A charismatic dark-haired actor with thick brows over piercing eyes, a dimpled chin and Roman nose, Michael Imperioli first caught filmgoers' attention with a brief turn as Spider, who paid dearly for messing up Joe Pesci's drink order, in Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas" (1990). The following year, he began an ongoing association with director Spike Lee, appearing as Annabella Sciorra's brother in "Jungle Fever". Linked romantically onscreen (and off until 1995) with actress Lili Taylor in such indies as Nancy Savoca's "Household Saints" (1993) and "Girls Town" (1996), Imperioli became a mainstay of independent films, often playing street toughs or junkies. Though he raised his profile with strong turns as a hustler in "Postcards from America" and a witness in "Men Lie" (both 1994) and as flamboyant Factory denizen Ondine in Mary Harron's "I Shot Andy Warhol" (1996), he enjoyed arguably his best film role to date as a Wall Street yuppie who becomes a crack addict in "Sweet Nothing" (filmed in 1993; released in 1995), starring opposite Mira Sorvino."Last Man Standing" (1996) offered Imperioli a rare mainstream turn as an Italian gang member in the midst of indie fare like Steve Buscemi's "Trees Lounge" (also 1996), John Andrew Gallagher's "The Deli" (1997) and Wonsuk Chin's "Too Tired to Die" (1998), a quirky cross-cultural item reuniting him with Sorvino (and allowing the Chinese-fluent actress to speak the language onscreen for the first time). He made his co-screenwriting and executive producing debut on Lee's "Summer of Sam" (1999), his fifth collaboration with the director, which might have been his own directorial debut (with Lee as producer) had Disney been willing to take the risk. Imperioli appeared infrequently in guest appearances on TV dramas like "NYPD Blue" and "Law & Order" before landing the role of Tony Soprano's hot-headed nephew, loyal Mafia soldier and aspiring filmmaker Christopher Moltisanti in HBO's wildly popular "The Sopranos" (1999- ). As an inside tribute to his "GoodFellas" role of Spider, he shot someone in the foot during the show's first season. In the series' second season, Imperioli wrote the first of several episodes he would pen, and during its third he finally garnered some recognition for his fine acting work with the first of three Emmy nominations – he would eventually take home the trophy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2004.
As a result of his "Sopranos" exposure, Imperioli landed several other roles, including turns in the telepic "Disappearing Acts" (2000); a stint as Rosenkrantz in the star/director Campbell Scott's TV version of "Hamlet" (2000); a slot opposite future "Sopranos" co-star Steve Buscemi in the dramedy "Love in the Time of Money" (2002); a leading turn in "Stuey" (lensed 2003), the true story of the rise and fall of poker legend Stu "The Kid" Ungar; and he was teamed with Eddie Griffin and Anthony Anderson in the urban comedy "My Baby's Daddy" (2004). He also lent his distinctive voice to the CGI-animated underwater mob spoof "Shark's Tale" (2004).
While in the midst of playing the career criminal Christopher on "The Sopranos," Imperioloi also took a moonlighting gig on the other side of the law with a recurring role on the venerable crime series "Law & Order" during the 2004-2005 (subbing for series co-star Jesse L. Martin who was filming the big screen version of the Broadway play "Rent"). As Det. Nick Falco, Imperioloi played the nephew and temporary partner of Det. Joe Fontana (Dennis Farina) in four episodes. Returning to his bread and butter, Imperioli found himself nominated in 2007 for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series – his last chance to take home another trophy for playing Christopher Moltisanti once the series ended after its seventh nail-biting season.
Profession(s):
Actor, screenwriter, producer, director, bartender, waiter, busboy
Sometimes Credited As:
James Michael Imperioli
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series "The Sopranos" 2008
Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series "The Sopranos" 2004
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series "The Sopranos" 2000
2005 Guest starred as a detective on the final four "Law & Order" (NBC) episodes of the season, filling in for actor Jesse Martin
2004 Plays a father in the comedy "My Baby's Daddy"
2004 Lent his voice to the animated character Frankie in "Shark Tale"
2002 Had featured role in the ensemble romance "Love in the Time of Money"
2000 Cast as Rosencrantz in Campbell Scott's adaptation of "Hamlet"; aired as a miniseries on Odyssey TV before playing selected theatrical venues
1999 Co-penned (also executive produced and acted) the screenplay for Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam"; originally set to direct before handing project over to Lee; third film with Sorvino
1999 - 2007 Co-starred as Christopher Moltisanti in the HBO series "The Sopranos"; also wrote a number of episodes; earned Emmy (2001, 2003, 2006, 2007) and Golden Globe (2003, 2005) nominations for Best Supporti
1998 Reteamed with Sorvino for "Too Tired to Die"
1998 Acted in NBC miniseries "Witness to the Mob"
1996 Appeared in the New York segment of Hartley's "Flirt"
1996 Essayed Scary Caller No 30 in Lee's "Girl 6"
1996 Cast as part of the Italian gang in Walter Hill's lackluster "Last Man Standing"
1996 Portrayed Ondine in Mary Harron's "I Shot Andy Warhol"; co-starred Taylor as Valerie Solanas
1996 Appeared in Jim McKay's "Girls Town"; co-scripted and co-starring Lili Taylor
1995 Reteamed with Taylor for Abel Ferrara's "The Addiction"; also featured future "The Sopranos" co-star Edie Falco
1995 Reteamed with Spike Lee to portray a crooked cop in "Clockers"
1995 Had first leading role in the independent film "Sweet Nothing" (filmed in 1993)
1994 TV debut as guest actor on the ABC series "NYPD Blue"
1994 Had small role in Hal Hartley's "Amateur"
1993 First screen collaboration with Lili Taylor, "Household Saints"
1992 Played a reporter in Lee's "Malcolm X"
1991 First collaboration with Spike Lee, "Jungle Fever"; cast as Annabella Sciorra's brother
1990 Had featured role in Martin Scorsese's "GoodFellas"
1989 Film debut with one-line role in "Lean on Me"
Raised in Mount Vernon, New York
Directed stage plays with The Machine Full Theater
