Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, and for his role as Cypher in The Matrix.
Pantoliano was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to first-generation Italian American parents Mary, a bookie and seamstress, and Dominic "Monk" Pantoliano, a hearse driver and factory foreman. He attended HB Studio, but studied extensiv...
more
Joseph Peter "Joe" Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American film and television actor. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Ralph Cifaretto on The Sopranos, and for his role as Cypher in The Matrix.
Pantoliano was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to first-generation Italian American parents Mary, a bookie and seamstress, and Dominic "Monk" Pantoliano, a hearse driver and factory foreman. He attended HB Studio, but studied extensively with John Lehne. He lives with his wife, former model Nancy Sheppard, and their four children. He was introduced to his wife by his friend, Samantha Phillips.
On October 9, 2007 Pantoliano announced on the National Alliance on Mental Illness blog that he has been suffering from clinical depression for the last decade, although he was only formally diagnosed recently. He claims that his recent film Canvas was what helped him come to terms with his depression. Rather than hide his struggle from the public, he has chosen to speak out about it...
less
