Linda Fiorentino — Biography
Clorinda "Linda" Fiorentino is a celebrated American actress. She made her film debut in 1985 with a prominent role in the coming-of-age drama Vision Quest, and later that same year took the lead in the action film Gotcha! along with a part in the film After Hours. Fiorentino rose to fame through her standout performances in the neo-noir movie The Last Seduction (1994), the erotic thriller Jade (1995), the science-fiction action comedy Men In Black (1997), and the religious comedy Dogma (1999). Her portrayal of the cunning femme fatale in The Last Seduction earned her several accolades, including the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actress of the Year, and a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Born in either 1958 or 1960 (sources vary), Fiorentino grew up in a large Catholic Italian-American family in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as one of 7 or 8 children. She spent her childhood in South Philadelphia and later moved to the Turnersville area of Washington Township in South Jersey. After graduating from Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey, in 1976, Fiorentino began performing in plays at Rosemont College, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science in 1980. She then relocated to New York City and was accepted into the esteemed Circle in the Square Professional Theater School, standing out among 1,200 applicants. While honing her acting skills, she worked as a bartender at Kamikaze nightclub, where fellow actor Bruce Willis also was employed.
Fiorentino's first significant role came in 1985 with Vision Quest, followed by her appearance in Gotcha!. She reportedly stepped back from consideration for a role opposite Tom Cruise in the blockbuster Top Gun, which ultimately went to Kelly McGillis, to pursue a biopic on Edie Sedgwick, meant to be directed by her then-husband John Byrum; however, this project never materialized. As a result of her time away from the screen, she appeared in the lesser-known romantic adventure Wildfire (1988) directed by Zalman King. Her performance alongside Keith Carradine and John Lone in the period drama The Moderns (1988) received a more positive reception. In the ensuing years, Fiorentino appeared in various ensemble films, including Queens Logic (1991), Shout (1991), the TV movie/series Strangers, the drama Chain of Desire (1992), and the action film Beyond the Law (1993) with Charlie Sheen.
Fiorentino's breakout performance came in 1994 with John Dahl's neo-noir The Last Seduction, in which she played the lethal Bridget. Her portrayal garnered critical acclaim, winning her both the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress and the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actress
Born in either 1958 or 1960 (sources vary), Fiorentino grew up in a large Catholic Italian-American family in South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as one of 7 or 8 children. She spent her childhood in South Philadelphia and later moved to the Turnersville area of Washington Township in South Jersey. After graduating from Washington Township High School in Sewell, New Jersey, in 1976, Fiorentino began performing in plays at Rosemont College, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in political science in 1980. She then relocated to New York City and was accepted into the esteemed Circle in the Square Professional Theater School, standing out among 1,200 applicants. While honing her acting skills, she worked as a bartender at Kamikaze nightclub, where fellow actor Bruce Willis also was employed.
Fiorentino's first significant role came in 1985 with Vision Quest, followed by her appearance in Gotcha!. She reportedly stepped back from consideration for a role opposite Tom Cruise in the blockbuster Top Gun, which ultimately went to Kelly McGillis, to pursue a biopic on Edie Sedgwick, meant to be directed by her then-husband John Byrum; however, this project never materialized. As a result of her time away from the screen, she appeared in the lesser-known romantic adventure Wildfire (1988) directed by Zalman King. Her performance alongside Keith Carradine and John Lone in the period drama The Moderns (1988) received a more positive reception. In the ensuing years, Fiorentino appeared in various ensemble films, including Queens Logic (1991), Shout (1991), the TV movie/series Strangers, the drama Chain of Desire (1992), and the action film Beyond the Law (1993) with Charlie Sheen.
Fiorentino's breakout performance came in 1994 with John Dahl's neo-noir The Last Seduction, in which she played the lethal Bridget. Her portrayal garnered critical acclaim, winning her both the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress and the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actress
