Stephanie Kurtzuba Explained

Stephanie Kurtzuba
Birth Date:20 March 1972
Birth Place:Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Nationality:American
Alma Mater:NYU Tisch School of the Arts
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:2003–present
Children:2

Stephanie Kurtzuba (born March 20, 1972) is an American film, television, and theater actress. She is best known for her roles in the films The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Annie (2014), and The Irishman (2019), and on television in recurring roles on The Good Wife and Blue Bloods.

Early life and education

Kurtzuba was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where she graduated from Omaha Central High School.[1] Growing up, she performed in local theater productions,[1] with her first role at the age of 10 as an orphan pickpocket in the musical Oliver, and won the Miss Nebraska Pre-Teen pageant.[2] She briefly attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism, before being accepted to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned an acting degree.[1] [2]

Career

Theater

After graduating, she spent time performing in experimental off-off-Broadway productions, before going into commercial theater.[2] Her first Broadway show was as part of a backup trio to Hugh Jackman in The Boy from Oz in 2003.[3] As a member of the original Broadway casts of Mary Poppins in 2006 and Billy Elliot the Musical in 2008, she performed at the 2007 and 2009 Tony Awards.[2] Her Off-Broadway credits include the 2018 revival of Stephen Adly Guirgis' Our Lady of 121st St., directed by Phylicia Rashad for Signature Theatre,[4] The Joys of Sex, directed by Jeremy Dobrish for Variety Arts Theater,[5] and , directed by Scott Schwartz at the Union Square Theatre.[6]

Film

Kurtzuba portrayed Mrs. Kovacevic, a social services clerk with a Russian accent, in the 2014 film adaptation of Annie.[2] Her performance was praised in the Los Angeles Times[7] and Variety.[8] She is featured on the song "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" on the Annie soundtrack album.[9] In The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese, she played Kimmie Belzer, a single mom hired by Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and the only female stockbroker at the company.[2] [10] In the Scorsese Netflix film The Irishman, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, she portrays Irene, the wife of De Niro's character.[11] She also appeared in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and Away We Go opposite John Krasinski.[2]

Television

Kurtzuba had recurring roles as Olivia on The Good Wife on CBS, as Sergeant (and later Captain) Paula McNichols on Blue Bloods, as cult member Sabrina on The Leftovers on HBO, and on the Paramount Network miniseries Waco.[2] She has also appeared on on NBC, Elementary on CBS, and Bull on CBS.[2] [11]

Personal life

Kurtzuba married Joshua Coakley in 2005. They met when Kurtzuba was performing in a show at the Alley Theatre in Houston, and Coakley was working on the show in the props department.[2] They live in New York City and have two sons.[1]

Kurtzuba co-owns West Lanes Bowling Center in Omaha with her father and two siblings. Her maternal grandparents built the bowling alley in 1955.[2]

Kurtzuba is also a model and has been the spokesperson for Red Baron Pizza since 2017.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRole
2004KnotsSheila
2008Parting WordsBrenda Turko
2009Away We GoPerformance Mom
2011Extremely Loud & Incredibly CloseElaine Black
2013The Wolf of Wall StreetKimmie Belzer
2014Before I DisappearBlonde Woman
AnnieMrs. Kovacevic
2018To DustReceptionist
2019Bad EducationCarol Schweitzer
The IrishmanIrene Sheeran
2023The MachineLeeAnn Kreischer
Fish Out of WaterBrenda

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004Law & OrderJanetEpisode: The Brotherhood"
2006RelatedWaitressEpisode: "His Name Is Ruth"
Numb3rsPublicistEpisode: "All's Fair"
2010–2014The Good WifeOlivia Suconik4 episodes
2013ElementaryEileen RourkeEpisode: "Risk Management"
Do No HarmNadia CrossEpisode: "Six Feet Deep"
2014The LeftoversSabrina2 episodes
Joan HarrisEpisode: "Glasgowman's Wrath"
2016Chicago P.D.Detective RicciEpisode: "The Silos"
2017
  1. MotherJudger
DebWeb series
2018BullRebecca LexingtonEpisode: "Kill Shot"
WacoCarol NoesnerMiniseries; 3 episodes
The Good CopEvelynEpisode: "Will Cora Get Married?"
2019The Enemy WithinDesiree VillarealEpisode: "An Offer"
The Good FightOlivia SuconikEpisode: "The One Where Diane and Liz Topple Democracy"
2019–2024Blue BloodsSergeant/Captain Paula McNicholsRecurring
2020 Grey's AnatomyOpal2 episodes
2021Station 19OpalEpisode: "Train in Vain"
DynastyKatie Loftland2 episodes
2021The BlacklistEva MasonEpisode: "Eva Mason (No. 181)"
The WatcherHelen GraffEpisode: "Götterdämmerung"
2022–2023Tulsa KingClara TruisiRecurring
TBAYour Friends and NeighborsUpcoming series

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Shelly (u/s)Off-Broadway
2003–2004The Boy from OzTrio member / Ensemble
Judy Garland (u/s)
Broadway
2004The Joys of SexStephs Nolton/Gladys/BrandiOff-Broadway
2004–2005NewsicalPerformerOff-Broadway
2005A Mother, A Daughter, and A GunEleanor/Cheryl
Jess (u/s)
Off-Broadway
2006–2007Mary PoppinsSwingBroadway
2008–2009Billy Elliot the MusicalLesley / Dancer / Ensemble
Dead Mum (u/s)
Broadway
2018Our Lady of 121st StreetMarciaOff-Broadway

External links

Notes and References

  1. Leo Adam Biga, "From Bowling Alley, to Broadway, and Back," Omaha Magazine, August 8, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2022
  2. Bob Fischbach, "Central grad, 'Annie,' 'Wolf of Wall Street' actress also co-owns Omaha bowling alley," Omaha World-Herald, December 23, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2022
  3. Ben Brantley, "Flash Of 70's Sequins," New York Times, October 17, 2003.
  4. Web site: Scheck . Frank . 'Our Lady of 121st Street': Theater Review . The Hollywood Reporter . January 20, 2022 . May 20, 2018.
  5. Web site: Stasio . Marilyn . The Joys of Sex . Variety . January 20, 2022 . May 18, 2004.
  6. Web site: Bat Boy: The Musical.
  7. Betsy Sharkey, "An 'Annie' without the expected sunshine, spirit or energy," Los Angeles Times, December 18, 2014.
  8. Ronnie Scheib, "Film Review: 'Annie'," Variety, December 14, 2014.
  9. Halee Makhan, "'Annie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' is Set to Drop on November 17," The Source, October 23, 2014.
  10. Corinna Clendenen, "The Wolf of Wall Street – Saint or Sinner?" HuffPost, January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2022
  11. https://2paragraphs.com/2018/01/who-is-wealthy-widow-rebecca-lexington-on-bull-stephanie-kurtzuba/ "Who Is Wealthy Widow Rebecca Lexington on 'Bull'? Stephanie Kurtzuba,"