Lorraine Bracco Biography

Lorraine Bracco was born in 1954 in Brooklyn, New York. Long before she rose to fame first as Karen Hill in Scorsese’s film Goodfellas, and then later as Dr. Melfi on the hit serious the Sopranos, Bracco grew up on Long Island in the town of Westbury. Her stunning beauty brought her to France to work as a model only two years after her high school graduation in the early 1970’s. It wasn’t long before Lorraine was being offered roles in film, and she quickly found that she had a love of acting and a talent for it as well.

After appearing in a number of French films, Lorraine Bracco appeared in the American film Someone to Watch Over Me (1987), to critical acclaim, launching her career as a highly coveted actress in the United States. Her biggest breakthrough came just three years later, as Karen Hill in the award-winning film Goodfellas, which earned her both an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Roles in a number of successful films followed (such as Talent for the Game, Radio Flyer, The Basketball Diaries, and Riding in Cars with Boys), but her pinnacle role as Dr. Jennifer Melfi on HBO’s the Sopranos came in 1999 and truly made Lorraine Bracco a household name.

Originally Bracco had been set to play the role of Carmela Soprano but she found herself more drawn to the role of Melfi. Her instincts were spot-on, and the role led to multiple Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress and Golden Globes for Best TV Actress in a Drama. Bracco remained with the series through its finale, and since that time she has shifted gears to a number of other projects and pursuits.

Lorraine Bracco published her memoirs, On the Couch, in 2006, and around the same time became the owner of Bracco Wines. Her wines have been featured on the television show Top Chef and she has also appeared as a guest judge on the show’s All Stars episode, and on Throwdown! With Bobby Flay.