Marisa Tomei bio, age, young pictures, relationships, oscar 2025

Biography of Marisa Tomei

Hollywood actress Marisa Tomei is known for her roles in the films "The Wrestler," "In the Bedroom," "My Cousin Vinny," "What Women Want," and "Spider-Man." She is an Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Mona Lisa Vito in the movie "My Cousin Vinny." She rarely takes on leading roles because she firmly believes that there are no small roles, only small actors—and she's certainly not one of them.

Early Years

Marisa was born on December 4, 1964, in Brooklyn, New York City's most populous borough. Her mother, Patricia, was an English teacher, and her father, Gary, was a lawyer. The actress has Italian heritage on both sides: Patricia's ancestors emigrated from Tuscany and Calabria, while Gary's came from Tuscany and Sicily.

Three years later, the couple had a son, Adam Tomei, who would also become an actor.

Pictured: Marisa Tomei and her brother Adam

Marisa's passion for acting came from her parents, avid theatergoers who took her to Broadway musicals. Young Tomei idolized 1940s musical star Barbara Stanwyck. As a child, Marisa had a strong Brooklyn accent, which her mother, already envisioning her daughter as a Broadway star, tried to eradicate by constantly correcting her. Fortunately, she failed, and in "My Cousin Vinny"—which earned Marisa an Academy Award—she speaks with this distinctly pronounced accent.

During summers, she stayed with her grandparents on their farm—staunch supporters of hippie ideology. There, she and local kids played "theatre"—the barn served as their theater, with hastily nailed boards as their stage. The young actors performed amusing skits about current political issues. That's when Marisa formed her understanding of acting—as a way to loudly express what's on your mind.

Early Roles

In 1982, she graduated from high school and enrolled at Boston University. But during her freshman year, she dropped out to take a role in the long-running soap opera "As the World Turns," appearing for the next three years. This job led to her big-screen debut when she was cast in the film "The Flamingo Kid" (1984). Three years later, she appeared as Maggie Lauten in the sitcom "A Different World."

Marisa Tomei talks Upgraded, looks back at A Different World

Career Development

Marisa Tomei shot to fame in 1992 playing Joe Pesci's girlfriend in the crime comedy "My Cousin Vinny." For this role, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She followed that up with an appearance in the biopic "Chaplin."

Young Marisa Tomei in the movie 'My Cousin Vinny'

The following year, Tomei landed her first leading role in "Untamed Heart." Her next major role came in 1994's romantic comedy "Only You," where she channeled American cinema legend Audrey Hepburn.

Marisa Tomei Wins Supporting Actress

In the 1994 film "The Paper," Tomei played the pregnant wife of the main character. Critics gave the film a lukewarm reception. Her co-star was Michael Keaton – and interestingly, the two would reunite 20 years later in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

Marisa Tomei Through The Years

In 1996, Tomei bounced back from her recent missteps with a powerful performance in Nick Cassavetes' drama "Unhook the Stars," playing a single mother struggling to get by. This role earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She continued her strong streak with solid performances in "Welcome to Sarajevo" (1997) and "Slums of Beverly Hills" (1998).

Marisa Tomei's Stunning Transformation Is Turning Heads

In 2000, Tomei had a supporting role in the romantic comedy "What Women Want" alongside Mel Gibson, and in 2002 she scored another Oscar nomination for the drama "In the Bedroom" – though the award ultimately went to Jennifer Connelly for "A Beautiful Mind."

In 2006, Tomei appeared in four episodes of the series "Rescue Me," playing the ex-wife of the protagonist's brother. In 2007, at 42, Tomei took on a provocative role in legendary director Sidney Lumet's drama "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," which featured her in intimate scenes with Ethan Hawke and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Marisa Tomei in the movie 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead'

In 2008, Tomei played an aging stripper in "The Wrestler" opposite Mickey Rourke, appearing topless in the role. For this role, she received her third Oscar nomination, as well as nominations for the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Director Darren Aronofsky personally approached her for the role, though she was initially hesitant. "My breasts are a bit small, but Darren convinced me they were just right – suggesting I just don't hang out in strip clubs enough," Marisa joked.

In 2011, she joined George Clooney's "The Ides of March." Tomei played a journalist – specifically, the chief political correspondent for The New York Times.

The Ides of March: Marisa Tomei as journalist Ida Horowitz

In 2017, she joined "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as Aunt May, the guardian of her nephew Peter Parker (Tom Holland), who's just discovering his superpowers.

Spider-Man: Homecoming: Marisa Tomei as Aunt May

In 2021, the third installment of "Spider-Man" was released, in which Marisa Tomei returned as Aunt May. Her character's storyline was so emotional that she found herself torn between wanting to share it with someone and her contract's strict no-spoiler clause. She eventually spilled the ending to her therapist, who was bound by doctor-patient confidentiality to keep Aunt May's fate secret.

Peter and aunt May being a comedic duo

Marisa Tomei's Personal Life

Marisa keeps her personal life under wraps and rarely does interviews, so details about her private world are scarce.

Marisa Tomei without makeup (2016, actress is 51)

In 1994, she briefly dated Robert Downey Jr., her co-star from the romantic comedy "Only You."

In 1997, she was frequently spotted with actor Dana Ashbrook, known for the early seasons of "Twin Peaks." In 2003, Marisa dated Christian Slater. Sparks flew between them while filming the drama "Untamed Heart," where their characters were also romantically involved. A year later, rumors linked her to musician Lenny Kravitz.

'Untamed Heart': Marisa Tomei and Christian Slater

From 2006 to 2008, the actress was in a relationship with director Nicholas Carpenter. From 2008 to 2012, she dated actor Logan Marshall-Green, who was twelve years younger.

Marisa Tomei and Logan Marshall-Green dated for 4 years

These days, Marisa Tomei holds the unofficial title of "Hollywood's most eligible bachelorette." She is not married and does not have children. She embraces life fully and savors every moment. Marisa often spends time in nature, frequently visits her parents and her brother's family, and is passionate about belly dancing.

Marisa Tomei manages to look significantly younger than her years

As a socially conscious actress, she speaks out against violence toward women. Along with Morgan Freeman, Sean Penn, and Matt Damon, she appeared in the documentary "The People Speak," dedicated to the birth of democracy in the USA.

Marisa Tomei's Guide to Natural Skin Care & Everyday Makeup

Marisa Tomei Now

In 2023, Marisa Tomei starred in the romantic film "She Came to Me," which opened the Berlin Film Festival. She played Katrina, a tugboat captain, who gets romantically entangled with composer Steven Lodder (Peter Dinklage), a man struggling through creative block while already being taken.

The cast of 'She Came to Me' at the Berlin Film Festival

In 2024, Marisa played Claire, a demanding boss, in another rom-com, this time set in the world of the art market – "Upgraded".

Photos: Marisa Tomei