruited Bracco in a new film production titled Camorra. "She dressed me up like an Italian woman of no means. A street woman clad in disheveled clothes, hair unkempt and all that, and threw me on the set. She was so creative. I mean, Lina accentuated my eyes with dark make-up, the way Sophia Loren used to appear in those epic roles in the '60s. And talk about talent. She's so bright and perceptive. I mean, she's just fantastic. And yes, I learned a lot from her. She's a master of her profession, and I've been blessed not only with her, but also with so many masters," recounted Bracco to Daniel Simone during a 2007 interview.

Bracco acted in several French-language films. She also once worked as a disc jockey for Radio Luxembourg. She appeared as Paul Guilfoyle's hostage in the first season Crime Story episode, "Hide and Go Thief". Her sister Elizabeth played a hostage in the series pilot. Her other films include Someone to Watch Over Me, Riding in Cars with Boys, The Basketball Diaries, Medicine Man, Radio Flyer and Hackers.

Bracco received her big career break when offered the role as the mobster-wife Karen Hill in Goodfellas, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture. She won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Bracco is the owner of Bracco Wines, with association of Straight-Up Brands LLC. Her line of wines was featured on the Season 1 finale of Bravo's show Top Chef in 2006. She appeared as a guest judge for the two-episode finale. She also appeared as a special judge on Top Chef: All Stars in the episode titled "An Offer They Can't Refuse", which featured Italian cuisine. Bracco appeared on a season 6 episode of Throwdown! with Bobby Flay as a guest judge for the ravioli throwdown.

During the audition process for The Sopranos, David Chase wanted her to read for the lead female role of Carmela Soprano. However, Bracco had read the script and was drawn to the part of psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi. Bracco felt strongly enough about her ability and desire to play this part that she arranged a meeting with David Chase and talked him into letting her have a chance as Dr. Melfi. It netted her three consecutive nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series at the Emmy Awards in 1999, 2000 and 2001 and at the Golden Globe awards for Best TV Actress in a Drama in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She lost out at the Emmys in 1999 and 2001 and at the Golden Globes in 2000 to her co-star Edie Falco. She was nominated again at the 2007 Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, thus being pitted against The Sopranos co-star Aida Turturro for the award.

In October 2015, it was announced that Bracco would guest star opposite Adrien Brody on the upcoming Showtime comedy series Dice.

Personal life

Bracco's first marriage was to Daniel Guerard from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. They have one daughter, Margaux Guerard. She was in a 12-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel. They have one daughter, Stella Keitel (b. 1985). Bracco and Keitel fought a lengthy custody battle over Stella, resulting in Bracco's depression, a loss of acting roles, and $2 million in legal fees. She married Edward James Olmos in 1994. They divorced in 2002.

Lorraine Bracco is a practitioner of Shotokan Karate. In 2015 she authored a self help book To the Fullest: The Clean Up Your Act Plan to Lose Weight, Rejuvenate, and Be the Best You Can Be.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1979	Duos sur canapé	Bubble
1980	What Did I Ever Do to the Good Lord to Deserve a Wife Who Drinks in Cafes with Men?	Barbara
1981	Fais gaffe à la gaffe!	Margaux
1985	Un complicato intrigo di donne, vicoli e delitti	(uncredited)
1987	Pick-Up Artist, TheThe Pick-Up Artist	Carla
1987	Someone to Watch Over Me	Ellie Keegan
1989	Sing	Miss Lombardo
1989	Dream Team, TheThe Dream Team	Riley
1989	Up to Date	Sheila
1989	Sea of Love	Denice Gruber	scenes deleted
1990	Goodfellas	Karen Friedman Hill	Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
1991	Talent for the Game	Bobbie
1991	Switch	Sheila Faxton
1992	Medicine Man	Dr. Rae Crane	Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress
1992	Radio Flyer	Mary
1992	Traces of Red	Ellen Schofield	Nominated—Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress
1993	Even Cowgirls Get the Blues	Delores Del Ruby
1994	Being Human	Anna
1995	Basketball Diaries, TheThe Basketball Diaries	Mrs. Carroll
1995	Hackers	Margo Wallace
1996	Liars, TheThe Liars	Helene Miller
1997	Silent Cradle	Helen Greg
2000	Ladies Room	Gemma
2001	Riding in Cars with Boys	Mrs. Teresa Donofrio
2001	Tangled	Det. Anne Andersle
2003	Death of a Dynasty	Enchante R&B Singer #2
2005	Crazy for Love	Sheila
2011	Son of Morning	Leda
2012	Bensonhurst Spelling Bee, TheThe Bensonhurst Spelling Bee	Unknown	Short film

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1980	Commissaire Moulin	Jenny	Episode: "Le transfuge"
1986	Crime Story	Hostage	Episode: "Hide and Go Thief"
1993	Scam	Maggie Rohrer	Television movie
1994	Getting Gotti	Diane Giacalone	Television movie
1996	Reckoning	Kits Maitland	Television movie
1998	Taking of Pelham One Two Three, TheThe Taking of Pelham One Two Three	Det. Ray	Television movie
1999-2007	Sopranos, TheThe Sopranos	Dr. Jennifer Melfi	69 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2001	Sex in Our Century	Narrator	Television movie
2003	Custody of the Heart	Claire Raphael	Television movie
2005	Law & Order: Trial by Jury	Karla Grizano	Episode: "Vigilante"
2007	Snowglobe	Rose Moreno	Television movie
2008	Long Island Confidential	Norah Larkin	Television movie
2008	Lipstick Jungle	Janice Lasher	2 episodes
2010	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Halfway House Matron	Episode: "Disciple"
2010-present	Rizzoli & Isles	Angela Rizzoli	54 episodes
2011	I Married a Mobster	Narrator	10 episodes
2014	Mulaney	Vaughn	Episode: "Sweet Jane"

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1990	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards	Best Supporting Actress	Goodfellas	Nominated
	New York Film Critics Circle Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
1991	Academy Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Nominated
	Chicago Film Critics Association Awards	Best Supporting Actress		Won
	Golden Globe Awards	Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture		Nominated
1993	Razzie Awards	Worst Actress	Medicine Man	Nominated
			Traces of Red	Nominated
1999	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series	The Sopranos	Nominated
2000	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress - Television Series Drama		Nominated
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Satellite Awards	Best Actress - Television Series Drama		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Won
2001	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress - Television Series Drama		Nominated
	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2002	Golden Globe Awards	Best Actress - Television Series Drama		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2003		Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series		Nominated
		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2005		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2007	Primetime Emmy Awards	Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Nominated
2008	Monte-Carlo Television Festival	Outstanding Actress - Drama Series		Nominated
	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series		Won

Bibliography

• On the Couch (Putnam Adult, 2006) ISBN 0-399-15356-X
• To the Fullest: The Clean Up Your Act Plan to Lose Weight, Rejuvenate, and Be the Best You Can Be (Rodale Books, 2015) ISBN 0399199608

[ Source: Wikipedia ]