View source for Joe Pesci

{{Short description|American actor (born 1943)}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2020}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| name         = Joe Pesci
| image        = JoePesci-2009.jpg
| alt          = A head shot of Pesci, unshaven, wearing dark sunglasses, hat, shirt, and leather jacket
| caption      = Pesci in 2009
| birth_name   = Joseph Frank Pesci
| birth_date   = {{Birth date and age|1943|2|9}}
| birth_place  = [[Newark, New Jersey]], U.S.
| occupation   = {{hlist|Actor|musician}}<!--Please do not add "comedian" as it was for a very brief period early on in his career|which is not something he is known for.-->
| years_active = {{hlist|1961–1999|2006–present}}
| known_for    = {{Hlist|''[[Raging Bull]]''|''[[Lethal Weapon (franchise)|Lethal Weapon]]''|''[[Goodfellas]]''|''[[Home Alone (franchise)|Home Alone]]''|''[[My Cousin Vinny]]''}} 
| style        = Physical comedy
| spouse       = {{marriage|[[Claudia Haro]]|1988|1992|reason=divorced}}
| partner      = {{Ubl|[[Angie Everhart]]|(2000–2008)}}
| children     = 1
| awards       = [[List of awards and nominations received by Joe Pesci|Full list]]
| module       = {{Infobox musical artist
| embed           = yes  <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| background      = person <!-- mandatory field: only used to track if it's a single person or a group that is required for hCard microformat. Use value person or group_or_band. -->
| genre           = {{hlist|[[Jazz]]|[[soft rock]]}}
| instrument      = {{hlist|Vocals|guitar}} <!--- If you think an instrument should be listed, a discussion to reach consensus is needed first per: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Infobox_musical_artist#instrument--->
}}
}}
'''Joseph Frank Pesci''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|p|ɛ|ʃ|i}}, {{IPA|it|ˈpeʃʃi|lang}}; born February 9, 1943) is an American actor<!--Please do not add "comedian" as it was for a very brief period early on in his career|which is not something he is known for.-->. He is best known for portraying tough, volatile characters in a variety of genres and for his collaborations with [[Martin Scorsese]] and [[Robert De Niro]] in the films ''[[Raging Bull]]'' (1980), ''[[Goodfellas]]'' (1990), ''[[Casino (1995 film)|Casino]]'' (1995), and ''[[The Irishman]]'' (2019).

Pesci also appeared in ''[[Once Upon a Time in America]]'' (1984), ''[[Moonwalker]]'' (1988), ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]'' (1991), ''[[A Bronx Tale]]'' (1993), and ''[[The Good Shepherd (film)|The Good Shepherd]]'' (2006). He is also known for his comic roles in ''[[Home Alone]]'' (1990) and [[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York|its sequel]] (1992), ''[[My Cousin Vinny]]'' (1992), and the [[Lethal Weapon (franchise)|''Lethal Weapon'' franchise]] (1989–1998).

Pesci won the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for his role as the gangster character [[Thomas DeSimone#Portrayal in film|Tommy DeVito]] in ''Goodfellas'' and received two other nominations in the same category for his portrayals of [[Joey LaMotta]] and [[Russell Bufalino]] in ''Raging Bull'' and ''The Irishman'', respectively. Pesci retired from acting in 1999, but has periodically returned to act since then.

Pesci is also a musician who has recorded three studio albums: ''Little Joe Sure Can Sing!'' (1968), ''[[Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You]]'' (1998), and ''Pesci... Still Singing'' (2019).

==Early life==
Joseph Frank Pesci was born on February 9, 1943, in Newark, New Jersey. His mother, Mary (née Mesce), was a part-time barber, and his father, Angelo Pesci, was a [[forklift]] truck driver for [[General Motors]] and a bartender. Pesci is of [[Italian Americans|Italian]] descent with family origins both in [[Turin]]<ref name="character">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/08/movies/film-joe-pesci-that-guy-is-some-kind-of-character.html |title=Joe Pesci? That Guy Is Some Kind of Character |first=Nancy |last=Harrison |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=March 8, 1992 |location=[[New York, NY|New York]] |issn=0362-4331 |access-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151114195953/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/08/movies/film-joe-pesci-that-guy-is-some-kind-of-character.html |archive-date=November 14, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://celebritywonder.ugo.com/html/joepesci.html |title=Joe Pesci |work=celebritywonder |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110321114922/http://celebritywonder.ugo.com/html/joepesci.html |archive-date=March 21, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MHJ1DQAAQBAJ&q=%22Italian+Americans:+The+History+and+Culture+of+a+People%22|title=Italian Americans: The History and Culture of a People|first=Eric|last=Martone|date=December 12, 2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781610699952|via=Google Books}}</ref> and [[Aquilonia, Campania|Aquilonia]] in the [[province of Avellino]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Aspesi |first1=Natalia |title=Piccolo e nero mezzo italiano Pesci è la star |url=http://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1992/09/04/piccolo-nero-mezzo-italiano-pesci-la.html |url-status=live |work=la Repubblica |language=it |location=Rome |publisher=GEDI Gruppo Editoriale |date=September 4, 1992 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415014215/https://ricerca.repubblica.it/repubblica/archivio/repubblica/1992/09/04/piccolo-nero-mezzo-italiano-pesci-la.html |archive-date=April 15, 2020 |access-date=February 9, 2020 }}</ref> He was raised in [[Belleville, New Jersey]], and graduated from [[Belleville High School (New Jersey)|Belleville High School]]. 

By the time Pesci was five years old, he was appearing in plays in New York.<ref name="character" /> At age 10, Pesci was a regular on a television variety show called ''Startime Kids'', which also featured [[Connie Francis]].<ref name="character" /> As an entertainer from Belleville, he was acquainted with guitarist [[Tommy DeVito (musician)|Tommy DeVito]] of [[The Four Lovers]], a novelty act from Belleville that included singer [[Frankie Valli]]. Pesci also knew keyboardist [[Bob Gaudio]] of [[The Royal Teens]]. Pesci introduced Gaudio to DeVito and Valli in 1958, which led to the formation of the band [[The Four Seasons (band)|The Four Seasons]].<ref name="history vs hollywood">{{cite web |url=http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/jersey-boys/ |title=Jersey Boys Movie vs True Story – Real Frankie Valli, Tommy DeVito |work=HistoryvsHollywood.com |access-date=October 21, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627204444/http://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/jersey-boys/ |archive-date=June 27, 2015}}</ref> Pesci and DeVito remained friends for the rest of DeVito's life; when DeVito fell on hard times in the 1970s following his resignation from the Four Seasons, Pesci placed DeVito on his personal payroll and arranged for him to make cameos in some of his films in the 1990s.<ref name=devitolvinterview>{{Cite web|last=Elfman|first=Doug|url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/how-a-jersey-boy-worked-his-way-back/|title=How a Jersey boy worked his way back|website=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]]|date=June 1, 2009|access-date=February 17, 2024}}</ref> 

Pesci was childhood friends with [[American Mafia]] figure Robert Bisaccia.<ref>[https://www.nj.com/newark/2008/12/iconic_goodfella_robert_bisacc.html Iconic 'Goodfella' Robert Bisaccia dies in prison] Chanta L. Jackson, [[NJ.com]] (December 4, 2008)</ref>

==Career==
===Early career===
In the 1960s, Pesci began working as a barber, following in his mother's footsteps. At the same time, Pesci tried to start a musical career, playing guitar with several bands, including [[Joey Dee and the Starliters]] who introduced the "[[Peppermint Twist]]" record, dance, and Peppermint Lounge in New York City.

In 1968, Pesci released his debut album ''Little Joe Sure Can Sing!'' (billed as ''Joe Ritchie''), on which he sang covers of contemporary pop hits.<ref name="yahoo">{{cite web |url=https://movies.yahoo.com/person/joe-pesci/biography.html |title=Joe Pesci biography |work=[[Yahoo! Movies]] |access-date=January 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315102847/https://movies.yahoo.com/person/joe-pesci/biography.html |archive-date=March 15, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pesci later joined [[Frank Vincent]] as a [[Double act|comedy duo]], performing as "Vincent and Pesci" from 1970 to 1976. Their act coupled [[Abbott and Costello]]-inspired double act antics with [[Don Rickles]]-style [[insult comedy]], which proved popular with crowds. During this time, the pair developed a strong professional and personal friendship.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lewine |first1=Edward |title=Frank Vincent's Two-Limo Night |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/18/nyregion/frank-vincent-s-two-limo-night.html |website=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 18, 1996 |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224204752/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/02/18/nyregion/frank-vincent-s-two-limo-night.html |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Eidelstein |first1=Eric |title=The Mysterious Disappearing Act of Joe Pesci |url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/09/where-are-you-joe-pesci |website=[[Complex (magazine)|Complex]] |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224204752/https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/09/where-are-you-joe-pesci |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1975, they appeared in the Broadway show ''The New Vaudevillians'', which only lasted a week.<ref name="yahoo" />

The first film Pesci starred in was the 1976 [[Low-budget film|low-budget]] [[crime film]] ''[[The Death Collector]]'' alongside Frank Vincent. After the film, Pesci returned to The Bronx and lived above Amici's Restaurant, where he was an employee.<ref name="yahoo" />

===Acting===
[[File:Cathy Moriarty and Joe Pesci, 1980.jpg|thumb|right|Pesci with co-star [[Cathy Moriarty]] on the set of ''[[Raging Bull]]'']]
In 1979, Pesci received a phone  call from [[Martin Scorsese]] and Robert De Niro, who were impressed with his performance in ''The Death Collector'' and asked him to co-star in Scorsese's ''[[Raging Bull]]'' as [[Joey LaMotta]]. During the course of filming, Pesci broke one of his ribs during a fight scene with De Niro.<ref name=LATimes>{{cite news |title='I Am the Movies I Make': Martin Scorsese's passion and commitments earn him the AFI's most prestigious honor |first=Elaine |last=Dutka |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-02-22-ca-31156-story.html |date=February 22, 1997 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |access-date=January 23, 2014 |quote=Joe Pesci testified to Scorsese's mania for realism. During a fight scene for ''Raging Bull'', he took such a beating from De Niro that he fell to the ground with a broken rib, he recalled. When a couple of 275-pound 'heifers' fell on him the wrong way in ''Casino'', that same rib was broken again. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221201646/http://articles.latimes.com/1997-02-22/entertainment/ca-31156_1_martin-scorsese |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pesci won the [[BAFTA Film Award for Newcomer to Leading Film Roles]] in 1981 and was nominated for an [[Academy Awards|Academy Award]] for Best Supporting Actor. Over the next few years, Pesci appeared in several smaller films, including ''[[Dear Mr. Wonderful]]'' (1982), ''[[Eureka (1983 film)|Eureka]]'' (1983) and ''[[Easy Money (1983 film)|Easy Money]]'' (1983).<ref name="yahoo"/>

In 1984, Pesci was cast in ''[[Once Upon a Time in America]]'', again appearing alongside De Niro. The following year, Pesci starred as private detective Rocky Nelson in the short-lived television comedy series ''[[Half Nelson (TV series)|Half Nelson]]''.<ref name="yahoo" />

In 1988, Pesci appeared in the [[Michael Jackson]] musical anthology film ''[[Moonwalker]]'', in the film's sixth and longest segment, "[[Smooth Criminal]]". He played the antagonist, crime boss Frankie "Mr. Big" LiDeo (an anagram for one of the film's producers and longtime Jackson manager [[Frank DiLeo]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095655/trivia |title=Moonwalker (1988) |work=IMDb |access-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105145847/http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095655/trivia |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> with whom Pesci later acted in ''Goodfellas'').<ref name="oscars1" />

Pesci appeared as Leo Getz, a comedic sidekick and best friend to protagonist detectives Martin Riggs ([[Mel Gibson]]) and Roger Murtaugh ([[Danny Glover]]) in the ''[[Lethal Weapon (franchise)|Lethal Weapon]]'' sequels, released in [[Lethal Weapon 2|1989]], [[Lethal Weapon 3|1992]], and [[Lethal Weapon 4|1998]].

In 1990, Pesci reunited with Scorsese and De Niro for ''[[Goodfellas]]'', where he played mobster Tommy DeVito, based on real-life mobster [[Thomas DeSimone]]. Tommy DeVito was also the name of Pesci's old acquaintance from Belleville, New Jersey, and a member of The Four Seasons, but contrary to popular belief, the naming is coincidental.<ref name="history vs hollywood"/> Pesci's old friend [[Frank Vincent]] also appears in the film. Pesci's character kills Vincent's character in a rage in one of the best-remembered scenes in the film after the Vincent character contemptuously tells him to "go home and get your fucking shine box". According to Pesci, improvisation and ad-libbing came out of rehearsals, where Scorsese let the actors do whatever they wanted. He made transcripts of these sessions, took the lines the actors came up with that he liked best, and put them into a revised script that the cast worked from during principal photography.<ref name=Arnold>{{cite news |last=Arnold |first=Gary |title=Real Fellas Talk about Mob Film |work=[[The Washington Times]] |date=September 25, 1990}}</ref> 

For example, the scene where Tommy tells a story and Henry is responding to him—the "Funny how? Do I amuse you?" scene—is based on an actual event that Pesci experienced. He was waiting tables when he thought he made a compliment to a mobster by saying he was "funny", which was not taken well.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessinsider.com/goodfellas-joe-pesci-funny-how-scene-2015-5?r=US&IR=T|title=One of the most famous scenes in 'Goodfellas' is based on something that actually happened to Joe Pesci|publisher=businessinsider.com|date=May 4, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Ultimate Book of Gangster Movies: Featuring the 100 Greatest Gangster Films of All Time|author1=George Anastasia|author2=Glen Macnow|publisher=Running Press|year=2011|isbn= 9780762441549|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kY5tHAksa7kC&q=funny}}</ref> It was worked on in rehearsals where he and Liotta improvised, and Scorsese recorded four to five takes, rewrote their dialogue, and inserted it into the script.<ref name=Kaplan>{{Cite AV media |people=Kaplan, Jonah (writer and editor); Stephen Altobellow and Jeffrey Schwartz (producers) |date=2004 |title=Getting Made: The Making of ''Goodfellas'' |medium=Blu-ray Disc |publisher=[[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment|Warner Home Video]] |isbn=1-4198-4306-0}}</ref> The dinner scene with Tommy's mother was largely improvised.<ref name=Godfrey>{{cite web |last1=Godfrey |first1=Alex |title=Whaddya want from me? |url=http://mrgodfrey.tumblr.com/post/66620475687/whaddya-want-from-me |website=mrgodfrey |date=November 2013|access-date=August 22, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904015411/http://mrgodfrey.tumblr.com/post/66620475687/whaddya-want-from-me|archive-date=September 4, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> Pesci received the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for the role, which he accepted with one of the shortest speeches in Oscar history, saying simply, "It's my privilege. Thank you" before leaving the stage.<ref name="oscars1">{{cite web |url=http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1991/memorable-moments |title=The 63rd Academy Awards Memorable Moments |work=Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences |year=2015 |access-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102095048/http://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1991/memorable-moments |archive-date=November 2, 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/55134/10-oscar-winners-whose-speeches-were-under-11-words |title=10 Oscar Winners Whose Speeches Were Under 11 Words |work=mental_floss |access-date=February 13, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160214060824/http://mentalfloss.com/article/55134/10-oscar-winners-whose-speeches-were-under-11-words |archive-date=February 14, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pesci also co-starred in the blockbuster ''[[Home Alone]]'' in 1990, his character Harry Lime one of two bumbling burglars - along with [[Daniel Stern (actor)|Daniel Stern]] as Marv Murchins - who attempt to burgle the house of an eight-year-old played by [[Macaulay Culkin]]. Pesci's use of "cartoon cursing", or menacing gibberish, garnered comparisons to ''[[Looney Tunes]]'' character [[Yosemite Sam]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/archives/where-joe-pesci-saw-a-connection-between-looney-tunes-and-home-alone-1.4940775|title=Where Joe Pesci saw a connection between Looney Tunes and Home Alone|publisher=cbc.ca|date=December 11, 2019|access-date=March 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181211185216/https://www.cbc.ca/archives/where-joe-pesci-saw-a-connection-between-looney-tunes-and-home-alone-1.4940775|archive-date=December 11, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Pesci reprised his role in a sequel ''[[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]]'' (1992).

In 1991, Pesci played [[David Ferrie]] in ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]''. The following year, he appeared as the title character in the comedy ''[[My Cousin Vinny]]'' with [[Ralph Macchio]], [[Marisa Tomei]] and [[Fred Gwynne]]. Also in 1992, Pesci headed up the cast of ''[[The Public Eye (film)|The Public Eye]]'' as Leon "Bernzy" Bernstein, a photographer. His performance in the film, a departure from his usual characters, has been critically acclaimed.

Pesci hosted the sketch comedy show ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'' on October 10, 1992, while doing publicity for ''My Cousin Vinny''. During his monologue, in response to [[Sinéad O'Connor]] [[Sinéad O'Connor on Saturday Night Live|tearing a picture]] of [[Pope John Paul II]] on the previous broadcast in protest of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, Pesci described how he wished to give her "such a smack".<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/12/nyregion/chronicle-479092.html |title=CHRONICLE |last=Brozan |first=Nadine |date=October 12, 1992 |work=The New York Times|access-date=March 13, 2017 |issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170313215234/http://www.nytimes.com/1992/10/12/nyregion/chronicle-479092.html|archive-date=March 13, 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1993, Pesci made an appearance in ''[[A Bronx Tale]]'' as Carmine. The film starred Robert De Niro, who also directed, and [[Chazz Palminteri]], who wrote the play from which the film was adapted. Both De Niro and Palminteri personally offered Pesci the role. In 1995, Pesci had his third collaboration with Scorsese and De Niro in the film ''[[Casino (1995 film)|Casino]]'', playing Nicky Santoro, based on real-life Mob enforcer [[Anthony Spilotro]], along with [[Sharon Stone]] and [[James Woods]]. Pesci had previously co-starred with the latter in ''Once Upon a Time in America''. During filming, Pesci broke the same rib that had been broken 15 years prior during the production of ''[[Raging Bull]]''.<ref name=LATimes/> In 1996, he was considered to play Myron Larabee, the stressed-out postman, in ''[[Jingle All the Way]]'' opposite [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], but the part was ultimately given to [[Sinbad (entertainer)|Sinbad]], whose physical size was more comparable to Schwarzenegger's.

Pesci had starring roles in several other films, including ''[[Man on Fire (1987 film)|Man on Fire]]'' (1987), ''[[The Super (1991 film)|The Super]]'' (1991), ''[[Jimmy Hollywood]]'' (1994), ''[[With Honors (film)|With Honors]]'' (also 1994) and ''[[Gone Fishin' (film)|Gone Fishin']]'' (1997). Pesci's role in ''With Honors'' was a dramatic role in which he played a homeless man living on the campus of Harvard.

===Musical===
In 1998, Pesci released his second album and his first in 30 years, ''[[Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You]]'' which was named after his character from the 1992 film ''[[My Cousin Vinny]]''. The album was both humorous and serious, exploring a variety of genres, though most of it was [[big band]] [[jazz]]. The album spawned the single "Wise Guy", a rap number that played on the [[gangsta rap|gangsta]] theme by making reference to [[American Mafia|Mafia]] gangsterism. "Wise Guy" interpolated the 1980 hit "[[Rapture (Blondie song)|Rapture]]" by [[Blondie (band)|Blondie]] and was co-written and produced by the hip-hop production team the [[Trackmasters]].

===Semi-retirement from acting===
In 1999, Pesci retired from acting to pursue a musical career and to enjoy life away from the camera. He returned to acting when he did a [[cameo appearance|cameo]] in De Niro's 2006 film ''[[The Good Shepherd (film)|The Good Shepherd]]''. In 2010, Pesci starred in the brothel drama ''[[Love Ranch]]'' alongside [[Helen Mirren]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.topnews.in/light/three-join-helen-mirren-and-joe-pesci-%E2%80%98love-ranch%E2%80%99-26500 |title=Three join Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci in 'Love Ranch' |publisher=Topnews.in |date=February 13, 2008 |access-date=January 25, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623205332/http://www.topnews.in/light/three-join-helen-mirren-and-joe-pesci-%E2%80%98love-ranch%E2%80%99-26500 |archive-date=June 23, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>

Pesci appeared with [[Don Rickles]], with whom he had worked in ''[[Casino (1995 film)|Casino]]'', in a 2011 [[Snickers]] advertisement in which he portrays the angry alter ego of a young man who attends a party and becomes agitated by two women until he is calmed down by eating a Snickers bar.<ref>{{cite web |title=There is an Angry Joe Pesci in all of us Snickers Ad |url=http://mememachine.viralvideochart.com/blog/2011/5/19/snickers-ad-there-is-an-angry-joe-pesci-in-all-of-us-just-in.html |work=mememachine |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613024651/http://mememachine.viralvideochart.com/blog/2011/5/19/snickers-ad-there-is-an-angry-joe-pesci-in-all-of-us-just-in.html |archive-date=June 13, 2011}}</ref>

In 2011, Pesci sued Fiore Films, the producers of the film ''[[Gotti (2018 film)|Gotti]]'', saying they had broken their promise to cast him in the film as real-life mobster [[Angelo Ruggiero]].<ref name="settles dispute">{{cite web |title=Joe Pesci settles dispute over "Gotti" film payday |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-pesci-settles-dispute-over-gotti-film-payday/ |publisher=CBS/AP |date=February 5, 2013 |access-date=January 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112321/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joe-pesci-settles-dispute-over-gotti-film-payday/ |archive-date=December 29, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pesci stated that he had gained {{convert|30|lbs|kg}} for the role.<ref name="settles dispute" /> He sued them for $3 million, which was the payment he had been promised.<ref name="settles dispute" /> The lawsuit was settled out of court in 2013 for an unspecified sum,<ref name="settles dispute" /> and the role, after many production delays, eventually went to [[Pruitt Taylor Vince]].

Pesci appears in the 2016 music documentary ''Jimmy Scott: I Go Back Home,'' in which he is filmed recording "[[The Folks Who Live on the Hill]]" from Scott's 2017 posthumous album ''I Go Back Home''.

===Reprise for ''The Irishman'' and subsequent roles===
In 2017, Pesci was cast alongside [[Robert De Niro]] and [[Al Pacino]] in ''[[The Irishman]]'', a crime film directed by [[Martin Scorsese]]. He was offered his role a reported 50 times before agreeing to take part, at first saying that he did not want to do "the gangster thing again," while Scorsese tried to persuade Pesci that ''The Irishman'' would be "different."<ref name="SpikeLee">{{cite web |url=https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-irishman-with-martin-scorsese-and-spike-lee-episode-224/id1067471691?i=1000454929171 |title=The Irishman with Martin Scorsese and Spike Lee (Episode 224) |date=November 2019 |website=[[Apple Inc.]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108152436/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-irishman-with-martin-scorsese-and-spike-lee-episode-224/id1067471691?i=1000454929171 |archive-date=November 8, 2019 |access-date=November 8, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film received a [[limited theatrical release]] on November 1, 2019, followed by digital streaming on November 27, 2019, by [[Netflix]].<ref name="ReleaseDate">{{cite web |first=Mike Jr. |last=Fleming |title=Netflix Sets November 1 Theatrical Bow For Martin Scorsese-Directed 'The Irishman:' 27 Day US & UK Rollout Comes Before Pic Streams For Thanksgiving Holiday |url=https://deadline.com/2019/08/the-irishman-netflix-november-1-theatrical-bow-martin-scorsese-robert-deniro-27-day-us-uk-rollout-stream-thanksgiving-holiday-1202704994/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190827140928/https://deadline.com/2019/08/the-irishman-netflix-november-1-theatrical-bow-martin-scorsese-robert-deniro-27-day-us-uk-rollout-stream-thanksgiving-holiday-1202704994/ |website=[[Deadline Hollywood|Deadline]] |date=August 27, 2019 |access-date=September 19, 2019 |archive-date=August 27, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref> Pesci's performance as [[Russell Bufalino]] was critically acclaimed and earned him various accolades, including nominations for the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2020/01/oscars-2020-joe-pesci-nominated-for-the-irishman-here-are-some-other-nj-ties.html|title=Oscars 2020: Joe Pesci nominated for 'The Irishman.' Here are some other N.J. ties.|author=Amy Kuperinsky |date=January 13, 2020|website=nj.com|language=en|access-date=January 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200114155416/https://www.nj.com/entertainment/2020/01/oscars-2020-joe-pesci-nominated-for-the-irishman-here-are-some-other-nj-ties.html|archive-date=January 14, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> the [[BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor]] and for two [[Screen Actors Guild Award]]s. Pesci also returned to music with his third album and his first in 21 years, titled ''Pesci... Still Singing'', released on November 29, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/joe-pesci-still-singing-review-album-adam-levine-jazz-a9223296.html|title=Joe Pesci's new jazz album is incredibly surreal, but sweet and sincere nonetheless – review|date=November 29, 2019|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=December 19, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191130141601/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/joe-pesci-still-singing-review-album-adam-levine-jazz-a9223296.html|archive-date=November 30, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following ''The Irishman'', Pesci co-starred in [[Pete Davidson]]'s comedy series ''[[Bupkis (TV series)|Bupkis]]'' and appeared in [[Jack Huston]]'s directorial debut ''[[Day of the Fight (2023 film)|Day of the Fight]]'', both released in 2023.

==Personal life==
Pesci has been married and divorced three times.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.philly.com/1992-03-14/news/26020215_1_cousin-vinny-vincent-la-guardia-gambini-identity-crisis |title=Now They're Good Fellas Ray Liotta And Joe Pesci Were Cold-blooded Wiseguys In Their 1990 Movie, But In Films Opening This Weekend, They're Unlikely Heroes. Joe Pesci Is Out For Justice |work=philly-archives |access-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303223243/http://articles.philly.com/1992-03-14/news/26020215_1_cousin-vinny-vincent-la-guardia-gambini-identity-crisis |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 

His first marriage was in January 1964.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2012/jun/04/pesci-remembers-his-own-honeymoon-vegas----meeting/ |title=Joe Pesci remembers his own honeymoon in Vegas -- meeting the Rat Pack |first=John |last=Katsilometes |work=Las Vegas Sun |date=June 4, 2012 |access-date=October 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160105145848/http://lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2012/jun/04/pesci-remembers-his-own-honeymoon-vegas----meeting/ |archive-date=January 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> His second marriage was from 1988 to 1992, to [[Claudia Haro]], a model and actress. They have a daughter.<ref>{{cite web |title=Joe Pesci's Daughter Tiffany: Everything To Know About 'Home Alone' Star's Only Kid |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/feature/joe-pesci-daughter-4991509/ |website=hollywoodlife.com|date=June 17, 2023 }}</ref> In 2000, Pesci started dating [[Angie Everhart]]. They became engaged in 2007 but broke up the following year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=253669330&p=z5367xx36 |title=Pesci ends engagement with model Everhart |access-date=April 25, 2008 |date=April 25, 2008 |publisher=Ireland On-line |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430170839/http://breakingnews.iol.ie/entertainment/story.asp?j=253669330&p=z5367xx36 |archive-date=April 30, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Film===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1961
| ''[[Hey, Let's Twist!]]''
| Dancer At The Peppermint Lounge
| Uncredited
|-
| 1976
| ''[[The Death Collector]]''
| Joe Salvino
|
|-
| 1980
| ''[[Raging Bull]]''
| [[Joey LaMotta]]
| 
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1982
| ''[[I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can]]''
| Roger
|
|-
| ''[[Dear Mr. Wonderful]]''
| Ruby Dennis
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1983
| ''[[Eureka (1983 film)|Eureka]]''
| Mayakofsky
|
|-
| ''[[Easy Money (1983 film)|Easy Money]]''
| Nicky Cerone
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1984
| ''[[Once Upon a Time in America]]''
| Frankie Minaldi
|
|-
| ''[[Everybody in Jail]]''
| Corrado Parisi
|
|-
| 1987
| ''[[Man on Fire (1987 film)|Man on Fire]]''
| David Coolidge
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1988
| ''[[Moonwalker]]''
| Frankie "Mr. Big" Lideo
|
|-
| ''The Legendary Life of Ernest Hemingway''
| [[John Dos Passos]]
|
|-
| 1989
| ''[[Lethal Weapon 2]]''
| Leo Getz
|
|-
| rowspan=4 | 1990
| ''[[Catchfire]]''
| Leo Carelli
| Uncredited cameo
|-
| ''[[Betsy's Wedding]]''
| Oscar Henner
|
|-
| ''[[Goodfellas]]''
| [[Thomas DeSimone|Tommy DeVito]]
| 
|-
| ''[[Home Alone]]''
| Harry Lyme
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1991
| ''[[The Super (1991 film)|The Super]]''
| Louie Kritski Jr.
|
|-
| ''[[JFK (film)|JFK]]''
| [[David Ferrie]]
|
|-
| rowspan=4 | 1992
| ''[[My Cousin Vinny]]''
| Vincent "Vinny" Gambini
|
|-
| ''[[Lethal Weapon 3]]''
| Leo Getz
|
|-
| ''[[The Public Eye (film)|The Public Eye]]''
| Leon "Bernzy" Bernstein
|
|-
| ''[[Home Alone 2: Lost in New York]]''
| Harry Lyme
|
|-
| 1993
| ''[[A Bronx Tale]]''
| Carmine
| 
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1994
| ''[[Jimmy Hollywood]]''
| Jimmy Alto / Jericho
|
|-
| ''[[With Honors (film)|With Honors]]''
| Simon B. Wilder
|
|-
| 1995
| ''[[Casino (1995 film)|Casino]]''
| [[Anthony Spilotro|Nicky Santoro]]
|
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1997
| ''[[8 Heads in a Duffel Bag]]''
| Tommy Spinelli
|
|-
| ''[[Gone Fishin' (film)|Gone Fishin']]''
| Joe Waters
|
|-
| 1998
| ''[[Lethal Weapon 4]]''
| Leo Getz
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[The Good Shepherd (film)|The Good Shepherd]]''
| Joseph Palmi
| Cameo
|-
| 2010
| ''[[Love Ranch]]''
| [[Joseph Conforte|Charlie "Charlie Goodtimes" Bontempo]]
|
|-
| 2015
| ''[[A Warrior's Tail]]''
| Komar (voice)
| 
|-
| 2019
| ''[[The Irishman]]''
| [[Russell Bufalino]]
| 
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Day of the Fight (2023 film)|Day of the Fight]]''<ref>[https://deadline.com/2022/12/jack-huston-day-of-the-fight-michael-pitt-joe-pesci-movie-1235200481/ Jack Huston To Make Feature Directorial Debut With 'Day Of The Fight': Sets Michael Pitt, Nicolette Robinson, Joe Pesci & More]</ref>
| Mike's Father
|
|}

===Television===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1985
| ''[[Half Nelson (TV series)|Half Nelson]]''
| Rocky Nelson
| 6 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1992
| ''[[Tales from the Crypt (TV series)|Tales from the Crypt]]''
| Vic / Jack
| Episode: "[[List of Tales from the Crypt episodes#Season 4 (1992)|Split Personality]]"
|-
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Himself / Host
| Episode: "[[Saturday Night Live (season 18)#ep329|Joe Pesci]]/[[Spin Doctors]]"
|-
| 1994
| ''Sesame Street All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever!''
| Ronald Grump
| Television special
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
| Himself
| Episode: "[[Rob Lowe]]/[[Spice Girls]]"
|-
| 2023
| ''[[Bupkis (TV series)|Bupkis]]''
| Joe Larocca
| Main role
|}

==Discography==
* ''Little Joe Sure Can Sing!'' (1968) (Brunswick Records)
* ''[[Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You]]'' (1998) (Columbia Records)
* ''Pesci... Still Singing'' (2019) ([[222 Records]]/BMG Rights Management)

==Awards and nominations==
{{Main|List of awards and nominations received by Joe Pesci}}
Pesci has received numerous awards nominations including three [[Academy Award]] nominations for [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]] for his performances in [[Martin Scorsese]]'s ''[[Raging Bull]]'' (1980), ''[[Goodfellas]]'' (1990), and ''[[The Irishman]]'' (2019). 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Nominated work
! Result
|-
| [[53rd Academy Awards|1981]]
| rowspan=3|[[Academy Awards]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Raging Bull]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[63rd Academy Awards|1991]]
| ''[[Goodfellas]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[92nd Academy Awards|2020]]
| ''[[The Irishman]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[35th British Academy Film Awards|1982]]
| rowspan=2|[[BAFTA Awards|British Film Academy Awards]]
| [[British Academy Film Awards|Most Promising Newcomer]]
| ''[[Raging Bull]]''
| {{won}}
|-
| [[73rd British Academy Film Awards|2020]]
| [[BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role|Best Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[The Irishman]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[38th Golden Globe Awards|1981]]
| rowspan=3|[[Golden Globe Awards]]
| rowspan="3"| [[Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture|Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]]
| ''[[Raging Bull]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[48th Golden Globe Awards|1991]]
| ''[[Goodfellas]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[77th Golden Globe Awards|2020]]
| ''[[The Irishman]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[19th Golden Raspberry Awards|1998]]
| rowspan=1|[[Golden Raspberry Awards]]
| rowspan="1" | [[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor|Worst Supporting Actor]]
| ''[[Lethal Weapon 4]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| rowspan="2"| [[26th Screen Actors Guild Awards|2020]]
| rowspan=2|[[Screen Actors Guild Awards]]
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role|Outstanding Supporting Actor – Motion Picture]]
| rowspan="2"| ''[[The Irishman]]''
| {{nom}}
|-
| [[Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture|Outstanding Ensemble – Motion Picture]]
| {{nom}}
|}

==See also==
* [[List of Italian-American actors]]
* [[List of actors with Academy Award nominations]]
* [[List of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categories]]
* [[List of Golden Globe winners]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{TCMDb name | 150906%7C0 }}

{{Navboxes
|title = [[List of awards and nominations received by Joe Pesci|Awards for Joe Pesci]]
|list =
{{Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Astra Film Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Bafta Award for Most Promising Newcomer}}
{{Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Detroit Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{London Film Critics Circle Award for Supporting Actor of the Year}}
{{Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
{{San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actor}}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|United States|Film}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pesci, Joe}}
[[Category:1943 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American male actors]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American male actors]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:American male film actors]]
[[Category:American male television actors]]
[[Category:American people of Italian descent]]
[[Category:Most Promising Newcomer to Leading Film Roles BAFTA Award winners]]
[[Category:Belleville High School (New Jersey) alumni]]
[[Category:Best Supporting Actor Academy Award winners]]
[[Category:Brunswick Records artists]]
[[Category:Columbia Records artists]]
[[Category:Male actors from Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Musicians from Newark, New Jersey]]
[[Category:People from Belleville, New Jersey]]
[[Category:American male comedians]]
[[Category:Comedians from Newark, New Jersey]]