Anthony LaPaglia

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Biography

Recent Role:
Himself on TMZ on TV
Gender:
Male
Born:
1-31-1959
Birthplace:
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
AKA:
Anthony La Paglia, Anthony M. La Paglia, Anthony M. LaPaglia, Anthony Lapaglia, Anthony M. Lapaglia
Despite spending the first 25 years of his life in Adelaide, Australia, Anthony LaPaglia is best known for playing street-savvy Italian New Yorkers. This was not, however, Anthony's original plan. Rather than testing the waters of show business, he travelled to the United States intending to pursue a full-time teaching career. As luck would have it, however, one of Anthony's odd jobs was a small role in Cold Steel (1987), a low-budget detective drama. Anthony began pursuing theatre and television in his spare… More time - one of his more notable early performances was in 1988's Frank Nitti: The Enforcer - and considered himself a full-time actor by 1989, when he made his feature-film debut in Slaves of New York. It was 1990, however, when the young actor earned critical recognition for his role as an exceedingly polite mobster in Betsy's Wedding.

Anthony continued to build his résumé throughout the early '90s, most of which he spent playing either kindly policemen or good-hearted mobsters, and was delighted to work alongside a variety of noted actors so early in his career. Among those actors were Alan Alda in Betsy's Wedding, Michael Keaton in One Good Cop (1991), and Nathan Lane, Sharon Stone, and Kevin Bacon in He Said, She Said (1992). Later in 1992, Anthony could be found playing his first leading role in George Gallo's gangster farce 29th Street. Though the film did not fare particularly well, audiences were nonetheless impressed with Anthony's intensity, and he played a more serious gangster with great success opposite Susan Sarandon in The Client (1994). He switched gears for his next handful of films; in Mixed Nuts (1994) he played a disillusioned Santa Claus, while Empire Records (1995) found him as a down-on-his-luck store manager, and the Australian-helmed Brilliant Lies (1996) featured him as the defendant in a sketchy sexual-harassment case.

Despite a smattering of mediocre films between 1995 and the early 2000s, Anthony continued to earn critical acclaim for many of his endeavours, such as Steve Buscemi's directorial debut, Trees Lounge (1996), for which Anthony joined a star-studded supporting cast, as well as for his role as a detective in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam (1999). Luckily for him, 2000 and 2001 proved excellent for his career, as it was during this period that he played a wealthy businessman in The House of Mirth and an adulterous police detective in Lantana. In addition to receiving international success, Lantana earned Anthony the prestigious 'Best Actor' award from the Australian Film Institute, as well as a nomination from the Film Critics Circle. In the meantime, he was adding several major television credits to his résumé, including a starring role as the head of the FBI's Missing Persons Squad on CBS's Without a Trace, and a recurring role on the long-running sitcom Frasier, a performance for which he would receive an Emmy in 2002. Far removed from his fledgling days as a teacher, 2002 also found Anthony working with Val Kilmer for The Salton Sea; Sigourney Weaver for The Guys; Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal in Analyze That; and Eric Stoltz in Happy Hour. In 2003, after filming Manhood with Janeane Garofalo and the late John Ritter, Anthony agreed to star in director Josh Sternfeld's Winter Solstice (2004).

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  •  
    10 Perfect
    I love Anthony LaPaglia. He is so handsome and very polite and a all around hotty for sure. I love watching him on TV and would really like to meet him in real life. hide show

    Anthony LaPaglia is a great actor and he needs to explore his possibilitys and be in more shows or movies cause he is handsome and so easy on the eyes that he would be great in all movies. He also has the skills to do any kind of movie. He can make you watch a movie if he is stared in it cause he can face all aspects of a roll in any situation that arises. He is a all around good actor and asset to the world of actors . Good job Anthony I will follow you in any movie or show you decide to make or do. Good job.

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    LynnYoung Added Nov 5, 2009 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Anthony LaPaglia is an amazing actor, but sadly is not recognized as one in Hollywood. hide show

    I first noticed Anthony LaPaglia on the hit show Without a Trace. Without a Trace is one of the greater drama series out there. He is so versatile, having a reccuring role on Fraiser, which is a comedy show to playing one of the main stars on a drama series. Anthony LaPaglia's acting skills are superb and he does a great job bringing new things to the table on Without a Trace. Even though he is so talented, he is not really recognized as a major star in Hollywood, which in my opinion is nonsense. Watch the shows he's been on, especially Without a Trace. You'll see how talented he is. He's portrayed so many different emotions and was able to go to some many places during a single episode.

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    MaRSSBAR Added Jul 12, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    Anthony is so awsome and handsome, but he's so underused in Hollywood and on television. hide show

    Where should I start? Oh, yes, Anthony has to be the most goreous thing I've seen since I started watching movies, all of his movies are spectacular. So I married an Axe Murder has to be one of my all time favorites, his charecter was so funny! I am very surprised that he does not get more parts in movies, he would of been great in The Godfather............ Well, I think I will just come out and say it, he kind of does look like a hitman for the 1950's Italian mob, but who cares?! Anthony does great playing Jack in Without a Trace, please god win an Emmy!
    We all owe it to Anthony!

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    jackmalone4ever Added Feb 25, 2007 All my reviews
  •  
    10 Perfect
    LaPaglia is often overlooked or not held in as high regard as he should be in Hollywood. A man with so much talent and grace that comes effortlessly is the reason why he is one of the greats in movies and television. hide show

    Australian born Anthony LaPaglia is often overlooked by fame. Hollywood does not consider him to be one of the greatest television actors out there right now, even though it is a much deserved title. Although he has a few Emmys under his belt, he's often shoved aside to make way for more prominent television stars like Kiefer Sutherland and Patrick Dempsey. I would suggest anyone who is questioning his range of acting ability to watch the indie movie "Winter Solstice" and then Without A Trace's season one episode "Suspect." I promise you will not be let down, this man graces the screen and contributes so much to both the project and his co-actors. Part of the reason I watch the show "Without A Trace" is to see his talents in action, and his rugged good looks help a bit as well:)LaPaglia deserves more credit and reward for his talent and abilities that have been demonstrated in all of his work.

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    alex_cc Added Jan 29, 2007 All my reviews
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    10 Perfect
    Anthony Lapaglia is one of the most talented, handsome, underappreciated actors on TV. hide show

    I first saw ALP on Without a Trace and was blown away by his talent and his sexy good looks. Although he has won a couple Emmy's he is still not seen as a major star, and he should be. He has more talent then half the A-listers. He co-owns an Australian soccer team, which is playing extremely well. We should be seeing more ALP on TV, magazines, the internet, newspapers and award shows. How could Hollywood not honor one of its best? ALP fans are loyal and totally committed to this great actor. We know what Hollywood won't see.

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    pealee_83 Added Sep 10, 2006 All my reviews
 

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