Heather Matarazzo
Heather Christina Marie Matarazzo[2] (born November 10, 1982) is an American actress, writer, producer and director.[1] Her breakthrough role was Dawn Wiener, a dorky girl in the film Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). She played Lilly in The Princess Diaries (2001) and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). Her other films include The Devil's Advocate (1997), Scream 3 (2000), Sorority Boys (2002), Saved! (2004), and Hostel: Part II (2007).
Heather Matarazzo | |
|---|---|
 Matarazzo at 2008 New York City Rally for same-sex marriage | |
| Born | Heather Christina Marie Matarazzo November 10, 1982 Oyster Bay, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, director, writer, producer[1] |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Spouse(s) | Heather Turman (m. 2018) |
| Partner(s) | Caroline Murphy (2004–2012) |
Early life
Matarazzo was born and raised in Oyster Bay, New York, the daughter of Camille, a homemaker, and Ray Matarazzo, a data processing manager for a bakery chain.[3] Matarazzo is of Irish descent; her biological father was Pat Corley from Knock, Ireland. She was adopted and raised by the Matarazzos, a Catholic Italian American family.[4]
Career
Matarazzo began acting at the age of six; after commandeering the microphone at an AIDS benefit for children, she was given the card of a talent manager, with whom she remained for 10 years.[5]
In 1997, she won an Independent Spirit Award for her performance as adolescent social outcast Dawn Wiener in Welcome to the Dollhouse. Matarazzo has expressed pleasure in being allowed to play interesting characters, some of whom "are ostracized for various reasons." She has commented that she is most proud of her performance in 1999's Our Guys: Outrage in Glen Ridge, in which she played a mentally challenged girl who is raped by football players.[6] In 1999 to 2000 she portrayed Heather Wiseman in the short-lived TV series, Now and Again. In 2000 she appeared in the teen romantic comedy film The Princess Diaries as Lilly Moscovitz and reprised her role in the 2004 sequel The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
Matarazzo has made appearances on several hit TV shows including Roseanne, Law & Order, The L Word, Greys Anatomy and Strangers With Candy.[7] Matarazzo starred opposite Thaao Penghlis in the world premiere of Charles Evered's play Class at Cape May Stage in Cape May, New Jersey in May and June 2010.[8]
In 2011, Matarazzo announced that she would begin working on her directorial debut, a television series to be based on a memoir by author Diane Hanks, titled Summer Camp: A Memoir.[9]
Personal life
On July 31, 2008, Matarazzo's publicist announced that Matarazzo was engaged to musician Caroline Murphy.[10] In 2012, popular media news outlets announced that Matarazzo and Murphy had split amicably.[11] On January 11, 2018, Matarazzo proposed to her girlfriend, comedian and writer Heather Turman, and the two were married on November 11, 2018.
Matarazzo revealed that she was scheduled to be at a meeting on the 15th floor of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, shortly after the attacks occurred, but overslept.[12]
In 2017, Matarazzo was awarded an honorary doctorate of Fine Arts from online education enabler InterActive.
Matarazzo endorsed and actively campaigned for Senator Bernie Sanders for President in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.[13]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Welcome to the Dollhouse | Dawn Wiener | Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Younger Actress in a Feature Film |
| 1997 | Hurricane Streets | Ashley | |
| The Deli | Sabrina | ||
| The Devil's Advocate | Barbara | ||
| 1998 | 54 | Grace O'Shea | |
| The Hairy Bird | Theresa "Tweety" Goldberg | ||
| 1999 | Getting to Know You | Judith | |
| 2000 | Company Man | Nora | |
| Scream 3 | Martha Meeks | ||
| 2001 | The Princess Diaries | Lilly Moscovitz | |
| 2002 | Sorority Boys | Katie | |
| 2003 | The Pink House | Charlotte | |
| 2004 | Saved! | Tia | |
| Freshman Orientation | Jessica | ||
| The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Lilly Moscovitz | ||
| 2005 | Believe in Me | Cindy Butts | |
| 2007 | Hostel: Part II | Lorna Weisenfreund | |
| 2010 | Mangus! | Jessica Simpson | |
| 2013 | Culling Hens | Mistress | |
| 2015 | Sidewalk Traffic | Freda Rabinowitz | |
| Sisters | Denny | ||
| 2016 | Her Composition | Gallery Owner | |
| 2016 | Girl Flu. | Lilli | |
| 2016 | The Great WTYT 960 Billboard Sitting Contest! | Jezebel | |
| 2016 | Culling Hens | Mistress | |
| 2016 | Are You Afraid of the '90s? | Jessica | short film |
| 2018 | Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot | Shannon | |
| 2018 | Stuck | Darby Dixon | |
| 2019 | The Fiddling Horse | Rosalina Truman | |
| 2019 | Smothered by Mothers | Annie | |
| 2019 | Billboard | Jezebel | |
| 2022 | Scream (2022 film) | Martha Meeks |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | The Adventures of Pete and Pete | Natasha | 2 episodes |
| 1996 | Townies | Bethany | 4 episodes |
| 1997 | ER | Alyssa Gunther | Episode: "Random Acts" |
| Roseanne | Heather | 4 episodes | |
| 1998 | Law & Order | Stephanie Sutter | Episode: "Burden" |
| 1999 | Our Guys | Leslie Faber | Television movie |
| 1999–2000 | Now and Again | Heather Wiseman | 22 episodes Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television Nominated—Young Artist Award for Best Younger Supporting Actress in a Drama Series |
| 2000 | Strangers with Candy | Renee | Episode: "Is My Daddy Crazy?" |
| 2002 | St. Sass | Margo | Television movie |
| 2006–2009 | Exes and Ohs | Crutch | 8 episodes |
| 2007 | The L Word | Stacey Merkin | 4 episodes |
| 2008 | Law & Order | Janice Dunlap | Episode: "Sweetie" |
| Life on Mars | June | Episode: "The Real Adventures of the Unreal Sam Tyler" | |
| 2014 | Stalker | Emily | Episode: "Fanatic" |
| 2015 | Grey's Anatomy | Joan Paulson | 2 Episodes |
| Raymond & Lane | Reverend Mother | Episode: "Climb Every Mountain" | |
| 2020 | Equal | Phyllis Lyon | Docuseries |
References
- "Heather Matarazzo website". Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ""Heather Matarazzo" Video – Celebrity Interview and Paparazzi". OVGuide.
- "Heather Matarazzo Biography (1982–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2011-09-20.
- "Chatting with Heather Matarazzo". eonline.com.
- Konig, Susan (May 7, 2000). "At 17, She Already Finds Herself On Top of the Acting Game". New York Times. New York City: New York Times Company. Retrieved September 26, 2019.
- Warn, Sarah (February 27, 2006). "Welcome to the New Heather Matarazzo". AfterEllen.com. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- "Heather Matarazzo". TV.com. August 28, 2005. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- "Raising the curtain on summer theater: Cape May Stage presents world premiere". PressofAtlanticCity.com. May 12, 2010. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- "Heather Matarazzo Talks Being an Out Actress, New TV Show, and 'Mangus!'". Pride.com. Los Angeles, California: Here Media. December 3, 2011.
- Warn, Sarah (August 1, 2008). "Heather Matarazzo Officially Engaged to Caroline Murphy". AfterEllen.com. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
- Belge, Kathy (February 14, 2009). "Heather Matarazzo: Lesbian Actress". About.com.
- Heather Matarazzo [@HeatherMatarazz] (September 11, 2019). "18 years ago today, I had a meeting at World Trade Center Tower 1, 15th floor at 9 AM. I woke up at 8:50. Every year, on this day, I think about how my alarm didn't go off. Missing my city today. #WhereWereYou" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Heather Matarazzo [@HeatherMatarazz] (23 May 2016). "Join me and @cenkuygur tomorrow to introduce the future we believe in, @BernieSanders #bernieinanaheim #CAforBernie" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
External links
- Heather Matarazzo at IMDb
- Heather Matarazzo at Rotten Tomatoes
- Heather Matarazzo Website at WordPress.com
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