By: Elizabeth Flynn
Joseph ‘Joe’ Frank Pesci is a famous Italian-American actor, comedian, musician, and singer. He is best-known for playing volatile characters in movies. Here are 15 interesting facts about this talented Italian-American.
- Joe Pesci was born on February 9, 1943, in Newark, New Jersey.
- The original spelling of his surname is ‘Peski’. He changed it after he was ridiculed by his peers.
- In a bid to launch a musical career in the 1960s, he played guitar with several bands. In 1968, he even released an album of cover songs.
- Pesci then tried to establish himself as a comedian. Throughout the 1970s he toured many well-known clubs performing as a comedy duo with Frank Vincent.
- His first movie was called ‘The Death Collector’. This low-budget movie was released in 1976.
- For his role in ‘Raging Bull’, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
- In 1981, Joe Pesci won a BAFTA for Newcomer to Leading Film roles.
- He won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his role in Goodfellas. He played Tommy DeVito, a mobster based on Tommy DeSimone.
- Pesci appeared alongside Don Rickles in a Snickers advertisement in 2011.
- He has been married and divorced three times. He was also engaged to Angie Everhart between 2007 and 2008. Sadly, the couple separated.
- Pesci’s eyes are different colors.
- Pesci has broken the same rib twice while filming two different films; Casino and Raging Bull. The movies were filmed 15 years apart.
- In 1990, Pesci played one of the bungling burglars in Home Alone.
- Three of his most famous films were directed by Martin Scorsese and his co-star was Robert De Niro. These films included Casino, Goodfellas and Raging Bull.
- In 1999, Pesci announced his retirement from acting. However, he later took on some cameo roles.
