Drea de Matteo Bio
Andrea Donna de Matteo, known professionally as Drea de Matteo, is an American actress born on January 19, 1972, in Queens, New York. She is widely recognized for her portrayal of Adriana La Cerva on the acclaimed HBO drama series The Sopranos, a role that earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2004. Over a career spanning more than two decades, de Matteo has built a versatile résumé across television and film, taking on memorable parts in series such as Joey, Sons of Anarchy, Desperate Housewives, and Shades of Blue.
Beyond her work on screen, de Matteo is known for her independent spirit and willingness to take creative risks. She began her career in the mid-1990s, studied acting at HB Studio, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. Her training in both performance and filmmaking has informed her approach to acting, allowing her to bring a grounded, authentic quality to every role she plays.
Early Life and Background
Andrea Donna de Matteo was born on January 19, 1972, in Queens, New York. She is of Italian descent and was raised in a Catholic family. Her mother, Donna, is a playwright and playwriting teacher who has served on the faculty at HB Studio, and her father, Albert, was a furniture manufacturer who served as owner and chief executive officer of Avery Boardman and Carlyle. Growing up in a creative household gave de Matteo early exposure to the arts and shaped her interest in storytelling and performance.
After graduating from the Loyola School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, de Matteo went on to study at the Tisch School of the Arts of New York University in Greenwich Village, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production. Originally, she intended to become a film director rather than an actress. In addition to her film studies, she trained as an actor at HB Studio, the same school where her mother taught, building a strong foundation in both on-screen and stage craft.
Path to Acting
De Matteo launched her professional acting career in 1995, working steadily in television and independent film throughout the late 1990s. She appeared in a number of small roles before landing the part that would change her career, joining the cast of The Sopranos in 1999. The series, created by David Chase, became one of the most influential dramas in television history, and de Matteo’s portrayal of Adriana La Cerva, the longtime girlfriend of Christopher Moltisanti, became one of its most memorable characters.
As her profile grew, de Matteo continued to take on varied projects in both film and television. Her early film work included roles in Swordfish, Deuces Wild, The Perfect You, Prey for Rock and Roll, R Xmas, and the 2005 remake of John Carpenter’s Assault on Precinct 13. Her work in Abel Ferrara’s R Xmas earned her particularly strong reviews, demonstrating her ability to carry a leading role in an independent film.
Drea de Matteo Career
Early Career (1995-2003)
De Matteo began her career in the mid-1990s, taking on supporting roles in television and independent film. She built a reputation as a committed performer willing to take on complex, often morally ambiguous characters. Her casting in The Sopranos in 1999 marked her breakthrough into major television, where she quickly became a standout in the ensemble cast.
During this period, she also worked on a range of film projects, including Swordfish, Prey for Rock and Roll, and Abel Ferrara’s R Xmas, the last of which earned her particularly strong reviews. In 1997, de Matteo opened a clothing store called Filth Mart with her then-boyfriend Michael Sportes, a side venture she ran alongside her growing acting career until the store closed in 2004.
Breakthrough (1999-2006)
De Matteo’s defining role came in 1999 when she was cast as Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos. Her performance across the series earned her critical acclaim and, in 2004, the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. That same year, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for the same role.
In 2004, de Matteo joined the cast of the Friends spin-off Joey, portraying Joey Tribbiani’s sister Gina from 2004 to 2006. Her film work during this era also expanded, including a role in the 2005 remake of John Carpenter’s action film Assault on Precinct 13. Her work across both television and film cemented her reputation as a versatile and dependable actress.
Notable Works and Milestones
Beyond The Sopranos, de Matteo has delivered memorable performances as Wendy Case on Sons of Anarchy from 2008 through the show’s later seasons, as Angie Bolen on Desperate Housewives during its sixth season, and as Detective Tess Nazario on the NBC drama Shades of Blue beginning in 2015. She also appeared in the comedy series Running Wilde and co-starred in the 2015 film adaptation of Dark Places. Together, these roles reflect a career defined by range, depth, and a steady presence in some of the most-watched television of her era.
Drea de Matteo Award Nominations
Throughout her career, Drea de Matteo has received recognition from major entertainment awards bodies, including a Golden Globe nomination in 2004 for Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries, or Television Film for her role as Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos. Her acclaimed performance on the series also brought her further industry attention and established her as a leading dramatic actress of her generation.
Drea de Matteo Awards Won
In 2004, Drea de Matteo won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her portrayal of Adriana La Cerva on The Sopranos. The award recognized her work during the show’s celebrated fifth season and remains one of the defining honors of her career.
Drea de Matteo Family
Drea de Matteo was born to Albert and Donna de Matteo. Her father, Albert, was a furniture manufacturer who served as owner and chief executive officer of Avery Boardman and Carlyle. Her mother, Donna, is a playwright and playwriting teacher who has served on the faculty at HB Studio, the same acting school where de Matteo later studied.
Personal Life
De Matteo began dating musician Shooter Jennings in 2001, and the couple became engaged on June 11, 2009, when Jennings proposed onstage at the Stanley Theater in Utica, New York. They have two children together, though the couple eventually ended their relationship without marrying. In 2015, de Matteo lost her New York apartment of twenty-two years when a gas explosion and fire destroyed three buildings in Manhattan. In 2020, she launched a rewatch podcast about The Sopranos with Chris Kushner, originally titled Made Women and later renamed Gangster Goddess Broad-Cast.