Steve Buscemi
Steven Vincent Buscemi (/buːˈsɛmi/ boo-SEM-ee,[1][2][Note 1] Italian: [buʃˈʃɛːmi]; born December 13, 1957) is an American actor. Buscemi is known for his work as an acclaimed character actor.[3][4] His early credits consist of major roles in independent film productions such as the AIDS drama Parting Glances (1986), Mystery Train (1989), In the Soup (1992), and his breakout role as Mr. Pink in Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs (1992).
Steve Buscemi
December 13, 1957
- Actor
- director
- producer
1983–present
1
1980–1984
Buscemi has appeared in independent and mainstream films including Pulp Fiction (1994), Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), Escape from L.A. (1996), Con Air (1997), 28 Days (2000), Domestic Disturbance (2001), The Island (2005), Youth in Revolt (2009), The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013), and The Dead Don't Die (2019). Buscemi has often starred in Coen brothers films such as Miller's Crossing (1990), Fargo (1996), and The Big Lebowski (1998). He has also appeared in supporting or cameo roles in many films with Adam Sandler including Airheads (1994), Billy Madison (1995), The Wedding Singer (1998), Mr. Deeds (2002), and Hubie Halloween (2020).
Buscemi has also had an extensive career in television, notably starring in the lead role of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010–2014). His performance earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe and two nominations for an Primetime Emmy Award. His other television roles include Lonesome Dove (1989), The Sopranos (2004, 2006), 30 Rock (2007–2013), Horace and Pete (2016), and Miracle Workers (2019–2023).
He has directed films such as Trees Lounge (1996), Animal Factory (2000), and Interview (2007).
Early life and education[edit]
Steven Vincent Buscemi[5] was born on December 13, 1957,[6] in the borough of Brooklyn in New York City, to Dorothy (née Wilson) and John Buscemi.[5][7] His father was a sanitation worker and served in the Korean War, and his mother was a hostess at Howard Johnson's. Buscemi's paternal ancestors were from the town of Menfi in Sicily, Italy and his mother is of English and Dutch ancestry.[8][9] He has three brothers: Jon, Ken and Michael. Michael is also an actor, whose most notable role to date was as Officer Jimmy in BlacKkKlansman (2018). Buscemi was raised Catholic.[9]
When Buscemi was 10 years old, the family moved from East New York to Valley Stream in Nassau County.[10] Buscemi graduated in 1975 from Valley Stream Central High School along with future writer Edward J. Renehan Jr. and future actress Patricia Charbonneau. In high school, Buscemi wrestled for the varsity squad and participated in the drama troupe. (Buscemi's 1996 film Trees Lounge, in which he starred and served as screenwriter and director, is set in and was largely shot in his childhood village of Valley Stream.[11]) Buscemi briefly attended Nassau Community College before moving to Manhattan to enroll in the Lee Strasberg Institute.
Career[edit]
1985–1989: Early roles[edit]
Buscemi made his acting debut in the 1985 film The Way It Is, directed by Eric Mitchell, which was part of the no wave cinema movement. Other early performances include Parting Glances (1986) as well as an appearance in an episode of the television series Miami Vice in 1986.[12] In 1989, he appeared in four films, including James Ivory's comedy Slaves of New York, Howard Brookner's ensemble period film Bloodhounds of Broadway and the New York Stories segment directed by Martin Scorsese entitled, "Life Lessons" starring alongside Nick Nolte and Rosanna Arquette. The film screened out of competition at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival to mixed reviews with the Scorsese segment being hailed as the standout by Roger Ebert.[13] Buscemi also appeared in Jim Jarmusch's independent film Mystery Train (1989) as Charlie the Barber, and was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.[14]
Buscemi has also worked as a director, making his directing debut in the 1990s. His directorial credits include:
In addition to feature films, he directed episodes of the television shows Love, Homicide: Life on the Street, The Sopranos, Oz, 30 Rock, Portlandia, and Nurse Jackie. In the latter, his brother Michael played the character God in several episodes. While scouting a location for a film, Buscemi visited the Philadelphia Eastern State Penitentiary and found the building so interesting that he later provided the majority of the narration for the audio tour there.[48][49]
Reception and image[edit]
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Buscemi was adamant about not altering his misaligned teeth, saying, "I've had dentists who have wanted to help me out, but I say, 'You know, I won't work again if you fix my teeth.'"[50][51] Buscemi is noted for wrinkles around his eyes, giving them an aged appearance. "Buscemi eyes" describes the result when his eyes are photo-edited onto others' faces. He has stated that although he did not find this amusing, his wife Jo Andres did.[52]
The author Eiichiro Oda was inspired by Mr. Pink, Buscemi's character in Reservoir Dogs (1992), when creating one of the primary characters (Vinsmoke Sanji) for his manga 'One Piece'.[53]
Buscemi guest-starred in season 6 episode 7 of 30 Rock as a private investigator. Playing against his image, during a flashback he appears to be disguised as a teenager as he says that he was "part of a special task force of very young-looking cops who infiltrated high schools".[54][55] His character's disguise and quote of "how do you do, fellow kids?" became an internet meme.[56]
The 1999 song "Hey Leonardo" by Blessid Union of Souls referenced Buscemi as "that guy who played in Fargo…I think his name is Steve."