Marisa Tomei broke into the acting world with the 1992 comedy My Cousin Vinny alongside fellow Italian Joe Pesci. As a child, she was captivated by Broadway and theater, propelling her to start her acting career. Her acting has earned her 19 award wins including the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in My Cousin Vinny and has also received multipple award wins for her role in The Wrestler. Recently, she has been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe playing Aunt May in the Spiderman films.
Outside of acting, she has been a massive supporter of programs like Who Do You Think You Are? and Finding Your Roots. It was on the latter show that she and actress Julianne Moore discovered they are distant cousins through genealogical research.
Born and raised in the Midwood section of Brooklyn, New York. Her parents, Adelaide and Gary Tomei, both of Italian descent. Her father’s ancestry can be traced back to Tuscany, Calabria, and Campania, while her mother’s lineage can be traced to Tuscany and Sicily.
Check out our exclusive video of Marisa Tomei’s maternal ancestral Italian hometown of Cecina, Tuscany!
She is an American actress, and her maternal great-grandfather was from Cecina.
Cecina is in the heart of the Etruscan coast, between the Tuscan countryside and the sea.
During the summer season, Marina di Cecina swells with tourists and locals.
Cecina has been awarded the Blue Flag for its beaches since 2006.
It was an important center in Etruscan and Roman times and named after a Roman consul: Albino Cecina.
It’s home to the Tomboli Reserve, one of the most beautiful Italian forests along the Mediterranean Sea.
