Michael Badalucco
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
"I had already read for a smaller role in the pilot of 'The Practice', but after Michelle [Pfeiffer] talked highly of me ... David wrote my character into the series. But I feel the good Lord had me in mind for this role, because I could not think of a better one in which to present my particular talents." --Michael Badalucco quoted in Daily News, May 3, 1998
"Acting is a craft. It's very special to be part of a tradition dating back to Greece, and while it might not be the oldest profession, at its best it affirms the nature and ideals of the human experience and the hearts of others." --Badalucco quoted in Daily Variety, March 3, 2000
Biography
After graduating from the State University of New York at New Paltz (where he met and acted with John Turturro), former altar boy Michael Badalucco joined Local 52, his father's union, and began working in the movies as a prop man. His first big break came when Robert De Niro saw him (and Turturro) in an off-Broadway production of a Sam Shepard play, leading to a small speaking role in "Raging Bull" (1980). His acting career was slow to take off, however, and over the next decade and a half he continued to work behind-the-scenes, often doing double duty by playing bit roles for directors like John Badham and Nora Ephron.
Dark-haired and slightly pudgy, Badalucco had the perfect "look" for the character bits as policemen, drivers, food workers and other assorted blue collar personnel in which he was cast. College buddy Turturro, however, came to the rescue by casting him as the garrulous middle brother in an Italian family of construction workers in Turturro's directorial debut, "Mac" (1992). Badalucco shone in the role, particularly in a humorous monologue about the importance of a man's charisma and size in his appeal to women. He brought the same gifts to the thankless role as the oldest virgin in his neighborhood in the uneven comedy "The Search for One-Eyed Jimmy" (lensed in 1993; released in 1996). While playing yet another cop in "One Fine Day" (also 1996), Badalucco caught the attention of star Michelle Pfeiffer who in turn recommended him to her husband, writer-producer David E Kelley. Badalucco had auditioned for a small role in "The Practice" (ABC, 1997-2004), one of Kelley's proposed legal dramas. But after Pfeiffer's intervention, Kelley tailored the part of Jimmy Berluti to the actor's unique gifts. Introduced as a slightly shifty, scrappy lawyer with questionable morals and little courtroom experience, the character has gradually shifted to one of the moral centers of the staff in part because of Badalucco's natural charm. He went on to portray the notorious 'Son of Sam' killer David Berkowitz in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam" (1999) and offered a fine cameo as George ("don't call me Baby Face") Nelson in the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" (2000). The following year, he reteamed with the Coens to play a barber in the noirish drama "The Man Who Wasn't There."
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Producer (Feature Film)
Art Department (Feature Film)
Film Production - Construction/Set (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1964
His trips with father to movie sets led to him posing for a photograph that was used in "Fail-Safe", starring Henry Fonda
1978
First feature credit as a set dresser assistant on "Slow Dance on the Killing Ground", directed by John G Avildsen
1979
Worked as a prop man on Woody Allen's "Manhattan"
1980
Had first speaking role in a film in Scorsese's "Raging Bull", starring De Niro
1984
Acted in Allen's "Broadway Danny Rose"
1985
Played bit role as a guy from Brooklyn in Susan Seidelman's "Desperately Seeking Susan"; Turturro also appeared
1988
Worked as props assistant and played a small role of a cop in "Bright Lights, Big City"
1989
Worked as a prop man on Seidelman's feature "She-Devil"
1991
Had bit role and served as property for John Badham's "The Hard Way"
1992
Acted in Turturro's directorial debut, "Mac"
1993
Appeared in "Sleepless in Seattle", credited as Mike Badalucco
1994
Acted and worked as assistant properties master for Ephron's "Mixed Nuts"; to date, last behind-the-scenes credit
1996
Had co-starring role in "The Search for One-Eye Jimmy" (filmed in 1993)
1996
Worked with Michelle Pfeiffer on "One Fine Day"; played small role of a cop
1997
TV series debut as a regular playing attorney Jimmy Berluti on the ABC drama series "The Practice"; Pfeiffer had recommended the actor to her husband David E Kelley, the series creator and chief writer; Kelley tailored the role especially for the actor
1997
Played Eric the Soda Man in John Andrew Gallagher's "The Deli"
1999
Cast as David Berkowitz, the 'Son of Sam' killer, in Spike Lee's "Summer of Sam"
2000
Offered nice cameo as bank robber George Nelson in the Coen brothers' "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
2001
Reteamed with the Coen brothers to play a barber in the period drama "The Man Who Wasn't There"
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
"I had already read for a smaller role in the pilot of 'The Practice', but after Michelle [Pfeiffer] talked highly of me ... David wrote my character into the series. But I feel the good Lord had me in mind for this role, because I could not think of a better one in which to present my particular talents." --Michael Badalucco quoted in Daily News, May 3, 1998
"Acting is a craft. It's very special to be part of a tradition dating back to Greece, and while it might not be the oldest profession, at its best it affirms the nature and ideals of the human experience and the hearts of others." --Badalucco quoted in Daily Variety, March 3, 2000