Vanessa Ferlito

Vanessa Ferlito is an Italian-American actress from New York. Nathan Southern of Rovi calls her looks “unmistakably ethnic, weathered but voluptuous”. http://www.blockbuster.com/catalog/personDetails/266926 She has had the opportunity to play gritty urban female types such as molls, mistress, victims, and detectives. Although she guest starred on Law & Order, Third Watch and had a role with Kiefer Sutherland in 24. She had a leading role with CSI:NY. In CSI she played forensic analyst Aidan Burn who gave up her badge as she struggled with her job. The character was killed when a suspect turned on her. Vanessa was then able to pursue roles on the big screen and landed a few minor parts. Vanessa was nominated for an Image Award in the 2003 made-for-TV movie Undefeated. http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/vanessa-ferlito/bio/191068 In 2009 she had the opportunity to play in 2 high profile films, Tyler Perry’s Madea goes to Jail and Julie & Julia.

Vanessa was born in 1980 to Italian-American parents who own a salon in Brooklyn, NY. Her father died before she was 3, but her mother and step-father still own the shop. She was an only child and preferred “stooping” to skipping rope. http://www.westlord.com/vanessa-ferlito-biography/ Before finding her way to film, Vanessa worked at her parents hair salon and tended bar. http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/film/article/vanessa-ferlito-heads-home-for-the-holidays-72381 Although she is of Italian decent she often plays Latinas in films. http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/film/article/vanessa-ferlito-heads-home-for-the-holidays-72381 / She had her first child in September 2007. She is a vegetarian and an animals rights activist.http://www.vanessa-ferlito.net/

Vanessa Ferlito started her career with small parts beginning with the TV series Sopranos. She also had guest star appearances in Law and Order:Third Watch and played Claudia, the crime lord in 24. Her first big screen appearance was on the film On_line, a movie about the creation of an adult Internet site, where she plays an Internet sex worker. The film was shown at the Sundance film festival in 2002. http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/207108

Two early movie appearances include the role of co-star in Mary Jane’s play in “Spider-Man 2” and one of the 2 women murdered in Grindhouse. She starred with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Helen Mirren in the movie Shadowboxer, a pulpy film noir where she played the pregnant wife of a crime lord who has her marked for assassination. http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/250395 She has played lighter roles in movies such as Cassie in Julie and Julia with Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, and Nothing like the Holidays with Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, and Alfred Molina. She also played the part of Donna in the comedy Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail.

Her appeared in the 2010 movie Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps playing Audry alongside Michael Douglas, Shia Labouf, and Carey Mulligan. http://www.blockbuster.com/browse/catalog/movieDetails/445344

• 2010: Money Never Sleeps

• 2009: Julie & Julia

• 2008: Nothing Like the Holidays

• 2007: Death Proof, Descent, Grindhouse

• 2004-2006: CSI: NY

• 2006: Drift

• 2005: Shadowboxer, Man of the House

• 2004: The Tollbooth, Spider-Man 2,

• 2003: Undefeated, 24: Season 03, Law & Order

• 2001: On_line

"I'm always worried about being broke again."--Vanessa Ferlito in an interview with Craveonline.http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/film/article/vanessa-ferlito-heads-home-for-the-holidays-72381

"The funny thing is I'm not even Latin. I was constantly getting Latin roles and I was like, I even was nominated for an award and I was like, "Let them know at the NAACP, the first white woman. Let them know I'm totally grateful but I'm not Latin. I can't do that. I play Latin." It was The Undefeated and then 24."---Vanessa Ferlito in an interview with Craveonline.http://www.craveonline.com/entertainment/film/article/vanessa-ferlito-heads-home-for-the-holidays-72381