Edie Falco

Edith Falco (born July 5, 1963)<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> is an American actress. A prominent figure in American television, she is known for her roles on stage and screen and has received numerous accolades including four Primetime Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and five Screen Actors Guild Awards, as well as a nomination for a Tony Award.

Her role as mob wife Carmela Soprano on the HBO series The Sopranos garnered widespread acclaim, and is often regarded as one of the greatest performances in television history, with Falco winning three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> She also received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for playing the title role in the Showtime series Nurse Jackie (2009–2015). She was Emmy-nominated for her roles as C.C. Cunningham in 30 Rock (2008) and Leslie Abramson in Law & Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders (2018). She also has acted in the NBC series Homicide: Life on the Street (1993–1997), the HBO prison drama Oz (1997–2000), the web series Horace and Pete (2016), and the FX series Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021).

On film, she made her film debut in the drama Sweet Lorraine (1987). Her film work includes lead roles in Laws of Gravity (1992), for which she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, and Judy Berlin (1999), and supporting roles in films including Bullets Over Broadway (1994), Sunshine State (2002), Freedomland (2006), The Comedian (2016), and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022).

She made her Broadway debut in the Warren Leight play Side Man (1999). For her role as Bananas Shaughnessy in the Broadway revival of the John Guare play The House of Blue Leaves (2011) she received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She has acted in the Broadway revivals of the plays Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (2002), and 'night, Mother (2004).

Early life and education

Falco was born in the New York City borough of Brooklyn on July 5, 1963, the daughter of Judith Anderson, an actress, and Frank Falco, a jazz drummer who later worked for an advertising agency.<ref name="lipulse.com">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="success.com">Template:Cite news</ref> Her father was of Italian descent and her mother had Swedish, English and Cornish (1/16th) ancestry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Stated on Who Do You Think You Are?, April 6, 2012.</ref> She has two brothers, Joseph and Paul, and a sister, Ruth. Her uncle is novelist, playwright, and poet Edward Falco. In 2012, Falco was the subject of an episode of Who Do You Think You Are? which focused on one of her ancestors, a Cornish master mariner from Penzance who was born at sea and died in 1840.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From the age of four, Falco was raised on Long Island, moving with her family to Hicksville, then North Babylon, and finally West Islip.<ref name="lipulse.com" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> As a child, she acted in plays at the Arena Players Repertory Theater in East Farmingdale, where her mother also performed.<ref name="lipulse.com" /><ref name="success.com" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Her family eventually moved to Northport, where she attended high school and played Eliza Doolittle in a production of My Fair Lady during her senior year.<ref name="lipulse.com" /><ref name="success.com" /> Falco graduated from Northport High School in 1981.<ref name="lipulse.com" /><ref name="success.com" /> She attended the acting program at State University of New York at Purchase,<ref name="lipulse.com" /><ref name="success.com" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

1987–1998: Early work and rise to prominence

Early in her career, Falco made appearances on television shows like Law & Order and Homicide: Life on the Street. Tom Fontana, executive producer of Homicide, cast Falco as Eva Thormann, the wife of an injured police officer, after watching Falco's performance in Laws of Gravity, a 1992 film directed by Nick Gomez. Fontana said of her, "She's an actress who's unadorned by any embroidery. She does everything with such simplicity and honesty, it's breathtaking."<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> A struggling actress at the time, Falco said her salary from these television episodes paid for one month's worth of rent.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She debuted on the big screen in 1987's Sweet Lorraine starring Maureen Stapleton.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Later, she had a small speaking role in the Woody Allen comedy film Bullets Over Broadway (1994). Her friendship with former SUNY Purchase classmate Eric Mendelsohn, who was the assistant to Allen's costume designer, Jeffrey Kurland, helped her to be cast in the role. Mendelsohn went on to direct Falco in his feature film Judy Berlin, for which he won Best Director honors at the Sundance Film Festival. Falco would later go on to star in Mendelsohn's next film 3 Backyards, for which he won Best Director a second time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

During this time, Falco appeared in the films Trust, Cop Land, Private Parts (a nonspeaking part), and Random Hearts. On Broadway, she appeared in the Tony Award-winning Side Man. In 1997, Falco started portraying prison officer Diane Whittlesey, in the HBO prison drama series Oz. Falco got the role after working with Fontana on Homicide.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

1999–2008: The Sopranos and acclaim

Falco at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival

Falco received her breakout role in the HBO drama The Sopranos created by David Chase, which premiered in 1999 and ended in 2007. She portrayed Carmela Soprano, wife of Mafia boss Tony Soprano played by James Gandolfini. The series received wide acclaim, and is often considered to be one of the greatest television series of all time.<ref name="top50">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="huffington">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> For her performance on the series, Falco won numerous awards including three Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for the episodes "College" (1999), "Second Opinion" (2001), and "Whitecaps" (2003).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also earned two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – Television Series Drama and five Screen Actors Guild Awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of 2008, Falco, The X-Files star Gillian Anderson, Ugly Betty star America Ferrera, and 30 RockTemplate:'s Tina Fey were the only actresses to have received a Golden Globe, an Emmy, and a SAG Award in the same year. Falco won these awards in 2003 for her performance as Carmela Soprano during the fourth season of The Sopranos. In the show's final season Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times wrote, "The series has always distinguished itself by the quality of its actors, but this season Ms. Falco depicts even more deeply than before, if that's possible, the full range of a mother and wife's anguish."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

During her tenure on The Sopranos, Falco appeared in films such as Freedomland and John Sayles' Sunshine State, for which she received the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Falco also guest starred on the television series Will & Grace<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> and had a recurring role as C.C. Cunningham on the second season of the NBC sitcom 30 Rock as Celeste Cunningham, the later of which earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series. She appeared in the Broadway revivals of Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune opposite Stanley Tucci, and 'night, Mother opposite Brenda Blethyn.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2009–2016: Nurse Jackie and return to Broadway

Falco in 2010

Falco starred as the title character, Nurse Jackie Peyton, in the Showtime dark comedy series Nurse Jackie, which premiered on June 8, 2009, and ended on June 28, 2015. For the first season, she won her fourth Primetime Emmy Award, this time for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. She also received nominations for four Golden Globe Awards and eight Screen Actors Guild Awards.<ref name="Showtime">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="TVWeek 2008-07">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="NBC 2008-12">Template:Cite web</ref> Alessandra Stanley of The New York Times wrote, "It's the compelling, enigmatic heroine who holds the errant pieces together. Jackie is not Carmela, but Ms. Falco brings some of Carmela's prosaic manner and harsh certainty to the new role. Jackie has a very dry and mitigating sense of humor, but her righteous streak steers the story."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Falco returned to Broadway portraying the part of Bananas in the revival of the John Guare play The House of Blue Leaves (2011) in New York City at the Walter Kerr Theatre with Ben Stiller and Jennifer Jason Leigh.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> For her performance, she received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Theatre critic Ben Brantley of The New York Times wrote in his review for the show, that "Ms. Falco endows the anguished Bananas with such unvarnished emotional transparency — and clinical exactness — that it hurts to look at her."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Marilyn Stasio of Variety wrote, "Falco is kind of [a] genius...What floors us is Falco's ability to play both comedy and tragedy in the same breath".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It was announced in January 2013 that Falco would star in Liz Flahive's The Madrid off-Broadway. The limited engagement, directed by Leigh Silverman, began previews on February 5 with an official opening on February 26. Along with Falco, the play starred John Ellison, Christopher Evan Welch, Phoebe Strole, and Frances Sternhagen.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, Falco started portraying Sylvia Wittel on the Louis C.K. series Horace and Pete acting alongside C.K., Steve Buscemi, Alan Alda and Laurie Metcalf. The first episode was released on January 30, 2016, on C.K.'s website without any prior announcements.<ref name="Variety-HoracePeteSurprise-2016">Template:Cite web</ref> New episodes premiered weekly until the tenth episode was released on April 2, 2016.<ref name="Vulture-Silence-Shandling-2016">Template:Cite news</ref> In the series, Falco portrayed Horace and Sylvia's abused mother. James Poniewozik of The New York Times noted "Louis C. K. is reportedly submitting Horace and Pete for the Emmys as a drama. If it gets a nomination — Mr. Alda, Mr. Buscemi, Ms. Falco and Ms. Metcalf would all be strong picks".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2017–present

In September 2017, she began portraying Leslie Abramson in the first season of the NBC true crime anthology series Law & Order True Crime, subtitled The Menendez Murders.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The role earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie at the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> That same year she reunited with Louis C.K. for his film I Love You, Daddy (2017) starring C.K., Chloë Grace Moretz, Charlie Day, Rose Byrne, and John Malkovich. The film premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival. In the film Falco plays C.K.'s long-suffering production manager.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The film's release was cancelled after misconduct allegations against C.K. were released by The New York Times.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> Falco stated of the film's cancellation, "I was sad. I know that he worked very hard on it. He makes his own stuff and puts it out, and I love that chutzpah"; she also added that C.K. deserves a second chance after owning up to his inappropriate behavior.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, she appeared as the lead character in the Paul Attanasio CBS police drama Tommy. Falco originally reprised her breakout role as Carmela Soprano for the 2021 film The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to The Sopranos. However, her scenes were cut from the finished film.<ref name="TMSoN Cut Role">Template:Cite web</ref> Falco also starred in the FX true crime series Impeachment: American Crime Story (2021) portraying Hillary Rodham Clinton opposite Clive Owen's Bill Clinton and Beanie Feldstein's Monica Lewinsky. Ines Bellina of A.V. Club wrote, "Falco expertly guides us through a whole smorgasbord of human emotions. From rage to heartache to regret to shame to longing to pride to a pure, pure ache, we ride that emotional roller coaster firmly by her side".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2023 she played Amy Davidson, a fictional version of Pete Davidson's mother, in his semi-autobiographical series Bupkis on Peacock. It was announced in May 2024 that the series had ended after its first season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Personal life

Relationships

In 2002 Stanley Tucci left his family for Falco, with whom he was appearing on Broadway in Terrence McNally's Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, but the affair ended, and he returned to his wife and children.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She adopted a son in 2005 and a daughter in 2008.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Falco is a Buddhist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Falco has been in a relationship with musician Keith Cotton since 2023.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Activism

She is a vegan and has worked with PETA on projects, including a public-service message urging parents to keep their children away from the circus.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She told Parade magazine, "I believe this is at the base of everything bad in society—you can bring it back to cruelty to animals. If you don't have respect for the life of any kind, it will manifest in more obvious ways."<ref>Stephanie Stephens,"Edie Falco as Attorney Leslie Abramson in Menendez Brothers Series: 'She Just Knew'," Parade, September 26, 2017.</ref>

During the 2004 U.S. presidential election, Falco appeared in a 30-second television commercial on behalf of Mothers Opposing Bush in which she said, "Mothers always put their children first. Mr. Bush, can you say the same?" <ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Falco has become the spokesperson for Health Care for America Now and appeared on CNN on June 25, 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Health issues

Falco has struggled with alcoholism and decided to become sober in the early 1990s after "one particular night of debauchery." She said in an interview that it was difficult to be around the hard-partying cast of The Sopranos, stating, "This cast, in particular, they really love to hang out and party. They make it look like fun. And it was fun for me! They spend a lot more time without me than with me, by my own choice. I'm always invited, and I'm always there for two minutes and I leave, because I can't live in that world anymore. It's too dangerous."<ref name="nymag">Template:Cite news</ref> She is an advocate of Alcoholics Anonymous' 12-step program.<ref name="parade">Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2003, Falco was diagnosed with breast cancer. She chose not to make the news public until the following year.<ref name="nymag" />

Filmography

Key

Template:Dagger

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1987	Sweet Lorraine<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref>	Karen	Credited as Edith Falco
1989	The Unbelievable Truth	Jane – The Waitress
	Sidewalk Stories	Woman in Carriage
1990	Trust	Peg Coughlin
1991	I Was on Mars	Female Cab Driver
1992	Laws of Gravity	Denise
	Time Expired	Ginny	Short film
1993	Rift	Film Director
1994	Bullets Over Broadway	Lorna
1995	The Addiction	Jean
	Backfire!	Mom
1996	Layin' Low	Angie
	The Funeral	Union Speaker
	Breathing Room	Marcy
	Childhood's End	Patty
1997	Hurricane Streets	Joanna
	Private Parts	Alison's Friend	Uncredited
	Cop Land	Berta (Bomb Squad Agent)
	Trouble on the Corner	Vivian Stewart
	Cost of Living	Billie
1998	Blind Light	Diana DiBianco
	A Price Above Rubies	Feiga
1999	Judy Berlin	Judy Berlin
	Stringer	TV Producer
	Random Hearts	Janice
2000	Death of a Dog	Mom
	Overnight Sensation	Festival Coordinator
2002	Sunshine State	Marly Temple
2004	Family of the Year
2005	The Girl from Monday	Judge
	The Great New Wonderful	Safarah Polsky	Segment: "Emme's Story"
	The Quiet	Olivia Deer
2006	Freedomland	Karen Colluci
2010	3 Backyards	Peggy
2013	Gods Behaving Badly	Artemis
2016	The Comedian	Miller
2017	Landline	Pat Jacobs
	Megan Leavey	Jackie Leavey
	Outside In	Carol Beasley
	I Love You, Daddy	Paula
2018	Every Act of Life	Herself	Documentary
	Viper Club	Charlotte
	The Land of Steady Habits	Helene Harris
2022	Avatar: The Way of Water	General Frances Ardmore
2023	Fool's Paradise	The Agent
	The Mother	Eleanor Williams
	I'll Be Right There	Wanda
2025	The Parenting	Dorothy
	Avatar: Fire and Ash Template:Dagger	General Frances Ardmore	Post-production

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1993–1995	Loving	Nurse Becker	Recurring role, 14 episodes
1993–1997	Homicide: Life on the Street	Eva Thormann	Recurring role, 5 episodes
1993–1998	Law & Order	Sally Bell	4 episodes
1995–1997	New York Undercover	Sgt. Kelly	3 episodes
1996	The Sunshine Boys	Carol	Television film
1997	Firehouse	Kate Wilkinson	Television film
1997	Fargo	Marge Gunderson	Cancelled television series pilot
1997–2000	Oz	Diane Whittlesey	Recurring role, 23 episodes
1999–2007	The Sopranos	Carmela Soprano	Main role, 85 episodes
2000	The Sight	Ghost	Television film, uncredited
2001	Jenifer	Wheelchair Saleswoman	Teleivison film
2004	Will & Grace	Deirdre	1 episode
2007–2008	30 Rock	Celeste "C. C." Cunningham	Recurring role, 4 episodes
2009–2015	Nurse Jackie	Jackie Peyton	Main role, 80 episodes
2016	Horace and Pete	Sylvia	Main role, 8 episodes
2017	Law & Order True Crime	Leslie Abramson	Lead role, 8 episodes
2018	Animals.	Psycho (voice)	1 episode
2020	Tommy	Abigail "Tommy" Thomas	Main role, 12 episodes
	Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party	Herself	1 episode
2021	Impeachment: American Crime Story	Hillary Clinton	Main role, 7 episodes
2023	Bupkis	Amy Davidson	Main role
	The Other Two<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Herself	1 episode
2025	Mayor of Kingstown	Nina Hobbs	Main role (season 4)

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Venue	Ref.
1998	Side Man	Terry	Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
1999		Terry (replacement)	John Golden Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2002	Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune	Frankie	Belasco Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004–2005	'night, Mother	Jessie Cates	Royale Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010	This Wide Night	Lorraine	Peter Jay Sharp Theater, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2011	The House of Blue Leaves	Bananas Shaughnessy	Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2013	The Madrid	Martha	New York City Center - Stage I, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2018	The True	Dorothea "Polly" Noonan	Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2021	Morning Sun	Charley	New York City Center - Stage I, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024	Pre-Existing Condition	A	Connelly Theater, Off-Broadway	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:IMDb name
• Template:IBDB name
• Template:Emmys person
• Template:EmmyTVLegends name
• Template:Webarchive