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

Biography of Marisa Tomei

Hollywood actress Marisa Tomei is know 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. However, she is certainly not one of them.

Early Years

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

Three years after the girl's birth, 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 was instilled by her parents, avid theatergoers who took her to Broadway musicals. Young Tomei idolized Barbara Stanwyck, a musical star of the 1940s. 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 was unsuccessful, and in the film "My Cousin Vinny," which earned Marisa an Academy Award, she speaks with this distinctly pronounced accent.

In the summers, the girl was sent to stay with her grandparents on their farm, who were staunch supporters of the hippie ideology. There, along with local kids, she played "theatre"; the barn served as their theatre, while hastily nailed boards acted as their stage. The young actors performed amusing skits about current political issues. It was then that Marisa formed her understanding of the craft of acting—as a way to loudly express what's on one's mind.

Early Roles

In 1982, a young woman graduated from high school and enrolled at Boston University. However, during her freshman year, she decided to drop out to take a role in the long-running soap opera "As the World Turns," where she appeared 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 achieved fame in 1992 when she played Joe Pesci's girlfriend in the criminal comedy "My Cousin Vinny." For this role, she won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Later that year, she appeared in the biopic "Chaplin."

Young Marisa Tomei in the movie 'My Cousin Vinny'

In 1993, the actress received her first leading role in the film "Untamed Heart." Her next major role was in the romantic comedy "Only You," released in 1994, where she tried to emulate the acting of 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. The film received a lukewarm reception from critics. Her co-star was Michael Keaton – interestingly, 20 years later they worked together again in "Spider-Man: Homecoming."

Marisa Tomei Through The Years

In 1996, Tomei redeemed herself from her recent less successful roles with her performance in Nick Cassavetes' drama "Unhook the Stars," where she played a single mother with a tough life. This role earned her a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also delivered strong performances in "Welcome to Sarajevo" and "Slums of Beverly Hills" in 1997 and 1998, respectively.

Marisa Tomei's Stunning Transformation Is Turning Heads

In 2000, Tomei played a supporting role in the romantic comedy "What Women Want" with Mel Gibson, and in 2002 she earned another Oscar nomination for the drama "In the Bedroom," although the award went to Jennifer Connelly for her performance in "A Beautiful Mind."

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

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

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

In 2011, she began working on the series "The Ides of March" by George Clooney. Tomei played a journalist, the main political correspondent for The New York Times.

The Ides of March: Marisa Tomei as journalist Ida Horowitz

In 2017, the actress appeared in "Spider-Man: Homecoming" as Aunt May, the guardian of her nephew Peter Parker (Tom Holland), who unexpectedly discovers 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. The storyline of her character was so moving that she struggled between the need to share with someone and the terms of the contract that prohibited disclosing details. Eventually, she told the ending to her psychotherapist, who couldn't reveal Aunt May's story due to doctor-patient confidentiality.

Peter and aunt May being a comedic duo

Marisa Tomei's Personal Life

Marisa is a very private person and rarely gives interviews, so little is known about her personal life.

Marisa Tomei without makeup (2016, actress is 51)

In 1994, she had a brief relationship with Robert Downey Jr., her co-star from the romantic comedy "Only You."

In 1997, the actress was often seen with actor Dana Ashbrook, known for the early seasons of "Twin Peaks." In 2003, Marisa dated Christian Slater. The passion between them ignited while filming the drama "Untamed Heart," in which their characters were also in love. A year later, she was rumored to be involved with 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, her companion was actor Logan Marshall-Green, who was twelve years her junior.

Marisa Tomei and Logan Marshall-Green dated for 4 years

Currently, Marisa Tomei enjoys the unofficial title of "Hollywood's bachelorette." She is not married and does not have children. She loves life in all its forms 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 an actress with an active civic stance, she lectures on the unacceptability of violence against 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 becomes romantically involved with composer Steven Lodder (Peter Dinklage) who is going through a creative crisis and is not single.