Debi Mazar Biography
Summary
"Deborah 'Debi' Mazar" (born August 15, 1964) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her trademark "Jersey Girl"-type appearances, and as edgy, sharp-tongued women in independent films and her recurring role on the HBO series "Entourage" as Shauna Roberts.
Early life
Mazar was born in Queens, New York, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar. Her father was born in the Latvian SSR, Soviet Union, to a Jewish family, while her mother was a Catholic who converted to Judaism and later became a Buddhist and for a period of time studied with Jehovah's Witnesses.
Career
Mazar began her career as a hip hop b-girl in New York City. Her first television appearance was on the pilot for a hip hop television dance show, "Graffiti Rock" in 1984. She appeared in four of Madonna's music videos - 'Papa Don't Preach', 'True Blue' (both 1986), 'Deeper and Deeper' (1992) and 'Music' (2000). Mazar has played a number of minor-yet-colorful supporting roles in a variety of movies, including: as Sandy, Henry Hill's girl on the side in "GoodFellas" (1990); "The Doors" (1991); "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994); and as Spice (of Sugar and Spice, with Drew Barrymore as Sugar) in "Batman Forever" (1995). She gained her first real following from playing a character on "Civil Wars" in the early 90s. When that show was cancelled her character was brought over as a recurring role in the 1993 - 1994 season of the TV drama "L.A. Law".
She played the villain Regina, a modern-day Cruella de Vil in the popular family film Beethoven's 2nd (1993). She has appeared in independent films like "Inside Monkey Zetterland" and "Nowhere" but has also dabbled in mainstream attempts like "Batman Forever", and her short-lived sitcom, "Temporarily Yours". (The sitcom was about a woman who, in an attempt to get a good apartment in New York City, lies about being employed with a temp agency and then shows up at the agency begging for work.) She also appeared as the genie in the Space Monkey's video, 'Sugarcane'.
Mazar appeared on a "Friends" episode in its eighth season ('The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part One'). Mazar played 'Doreen, the Evil Bitch,' a crazed pregnant woman who shares a hospital room with Rachel. She frequently refers to her husband as 'sick bastard,' 'stupid bastard,' and 'sick son of a bitch' when she catches him creepily looking at Rachel. From 2000–2002 she played 'Jackie' on the television drama "That's Life".
Currently, she is in a supporting actress role on "Entourage", an original comedy series on HBO. She also had a recurring role on the sitcom "Living with Fran", playing Fran Drescher's character's cousin, Merrill. She also did a stint on the television series "Ugly Betty", where she plays Leah Stillman, a scam artist who claims to be a lawyer in a number of episodes.
Mazar is scheduled to be a contestant on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars She had been partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy.
Personal life
She married Gabriele Corcos on March 16, 2002, and they have two daughters: Evelyn Maria (born on July 12, 2002) and Giulia Isabel (born on March 17, 2006). Mazar and Corcos are currently hosting a very successful internet show focused on Tuscan cuisine: "Under The Tuscan Gun". The family divides their time between their home in Los Angeles and a fourteenth-century house outside of Florence that was given to them as a wedding present by Mazar's in-laws.
Filmography
"Dancing With the Stars (TV Series)" (2009) .... Herself/contestant
"The Women" (2008) .... Tanya
"Privileged (TV Series)" (2008) .... Debra Wurtzel
"Ugly Betty (TV Series)" (2006) .... Leah Stillman
"Red Riding Hood" (2004/2006) .... Red's Mom
"Wait" (2005) .... Joanne
"Edmond" (2005) .... Matron
"Be Cool" (2005) .... Marla
"My Tiny Universe" (2004) .... The Girlfriend/Bonnie
"Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" (2004) (VG) (voice) .... Maria Latore
"Goodnight, Joseph Parker" (2004) .... Rita
"Collateral" (2004) .... Young Professional Woman
"Entourage" (2004) TV Series .... Shauna Roberts
"The Tuxedo" (2002) .... Steena
"Grand Theft Auto III" (2001) (VG) (voice) .... Maria Latore
"Ten Tiny Love Stories" (2001)
"Held for Ransom" (2000) .... Rita
"More Dogs Than Bones" (2000) .... Mary
"The Insider" (1999) .... Debbie De Luca
"House on Haunted Hill" (1999) (uncredited) .... Jennifer Jenzen (deleted character, DVD only)
"There's No Fish Food In Heaven" (1998) .... Rosie
"Hush" (1998) .... Lisa
"Frogs for Snakes" (1998) .... Simone
"Temporarily Yours" (1997) TV Series .... Deb DeAngelo (1997)
"The Deli" (1997) .... Teresa
"Trouble on the Corner" (1997) .... Ericca Ricce
"She's So Lovely" (1997) .... Georgie
"Meet Wally Sparks" (1997) .... Sandy Gallo
"Nowhere" (1997) .... Kozy
"Space Truckers" (1996) .... Cindy
"Red Ribbon Blues" (1996) .... Darcy
"Trees Lounge" (1996) .... Crystal
"Girl 6" (1996) .... Girl #39
"Empire Records" (1995) .... Jane
"Batman Forever" (1995) .... Spice
"Bullets Over Broadway" (1994) .... Violet
"L.A. Law" (1993) TV Series .... Denise Ianello (1993-1994)
"Beethoven's 2nd" (1993) .... Regina
"Money For Nothing" (1993) .... Monica Russo
"Love Is Like That" (1993) .... Delores
"So I Married an Axe Murderer" (1993) .... Susan, Tony's Girlfriend
"Toys" (1992) .... Nurse Debbie
"Malcolm X" (1992) .... Peg
"Singles" (1992) .... Brenda
"Inside Monkey Zetterland" (1992) .... Daphne
"In the Soup" (1992) .... Suzie (credited as Debi Mazer)
"Civil Wars" (1991) TV Series .... Denise Iannello
"Little Man Tate" (1991) .... Gina
"Jungle Fever" (1991) .... Denise
"The Doors" (1991) .... Whiskey Girl (credited as Debbie Mazar)
"Goodfellas" (1990) .... Sandy
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Debi Mazar.
