Lorraine Bracco Net Worth

What is Lorraine Bracco's Net Worth?

Lorraine Bracco is an American actress who has a net worth of $8 million. Lorraine Bracco is best known for her iconic roles in the film "Goodfellas" and the HBO series "The Sopranos," two defining works of American screen storytelling. She began her career as a model before focusing on acting. She first appeared in Italian-language films during the 1980s, including "Camorra." After transitioning towards English-speaking roles, Lorraine started to appear in movies like "The Pick-Up Artist" and "The Dream Team" during the 80s.

Her true Hollywood breakthrough came in 1990 with the release of Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas." In this celebrated picture, she played the wife of an Italian mobster and was nominated for several awards, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe. Over the course of her career, she has also been nominated for four Emmys, three other Golden Globes, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards.

In 1999, her career took another major step forward when she joined the cast of "The Sopranos," which is now considered by many to be the best TV series of all time. She played psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi in the series, appearing until the show's finale in 2007. As a result of her performances in the series, Lorraine received many honors and accolades. Since the end of "The Sopranos," Bracco has continued to appear in various projects, perhaps most notably the TV series "Blue Bloods."

Early Life

Lorraine Bracco was born in New York City and grew up in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, alongside her older brother, Salvatore Jr., and younger sister, Elizabeth. Elizabeth also eventually became an actress and even appeared alongside her in "The Sopranos," playing the role of Marie Spatafore, wife of Vito Spatafore.

Lorraine's father, Salvatore, worked at the Fulton Fish Market, and her British-born mother, Eileen, was a homemaker who downplayed her accent to avoid teasing from her Italian in-laws. When Lorraine was nine, the family moved to Hicksville, Long Island, seeking a safer environment for the children.

Social life wasn't always easy. Bracco recalls being devastated when classmates told her she had been voted "the ugliest girl in sixth grade"—a childhood trauma that haunted her into adulthood, even affecting her confidence during modeling opportunities. Despite early insecurities, she found comfort in neighborhood friendships, particularly among a group of Jewish families, where she was often invited to Shabbat dinners and religious celebrations.

Modeling Career

After graduating high school in 1972, Bracco was encouraged to try modeling. She signed with Wilhelmina Models and, in 1974, moved to Paris, where she instantly felt at home. Within days, she began working steadily for top French fashion magazines and soon became the muse of designer Jean Paul Gaultier.

During her time in France, actress Catherine Deneuve told her she had the presence of an actress. Inspired, Bracco enrolled in acting classes with John Strasberg, son of legendary acting teacher Lee Strasberg. Her acting debut came in the 1978 French comedy "Duos Sur Canapé." She went on to appear in several French films and TV commercials before returning to the U.S. in 1984.

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Acting Career

During the 80s, her entertainment career began to take off. She worked as a DJ for Radio Luxembourg and appeared in the TV series "Crime Story." Her first big film role came in 1986 with "Camorra." Bracco was cast by Italian director and novelist Lina Wertmüller in the Italian-language film, and the experience finally convinced her to pursue a professional career as an actress.

Over the next few years, Lorraine honed her acting talents with movies like "The Pick-Up Artist," "Someone to Watch Over Me," "Sing," and "Sea of Love." Her big break then came in 1990 with "Goodfellas." She played Karen, the lead character's wife. This performance won her widespread critical acclaim, and she was nominated for a multitude of awards and honors. The film itself proved to be incredibly successful, grossing a modest $47 million but becoming one of the best movies of all time.

Bracco spent the next decade with a number of additional film appearances, booking roles in movies like "Talent for the Game," "Switch," "Medicine Man," "Radio Flyer," "Traces of Red," and "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues." By the mid-90s, she was appearing in movies like "Being Human," "The Basketball Diaries," and "Hackers." The latter movie proved to be a box office disappointment upon release but later achieved cult classic status. She was also offered the role of Catwoman by Tim Burton for his movie "Batman Returns," but she declined the role.

Her next major step forward came in 1999 when she auditioned for "The Sopranos." Initially, she read for the role of Carmela Soprano – Anthony's wife. However, she became more interested in the role of psychiatrist Jennifer Melfi and pressured producer David Chase to let her have the role. She achieved this goal and won three consecutive Emmy Award nominations as a result. After "The Sopranos," Bracco continued to appear in shows like "Dice" and "Blue Bloods."

Relationships

In 1979, Bracco married Daniel Guerard while living in France. The pair had one child together before divorcing in 1982. Bracco is also known for her 12-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel. They had a child together in 1985. Their daughter later became the subject of a fierce custody battle. Bracco reportedly paid over $2 million in legal fees as a result of this custody battle. Lorraine married Edward James Olmos in 1994. The marriage lasted eight years before ending in divorce in 2002.

Real Estate

In 2004, Lorraine paid $1.6 million for a home in Bridgehampton, New York. She sold this home in June 2021 for $3.8 million. A few months before that deal closed, she paid $1.6 million for a smaller home in the area that had been previously owned by James Lipton of "Inside the Actors Studio."

In 2020, Lorraine Bracco bought a crumbling 200-year-old villa in Italy for one euro. The villa did not have running water, electricity, a kitchen, or a functioning toilet. Bracco then set about renovating the villa for an HGTV series titled "My Big Italian Adventure" that aired in 2020.

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