Debi Mazar
Deborah Anne Mazar Corcos (/ˈmeɪzɑːr/;[1] born August 13, 1964) is an American actress and television personality, known for playing sharp-tongued women. She began her career with supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Little Man Tate (1991) and Singles (1992), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series Civil Wars and L.A. Law. She is known for her role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage. She also starred as Maggie Amato on TV Land's longest running original series, Younger and alongside her husband Gabriele Corcos in the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin.
Debi Mazar | |
|---|---|
Mazar in 2009 | |
| Born | Deborah Anne Mazar August 13, 1964 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Spouse | |
| Partner | Paul Reubens (1993–1999) |
| Children | 2 |
Mazar is also known for her long term friendship with Madonna.[2]
Early life
Mazar was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar (Harija Fogelmanis[3]). Her father was born in German-occupied Latvia to a Jewish family. She had no knowledge of her father's ancestry until her twenties as he practiced Catholicism.[4] Mazar's parents annulled their marriage shortly after she was born,[5] and she spent her early life in the country in upstate New York with her mother.[5] As a teenager, she relocated to Long Island, where she lived with her godparents.[5]
Mazar worked various odd jobs, including selling jewelry at Fiorucci with Linda Ramone and Joey Arias, later as a dental assistant, and at a nightclub.[6]
Career
While working at Danceteria, Mazar met Madonna,[5] who hired Mazar to do her makeup for the music video for "Everybody". Mazar also originated the hair and makeup for the play Speed-the-Plow.[6]
Mazar began her career as a hip hop b-girl in New York City. Her first television appearance was on the pilot for a hip hop television dance show, Graffiti Rock in 1984.[7] She appeared in five of Madonna's music videos[8] – "Papa Don't Preach", "True Blue" (both 1986), "Justify My Love" (1990), "Deeper and Deeper" (1992) and "Music" (2000).[9]
Mazar has played a number of minor supporting roles in a variety of films, including Sandy, a friend of Henry Hill's mistress in Goodfellas (1990); The Doors (1991); a small role in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992); Bullets Over Broadway (1994); and as Spice (of Sugar and Spice, with Drew Barrymore as Sugar) in Batman Forever (1995). She gained her first real following from playing a character on Civil Wars in the early 1990s. When that series was cancelled her character was brought over as a recurring role between the 1993 and 1994 seasons of the TV drama L.A. Law.[9]
She played the villain Regina, a modern-day Cruella de Vil, in the family film Beethoven's 2nd (1993). She has appeared in independent films Inside Monkey Zetterland and Nowhere and her short-lived sitcom, Temporarily Yours. She appeared as the genie in the Space Monkeys' music video, "Sugarcane".[9]
Mazar appeared on a Friends episode in its eighth season ("The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part One"). Mazar played "Doreen, the Evil Bitch," a crazed pregnant woman who shares a hospital room with Rachel.[10] In the 1999 docudrama film The Insider she played character Lowell Bergman's assistant Debi. From 2000-02 she played Jackie on the television drama That's Life. She provided the voice of Maria Latore in the video games Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).[11][12] Also in 2004, she made a cameo appearance in the movie Collateral in which she played the passenger while arguing with her boyfriend (Bodhi Elfman) while the movie's main protagonist, Max Durocher (Jamie Foxx), is driving them to their destination.
From 2004 to 2011, she had a supporting role on Entourage as press agent Shauna Roberts. She also had a recurring role on the sitcom Living with Fran, playing Fran Drescher's character's cousin, Merrill. She did a two-episode stint on the television series Ugly Betty as fraudster Leah Stillman.[13]
Mazar was a contestant on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and finished in twelfth place, eliminated in the third week (October 6, 2009).[14] In 2012, Mazar played Jessica, a glamorous, leather-clad villainess in Home Alone: The Holiday Heist.[15]
Mazar began appearing on the Cooking Channel cooking/reality show television series Extra Virgin in January 2011. She, her husband Gabriele Corcos and their two daughters starred in the series, which depicted their lives and showcased their own recipes. The show was scripted and lasted five seasons. In 2015, Mazar and her husband started another series on the Cooking Channel entitled Extra Virgin Americana where they travel the U.S., road trip style, with their children and family friend searching for great food.[16]
From 2015 to 2021, Mazar starred in Younger with Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff as Maggie Amato. The series met critical acclaim and was renewed for a seventh season in 2019, making it the longest running original series in the "TV Land" network's history.[17]
Mazar appeared in the second season of The $100,000 Pyramid reboot on ABC on August 6, 2017. In the main game, she helped her contestant get 7 clues in only 15 seconds causing host Michael Strahan to say, "I think that's the quickest round we've ever had, 15 seconds!"[18]
In 2018 she played Ava Gardner in the Spanish period comedy-drama television series Arde Madrid, telling the story of the period which the American actress spent in Madrid during Francoist Spain.
Personal life
Prior to her marriage, Mazar dated actor Paul Reubens for several years beginning in 1993. Reubens has since credited Mazar with ending his depression resulting from his 1991 arrest.[19]
She married Gabriele Corcos on March 16, 2002, in a ceremony officiated by Ellen Burstyn.[20] They have two daughters, Giulia and Evelina. As of 2005[update], the family divided their time between Brooklyn and a 15th-century home outside of Florence, Italy, that was given to them as a wedding present by Mazar's in-laws.[20]
Mazar and Corcos formerly hosted an internet show focused on Tuscan cuisine, Under The Tuscan Gun.[21] The family formerly lived in Los Angeles but moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2009. On January 19, 2011, Mazar and her husband Gabriele began hosting the cooking show Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel, and released a cookbook, Recipes & Love From Our Tuscan Kitchen, in 2014.[22][23][24]
Mazar and her husband both appeared on an episode of the ABC talk show The Chew in 2014 to promote their show, Extra Virgin.[25] Between 2020-2021 the couple ran a cafe/restaurant called Tuscan Gun in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood of Brooklyn.[26] Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic Mazar and her family relocated to their Florence villa.[27]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Downtown 81 | Peppermint Lounge Dancer | a.k.a. New York Beat Movie Uncredited |
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Sandy | |
| 1991 | The Doors | Whiskey Girl | |
| 1991 | Jungle Fever | Denise | |
| 1991 | Little Man Tate | Gina | |
| 1992 | In the Soup | Suzie | |
| 1992 | Love Is Like That | Delores | |
| 1992 | Inside Monkey Zetterland | Daphne | |
| 1992 | Singles | Brenda | |
| 1992 | Malcolm X | Peg | |
| 1992 | Toys | Nurse Debbie | |
| 1993 | So I Married an Axe Murderer | Susan | |
| 1993 | Money for Nothing | Monica Russo | |
| 1993 | Beethoven's 2nd | Regina | |
| 1994 | Bullets over Broadway | Violet | |
| 1995 | Batman Forever | "Spice" | |
| 1995 | Empire Records | Jane | |
| 1996 | Things I Never Told You | Diane | |
| 1996 | Girl 6 | Girl #39 | |
| 1996 | Trees Lounge | Crystal | |
| 1996 | Red Ribbon Blues | Darcy | |
| 1996 | Space Truckers | Cindy | |
| 1997 | Meet Wally Sparks | Sandy Gallo | |
| 1997 | Nowhere | "Kozy" | |
| 1997 | She's So Lovely | Georgie | |
| 1997 | The Deli | Teresa | |
| 1997 | Casper: A Spirited Beginning | Angie Lyons | Video |
| 1997 | Trouble on the Corner | Ericca Rice | |
| 1998 | Marry Me or Die | ||
| 1998 | Frogs for Snakes | Simone | |
| 1998 | Hush | Lisa | |
| 1998 | There's No Fish Food in Heaven | Rosie | |
| 1999 | The Insider | Debbie De Luca | |
| 1999 | House on Haunted Hill | Jennifer Jenzen | Scenes deleted[28] |
| 2000 | More Dogs Than Bones | Mary | |
| 2000 | Held for Ransom | Rita | |
| 2002 | Ten Tiny Love Stories | "Six" | |
| 2002 | The Tuxedo | CSA Agent Steena | |
| 2003 | Who Killed the Idea? | Mysterious Woman | Short film |
| 2003 | Deception | Janet Steiner | |
| 2004 | Collateral | Young Professional Woman | |
| 2004 | My Tiny Universe | Bonnie | |
| 2005 | Be Cool | Marla | |
| 2005 | Edmond | Matron | |
| 2005 | Wait | Joanne | Short film |
| 2006 | Lies & Alibis | Detective Bryce | a.k.a. The Alibi |
| 2006 | Red Riding Hood | Red's Mother | |
| 2008 | A Beautiful Life | Susan | |
| 2008 | The Women | Tanya | |
| 2013 | Lovelace | Dolly Sharp | |
| 2013 | Return to Babylon | Gloria Swanson | |
| 2014 | She's Funny That Way | Vickie | |
| 2015 | Entourage | Shauna Roberts | |
| 2017 | The Only Living Boy in New York | Anna | |
| 2017 | Wonder Wheel | Birthday Party Guest |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Graffiti Rock | The Dancer | Unsold TV pilot |
| 1991–1993 | Civil Wars | Denise Iannello | Main role (36 episodes) |
| 1993–1994 | L.A. Law | Denise Iannello | Main Role (22 episodes) |
| 1994 | Witch Hunt | The Manicurist | TV film |
| 1995 | Burke's Law | Rachel Davis | Episode: "Who Killed the Motor Car Maverick?" |
| 1997 | Temporarily Yours | Deb DeAngelo | Main role (6 episodes) |
| 1998 | Witness to the Mob | Deborah Gravano | TV film |
| David and Lisa | Maggie | TV film | |
| 1998–1999 | Working | Liz Tricoli | Regular role (17 episodes) |
| 1999 | The Wild Thornberrys | Mongoose (voice) | Episode: "Darwin Plays the Palace" |
| The Sissy Duckling | Mother Duck 2 (voice) | TV film | |
| Providence | Vonda Vickers | Episodes: "Thank You, Providence: Parts 1 & 2" | |
| 2000 | Get Real | Kate Harris | Episode: "Saved" |
| 2000–2002 | That's Life | Jackie O'Grady | Main role (34 episodes) |
| 2002 | Friends | Doreen, The Evil Bitch | Episode: "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby: Part 1" |
| The Groovenians | Yalda, Swirly, Cuckoo Bird (voice) | TV short (unknown episodes) | |
| 2003 | Wanda at Large | Jenny Hawkins | Episode: "Unaired Pilot" |
| 2003–2004 | 7th Heaven | Nurse Kelly | 2 episodes |
| All of Us | Alex / Debi | Recurring role (7 episodes) | |
| 2004 | The Practice | Gigi Coley | 2 episodes |
| CSI: Miami | Rebecca Briggs | Episode: "Speed Kills" | |
| 2004–2011 | Entourage | Shauna Roberts | 50 episodes |
| 2005 | NYPD Blue | Maxine Annunziato | Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands" |
| 2005–2006 | Living With Fran | Cousin Merrill | 4 episodes |
| 2006 | Ghost Whisperer | Josie | Episode: "The Woman of His Dreams" |
| Ugly Betty | Leah Feldman | 2 episodes | |
| 2008 | Privileged | Debra | Episode: "Pilot" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Peggy Bernardi | Episode: "Babes" | |
| 2009 | Burn Notice | Amy | Episode: "Friends Like These" |
| Castle | Paula Haas | Episode: "When the Bough Breaks" | |
| Dancing With The Stars | Herself | Contestant; eliminated 4th, 12th/16 | |
| 2010 | The Life & Times of Tim | Rochelle (voice) | Episode: "Rodney Has a Wife?" |
| Hell's Kitchen | Herself | Episode: "12 Chefs Compete Part 1" | |
| Hawthorne | Donna Alberghetti | Episode: "Hidden Truths" | |
| Jonas | Mona Klein | Recurring role (7 episodes) | |
| 2011 | Good Vibes | Barbara "Babs" Brando (voice) | Main role (12 episodes) |
| 2011–2015 | Extra Virgin | Herself | Series regular (68 episodes) |
| 2012 | Melissa & Joey | Harper Quinn | Episode: "The Knockout" |
| Home Alone: The Holiday Heist | Jessica | TV film | |
| Happily Divorced | Jan | Episode: "The Back-Up Fran" | |
| 2014 | The Chew | Herself | 1 episodes |
| 2015–2021 | Younger | Maggie Amato | Series regular (81 episodes) |
| 2016 | Elementary | Detective Cosa | Episode: "It Serves You Right" |
| 2017 | The Untitled Action Bronson Show | Herself | 1 episode |
| 2017–2019 | Happy! | Isabella Scaramucci | 6 episodes |
| 2018 | The Simpsons | Minnie Szyslak (voice) | Episode: "King Leer" |
| Arde Madrid | Ava Gardner | 8 episodes | |
| 2020 | Power | Auntie Doloris | 2 episodes |
| Katy Keene | Herself | Episode: "Chapter Twelve: Chain of Fools" | |
| At Home with Amy Sedaris | Jo "Jo-Jo" | Episode: "First Dates" | |
| 2021 | The Other Two | Herself | Episode: "Pat Connects with Her Fans" |
| 2022 | The Pentaverate | Patty Davis | 6 episodes |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Grand Theft Auto III | Maria Latore | Voice |
| 2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Voice |
Music videos
- 1986 Madonna: "Papa Don't Preach"
- 1986 Madonna: "True Blue"
- 1990 Madonna: "Justify My Love"
- 1992 Madonna: "Deeper and Deeper"
- 2000 Madonna: "Music"
References
- ^ Debi Mazar (October 6, 2009). "Dancing with the Stars" round three: results show (Television). United States: ABC. Event occurs at 41:30.
I've just been going by /ˈmeɪzɑːr/ for all these years, but it's probably /məˈzɑːr/.
- ^ "Debi Mazar reacts to Julia Fox possibly playing her in Madonna biopic". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ Search word for Fogelmanis: Harija Aka Harry Fogelmanis Aka Mazar and Nancy Kapies, 1964, Queens, New York City, New York, United States;Marriage, Queens, New York City, New York, United States, from Reclaim the Records, The NYC Marriage Index [http://www.nycmarriageindex.com} citing New York City Clerk's Office.
- ^ "Debi Mazar". Biography.com. The Biography Channel. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Posen, Zac (June 4, 2015). "Debi Mazar's History of New York". Interview. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
- ^ a b "Debi Mazar". intothegloss.com. May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
- ^ "Debi Mazar Recounts 6 Close Encounters with Hip Hop in the '80s". egotripland.com. August 15, 2011. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ^ "Debi Mazar: My Kids Have Play Dates With Madonna". UsMagazine.com. November 4, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Debi Mazar Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
- ^ "Friends S08E23 TOW Rachel Has A Baby (Parts 1&2) – video dailymotion". Dailymotion. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
- ^ Time stamp- 3:05, Debbi Mazar as Maria, GTA 3 - End Credits (HD), retrieved July 18, 2022
- ^ Time stamp- 3:38, Maria- Debi Mazar, GTA San Andreas - End Credits, retrieved July 18, 2022
- ^ Ugly Betty (TV Series 2006–2010), retrieved March 10, 2018
- ^ Bosland, Katie; Ferran, Lee (September 21, 2009). "Dancing With the Stars Double Elimination: Tom Delay and Debi Mazar Go Down". ABC News. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
- ^ Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (TV Movie 2012), retrieved March 10, 2018
- ^ Extra Virgin Americana, retrieved March 10, 2018
- ^ "Younger: Charles Michael Davis Promoted to Series Regular". TVLine. February 21, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
- ^ "The $100,000 Pyramid: Bobby Moynihan vs Debi Mazar and Wendie Malick vs Jesse Palmer – Watch Season 2 Episode 08". ABC. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
- ^ . Playboy. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
- ^ a b "Debi Mazar in Entourage – Back in the Public Eye". Newyorkmetro.com. June 6, 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- ^ "Under The Tuscan Gun". November 3, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
- ^ . Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ Rochlin, Margy (February 2, 2011). "Debi Mazar Hits the Kitchen on Extra Virgin". TV Guide. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
- ^ Pace, Gina (April 20, 2014). "'Entourage' actress Debi Mazar and family test out their Easter feast for the Daily News". New York Daily News.
- ^ "The Chew" Extra Value Friday: Baconfest (TV Episode 2014) – IMDb, retrieved February 17, 2021
- ^ Kaufman, Joanne (March 18, 2016). "Debi Mazar, Star of 'Younger,' at Home in Brooklyn". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "Debi Mazar Pays Tribute To Ray Liotta | Digital Market News". www.digitalmarketnews.com. May 27, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
- ^ Kelly, Dan. "DVD Review – The House on Haunted Hill (1999)". The Digital Bits. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
External links
- Debi Mazar at IMDb