By The Greater Astoria Historical Society
Mae West once said, “Personality is the most important thing to an actress’s success.” Seemingly having followed this advice, movie and television actress Debi Mazar (b. 1964) has cultivated a specific persona — that of the sassy, Italian Jersey Girl.
But this persona is just good acting on her part. Mazar is not Italian nor from New Jersey. Her ethnic background is Latvian and she is really from Jamaica.
Mazar first worked as a makeup artist and later as a dancer in longtime friend Madonna’s music videos. Her first film break came as “Holly” in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 hit gangster film “GoodFellas.” Her role as a suburban New Jersey cocaine dealer stood out in the ensemble cast. Other film directors, such as Spike Lee, began casting her for her comedic abilities and for her “Jersey Girl” portrayals.
In addition to “GoodFellas,” Mazar has starred in such movies as “Batman Forever,” “Bullets Over Broadway” and “Malcolm X.” On Television, she has been featured on shows such as “Civil Wars,” “LA Law,” “That’s Life” and “Ugly Betty” and is perhaps best known for her role as “Shauna” on the hit HBO comedy “Entourage.”
Since 2011, she has appeared with her husband, Gabriele Corcos, on their own reality cooking show “Extra Virgin.”
In a recent blog post on her website, underthetuscangun.com, Mazar recalled her childhood: “My mother was a few days shy of her 16th birthday when she had me. …My early memories were that of complete bliss. I don’t remember being hungry. There was fresh milk in glass bottles, eggs and butter delivered daily to the door by ‘The Milk Man’. Cheap egg cremes and malteds at the soda shop around the corner. The Mister Softy Ice Creme Truck was a favorite and going to the new White Castle Hamburger chain. There were many moments that I remember us having no money, and we were on food stamps, but I never WAS hungry. I was not aware that we were poor.”
The cooking show with her husband on the Cooking Channel showcases their home life in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn. Recipes are adapted for the busy family life of today. There is an emphasis on the fresh ingredients of the Mediterranean diet, with recipes from her Italian-born husband. Entertaining tips and stories from her career bring a folksy, inside-Hollywood vibe to the show. Planning for dinner parties is usually a focus. The show was recently renewed for a third season.
Although not a major star, Mazar has carved out an enviable career that has lasted more than 20 years in a business known for its fickle nature.
Notable quote: “I’ve never wanted to be the ingenue. Now that I’m getting into my 40s, I think my time as a woman has arrived. I think I might have a new moment in my career. I have that drive left — just for a little while.”
For further information, call 718-278-0700 or visit astorialic.org.
