Anecdotes

According to his book, "Who's Sorry Now?", at age 12 during an argument in a grocery store, his mother, Mary Centrella Pantoliano, told Joe that his real father was her third cousin, Florio "Florie" Isabella, a made man who had spent several years in prison. Shortly before, Joe's father, Monk, and Mary had separated and Florie moved in with the family. Monk and Mary never got divorced, and Joe never found out which man was actually his father.

Founded the charity organization "No Kidding, Me Too!" (nkm2.org) to foster education and awareness of mental illness. The foundation's goal is to "Stomp the Stigma" associated with mental illness and encourage those suffering to seek help. (2008)

Has suffered from Clinical Depression since the mid-1990s.

At age seventeen he moved from his hometown of Hoboken, New Jersey, to Manhattan to study to become a barber.

He has appeared in four films that have been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: Les Goonies (1985), La Bamba (1987), Matrix (1999) and Memento (2000).

Was offered the role of Leo in L'Arme fatale 2 (1989), but was forced to turn it down due to a conflict with the film L'enfer bleu (1990). Joe Pesci ultimately played the role.

He landed his first professional role in 1972 when he played Billy Bibbit in the national touring company of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. He worked in regional theater appearing in more than 40 Off-Broadway productions including Vision of Kerouac at the Lion Theater and The Death Star at the Theater of St. Clements.

He and his wife Nancy Sheppard were married by Charles Rocket.

Appeared as Eddie Valiant in an early animation test for Qui veut la peau de Roger Rabbit (1988).

One of his favourite movies is Shrek (2001).

Keen wine buff. On a recent episode of Jon Favreau's Dinner for Five (2001) on IFC, he was choosing the wine, inquiring about a '97 Ornellaia before settling on a '79 Tignanello. When the wine was presented to him for tasting, he picked up that it was corked and asked the sommelier to taste it himself, and the sommelier concurred.

Formerly co-owner of Beverly Hills' Grand Havana Room.

Working on a novel about his hometown, Hoboken, New Jersey, entitled, "Who's Sorry Now?" He hopes to have the book completed in the next fifteen months and is working on a deal with a publisher. (juillet 2001)

Often works with Carrie-Anne Moss.

He studied drama at HB Studio in Greenwich Village in New York City.

Has a son and two daughters: Marco Pantoliano, Michelle Rinaldi, and Melody Pantoliano.

Daughter Isabella Grace born 27 August 1998.

Studied acting with Michael Howard in New York City.

Parents are Dominic and Mary.