A feisty brunette who has enjoyed a roller-coaster career, Tomei started out on soaps before jumping to prime time as a regular on the sitcom
A Different World. Her breakthrough role as a marriage-minded tough cookie in 1992's
My Cousin Vinny showcased her comedic talents and Brooklyn accent,
and snagged her an Academy Award as best supporting actress. However, there was a downside to her victory. Not only did she fail to live up to her promise in her subsequent projects (
Untamed Heart,
The Perez Family), rumors circulated that she hadn't actually won the Oscar and that presenter Jack Palance had read the wrong name — either by mistake or as a joke. (PricewaterhouseCoopers, the firm that handles the balloting process, said that she legitimately won.) In an effort to be taken more seriously, Tomei smartly switched her focus to indie films, earning a second Oscar nod (and Hollywood credibility) for her work in the harrowing 2001 drama
In the Bedroom. Supporting roles in mainstream pictures followed (
Anger Management,
Alfie), as did a handful of plum stage roles, notably her 2003 pairing opposite acting great Al Pacino in
Salome on Broadway.
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