Gina Mastrogiacomo Explained

Gina Mastrogiacomo
Birth Name:Gina Mastrogiacomo
Birth Date:5 November 1961
Death Place:California, United States
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1986–2001

Gina Mastrogiacomo (November 5, 1961 – May 2, 2001) was an American actress.[1]

Career

Mastrogiacomo made her film debut as Roxie in the 1987 fantasy comedy film Harry and the Hendersons. She next starred as the lead female character, Ginny, in Richard Haines's 1989 sci-fi comedy Space Avenger, an independent film which debuted at the Toronto Film Festival and parodied the Alien franchise and other sci-fi horror films like The Hidden.[2] Mastrogiacomo's performance impressed Martin Scorsese, who decided to cast her in his hit 1990 gangster film Goodfellas after watching the film.[3] In that film she portrayed Janice Rossi, Ray Liotta's mistress, and delivered a performance praised for its passionate and realistic delivery.[4] [5] [6] [7] [8] Her performance is praised as "vivid and immediate", which has not been reflected in retrospectives and oral histories of the film because of her early death.[9] Also in 1990, Mastrogiacomo starred in the 1990 musical television film An East Side Story.[10] In 1991 she portrayed Louise in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever,[11] one of several actors who had also appeared in Goodfellas.[12] Variety critic Tony Scott wrote that "Mastrogiacomo excels as Maggie's loyal friend Gloria" in the USA Network's 1995 television film Tall, Dark, and Deadly.[13] In 2000, she played the role of Jenny Uphouse in the X-Files episode "Chimera", playing a character having an affair with the sheriff as a form of revenge against middle-class housewife snobbery.[14]

Personal life

Mastrogiacomo was raised on Oceanside, Long Island, New York, and died in California on May 2, 2001, at the age of 39, of a bacterial heart infection.[9]

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987Harry and the HendersonsRoxie
1989Space AvengerGinny
1990GoodfellasJanice Rossi
1991Jungle FeverLouise
1991Sex shop worker
1994NYPD BlueChickyEpisode: A Sudden Fish
1994Motorcycle GangWaitressTV movie
1995Tall, Dark and DeadlyGloria BowersTV movie
1996BloodhoundsLiz Moore
1996SeinfeldThe prostituteEpisode: "The Wig Master"
2000The X-FilesJenny UphouseEpisode: "Chimera" (final appearance)

Notes and References

  1. News: Film and television credits: Gina Mastrogiacomo . . November 6, 2022.
  2. Rich . Film: TORONTO FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS REVIEWS – Space Avenger . . 336 . 11 . 47 . September 27, 1989.
  3. Cohn. Lawrence. Film: Haines goes back to basics: 'Space Avenger' made in old Technicolor process. Variety. 336. 4. 16, 29. August 9, 1989.
  4. News: Great movies and bombs, according to Roger Ebert. April 5, 2013. CNN. Stephanie Goldberg.
  5. CNN Opinion: Ebert's sheer love of life, January 5, 2015
  6. ScreenRant Goodfellas: Every major performance, ranked, April 8, 2020
  7. The New York Times Aretha Franklin's music powered memorable moments onscreen, August 17, 2018
  8. Decider.com Put macho pride aside: Lorraine Bracco is the true center Of ‘Goodfellas’, July 11, 2015
  9. Book: Kenny, Glenn . Made Men; The Story of Goodfellas . Hanover Square Press . 2020 . 9781488059131.
  10. FILM BRIEFS - Gotham indie spotlights Latin music . . 334 . 9 . 12 . March 22, 1989.
  11. Buying & Booking Guide: JUNGLE FEVER. Meisel, Myron. The Film Journal. 94. 6. July 1, 1991. 18–19.
  12. Book: Gilbert, Valerie . Women and Mixed Race Representation in Film; Eight Profiles . McFarland Publishers Inc. . 9781476644738 . 184.
  13. News: Television: TV REVIEWS - TALL, DARK AND DEADLY. Scott, Tony. Variety. 357. 12. January 23, 1995. 43.
  14. Book: Fahey, Thomas . Understanding Tracy Letts . University of South Carolina Press . 2000 . 9781643361123 . 43–44.