Drea de Matteo
Drea de Matteo | |
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 Drea de Matteo, January 2005 |
Andrea Donna de Matteo (born January 19, 1972) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles as Adriana La Cerva on the HBO TV series The Sopranos and as Joey Tribbiani's sister Gina on the NBC sitcom Joey. Most recently she has portrayed Wendy Case on the FX drama Sons of Anarchy.[1]
Biography
Early life
De Matteo, an Italian American,[2] was born in Queens, New York, the daughter of Donna, a playwright and playwriting teacher, and Albert De Matteo, a furniture manufacturer.[3][4] She grew up in a Catholic family.[5] After graduating from the prestigious Loyola School, she studied at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, originally hoping to become a director, not an actress.
Career
De Matteo's role in The Sopranos was one of her earliest, helping to launch her career. She has also appeared in several films including Swordfish, Deuces Wild, The Perfect You, Prey for Rock & Roll and the 2005 remake of John Carpenter's 1976 action film Assault on Precinct 13.
In 2004, de Matteo won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress (Drama) for her role as Adriana on The Sopranos. She was also nominated for a Golden Globe that same year for the same role. She was ranked #42 and #56 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2001 and 2002, respectively.
From 2004 to 2006, de Matteo portrayed Joey Tribbiani's sister Gina in the Friends spin-off Joey. The show was cancelled after two seasons.
Drea de Matteo is also playing the role of Wendy Case in an FX original series Sons of Anarchy. The pilot episode aired September 3 2008.
Personal life
She lives in New York City, where she also formerly owned the now-closed Filth Mart, an East Village clothing store, with best friend and ex-boyfriend Michael Sportes. She is currently dating Shooter Jennings, son of country music legend Waylon Jennings. The couple had their first child together, a girl named Alabama Gypsy Rose, on November 28,2007.[6]