Drea de Matteo
Andrea Donna de Matteo (born January 19, 1972)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Adriana La Cerva on the television drama The Sopranos (1999–2006), for which she received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2004. Other notable roles include Gina Tribbiani on Joey (2004–2006), Wendy Case on Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014), Angie Bolen on Desperate Housewives (2009–2010), and Detective Tess Nazario on Shades of Blue (2016–2018).
Drea de Matteo
January 19, 1972
New York University (Bachelor of Fine Arts)
Actress
1996–present
2
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (The Sopranos, 2004)
Early life[edit]
De Matteo was born in Whitestone, Queens, New York City. Her mother Donna is a playwright and playwriting teacher who has been on faculty at HB Studio,[2] and her father, Albert, was a furniture manufacturer who was owner and CEO of Avery Boardman and Carlyle.[3] She is of Italian descent,[4][5] and grew up in a Catholic family.[5][6]
After graduating from the Loyola School, de Matteo earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, intending to become a film director. She additionally studied acting at the HB Studio.[7][8]
Personal life[edit]
In 1997, de Matteo opened Filth Mart, a clothing store with her then-boyfriend Michael Sportes.[24] They closed the store in 2004.[25]
De Matteo started dating musician Shooter Jennings in 2001.[26] They became engaged on June 11, 2009, when Jennings proposed onstage at the Stanley Theater during a show in Utica, New York.[27] They have two children together, daughter Alabama Gypsyrose Jennings[26] and son Waylon Albert "Blackjack" Jennings.[28] Jennings and de Matteo eventually ended their relationship without marrying.[29] In July 2015, de Matteo became engaged to Whitesnake bass guitarist Michael Devin.[30]
De Matteo lost her apartment home of 22 years when a gas explosion and raging fire destroyed three buildings in Manhattan on March 26, 2015.[31]