Person Biography:
Bobby Cannavale was born Roberto M. Cannavale on May 3, 1971, in Union City, New Jersey, to an Italian-American father, Sal, and a Cuban mother, Isabel. Growing up, he was involved in various activities at his Catholic school, St. Michaels, including appearing in musicals such as "Guys and Dolls" and "The Music Man". His parents divorced when he was five years old, and he moved to Puerto Rico with his mother before returning to the States and settling in Coconut Creek, Florida.
As a restless and class clown, Cannavale often got suspended from school. After graduating in the late 1980s, he moved back to the New York/New Jersey area to pursue an acting career, working in bars to support himself. He met and married Jenny Lumet, the actress-daughter of director Sidney Lumet, in 1994, and they had a son, Jake, the following year. The couple divorced in 2003.
Cannavale's big break came when he was spotted by playwright Lanford Wilson while performing in an East Village production of "The Normal Heart". He joined Wilson's prestigious Circle Repertory Theatre and eventually earned stage parts in "Chilean Holidays" and "Virgil Is Still the Frog Boy". He also appeared in several TV series, including "Trinity" and "Third Watch", and films such as "Night Falls on Manhattan" and "I'm Not Rappaport".
Cannavale's career has been marked by his versatility and willingness to take on unconventional roles. He has played a range of characters, from a reincarnated matchmaker in "Cupid" to a gay drug dealer in "Oz", and has earned numerous awards and nominations for his performances.
