Bobby Cannavale is an American actor of Italian and Cuban heritage known for both his work as a character actor and as a leading man in films, television series, and theatre productions. Throughout his 27-year career, he has appeared in several films, television shows, and theatre shows. Cannavale has gone on to receive extensive recognition for his performances.
He has won two Primetime Emmy Awards and received two Tony Award nominations. The unconventional actor started his career, without any formal acting training, in theater. This article explores an overview of the gritty actor’s life and career.
The Early Life Of Bobby Cannavale
A native of New Jersey, Bobby Cannavale was born on 3 May 1970 in Union City, the most densely populated city in the United States. He was raised in a Catholic household to a Cuban mother who moved to the United States in 1960, and a father, who while born in the United States, is of Italian descent. He attended St. Michael’s Catholic School.
While at St. Michael’s, he was involved in various extracurricular activities, including being an altar boy, a lector, and a member of the school choir. He was also involved in acting at an early age, featuring in church school’s various musicals. He fell in love with performing after appearances in his school’s renditions of Guys and Dolls, as one of the gangsters, and The Music Man as the lisping boy, Winthrop.
When Cannavale was 13 years old, his parents divorced and his mother moved the family to Puerto Rico for two years. After two years, they returned to the United States and settled in Margate, Florida. For three years between 1983 and 1986, he attended Coconut Creek High School but was expelled in his senior year. After this, he returned to Union City to live with his grandmother to kickstart his acting career, as New Jersey was closer to New York. While in New Jersey, he obtained a diploma from Union Hill High School.
How Did His Career Start?
To support himself, Cannavale began working in bars and instead of going to acting school, he gained experience as a reader with the Naked Angels theatre company. During this time, he was performing in an East Village production of The Normal Heart when he was spotted by Lanford Wilson who invited him to join the Circle Repertory Theatre. In 1996, still gaining experience as a reader for the company, he eventually earned parts in stage plays such as Chilean Holidays and Virgil Is Still the Frog Boy.
After performances on stage, he eventually gained roles in films such as Night Falls on Manhattan, Gloria, and The Bone Collector which also featured Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie. In 1998, he got his first role on television playing Captain Thomas Zenek in the HBO television movie, When Trumpets Fade. His breakthrough role came in 1999, staring as Bobby Caffey for two seasons on Third Watch.
The Top Roles of Bobby Cannavale’s Career
Having established himself as an actor, Cannavale went on to appear in various films and television series. Although he started as a character actor, during his time on Third Watch, he felt restricted and wished to broaden his horizons as an actor. His performances have since evolved to include more complex roles
His career appearances feature several acclaimed performances in films, television series, and theatre productions. He delivered a Primetime Emmy Award-winning appearance in Will & Grace, a Tony Award-nominated performance in the Broadway play, Mauritius, and another Tony Award-nominated performance in The Motherfucker with the Hat alongside Chris Rock and Annabella Sciorra
Cannavale has also appeared in Snakes on a Plane, Nurse Jackie, Modern Family, and Boardwalk Empire. His performance as Gyp Rosetti in Boardwalk Empire earned him extensive praise and recognition including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. In 2015, he appeared in Danny Collins alongside Al Pacino, Annette Bening, Jennifer Garner, and Christopher Plummer, delivering a performance that was highly praised by critics.
Bobby Cannavale’s Personal Relationships
Bobby Cannavale’s storied life has also included his personal life. While gaining acting experience as a reader with the Naked Angels theatre company, he met and married Jenny Lumet in 1994. Lumet, also an actress and screenwriter is the daughter of legendary director, Sidney Lumet. He remained married to her until 2003, and their marriage produced a son, Jake Cannavale who is also an actor. In the fourth season of Nurse Jackie, Bobby Cannavale and his son were cast as a father-and-son duo.
Early in his career, Cannavale appeared in the 1996 movie Night Falls on Manhattan, which was written and directed by his then-father-in-law. This dynamic was repeated in the 2001 legal drama series 100 Centre Street. Cannavale is currently in a relationship with Australian actress, Rose Byrne. The couple have been together since 2012 and have two sons.
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