Debi Mazar: American Actress and TV Personality
Debi Mazar possesses keen discernment, always on the lookout for something exciting. Born and raised in Queens, NY, Debi can often be found playing an intelligent yet tough character like Ugly Betty or Entourage’s Tough Girl; on Civil Wars she played fast-talking press agent Shauna Roberts who could turn any conversation around quickly.
Gabriele Corcos’ love of Tuscan cuisine inspired an online series that eventually led to their Cooking Channel show Extra Virgin.
Debi Mazar’s Biography
Debi Mazar, an American actress best known for her Jersey Girl appearances and roles as strong, independent women in independent films, first made her feature film debut in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas and has since appeared in multiple other films, TV shows, and music videos; host an online cooking show called Extra Virgin; as well as co-author a cookbook with Gabriele Corcos (her husband). Mazar has become an inspirational role model to many young girls while being highly regarded by audiences throughout the entertainment industry worldwide.
Mazar has not only achieved fame as an actress but has also used her platform to advocate for mental health and women’s rights – she is widely respected within Hollywood for her charitable activities. Her philanthropy earned her the honorable distinction of becoming one of Hollywood’s most revered female stars.
Mazar hails from New York City and has appeared in films directed by Woody Allen, Michael Mann, and Oliver Stone. Additionally, she made an appearance in Temporarily Yours; and played Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage. Currently living in Brooklyn with Gabriele Corcos (her husband) and their two daughters.
Mazar is also well known as an award-winning chef and the host of TV Land’s Extra Virgin series. She co-authored several cookbooks with her husband, as well as being passionate about motherhood and wifehood. Additionally, she’s a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as well as being involved with charities that advocate for women’s issues.
Mazar enjoys traveling and exploring various cuisines during her free time, while she’s also an avid fitness enthusiast who frequently posts her workout regimen on Instagram. Thanks to her dedication in both personal and professional arenas, she has amassed an ardent following of fans that admire her beautiful physique which she has maintained throughout her career.
Debi Mazar’s Filmography
Debi Mazar, best known for her roles in classic ’90s films such as Goodfellas and Spike Lee films Little Man Tate and Singles, is widely acclaimed as a sharp-tongued character actress of distinction. Born and raised in New York City, Debi is close with many fashion designers including Marc Jacobs and Zac Posen as well as owns a farm in Italy with Gabriele Corcos whom she also co-stars on the Extra Virgin cooking channel show.
Mazar was born in Jamaica, Queens to a Jewish father from Latvia and a Roman Catholic mother from Long Island. Soon after her birth, her parents divorced, leaving her to live with her mother in Long Island before moving to Manhattan in the early 1980s to pursue acting. The first working door at the Mudd Club and cut Andy Warhol’s wig (a sort of mock haircut) at Interview offices for Andy Warhol; eventually appeared in Madonna videos as well. Alongside this, she also dated graffiti artists while partying alongside Basquiat and Keith Haring among others.
Mazar began appearing in more television shows and movies during the late 1990s, including two episodes on That’s Life as well as appearing as Shauna Roberts for the HBO series Entourage as press agent Shauna Roberts in 2004 and living with Fran as Fran Drescher’s cousin Merrill in Living with Fran. Additionally, she voiced Maria Latore for multiple video game characters.
From 2015-2021, she made an impactful debut in TV Land’s original series Younger as Maggie Amato – garnering critical acclaim and becoming one of the longest-running original series ever on that network. More recently in 2018, she appeared as Ava Gardner in Spanish period comedy-drama television show Arde Madrid depicting her time spent there during Francoist times.
Mazar and her husband Gabriele Corcos host the cooking channel show “Extra Virgin,” which premiered in January 2011. Filmed at their farm in Italy, this series highlights them making delicious dishes using seasonal produce from nearby. More recently they launched another series on that same channel called Extra Virgin Americana in which they travel in search of great cuisine with their daughters on road trips across America.
Debi Mazar’s Personal Life
Debi Mazar, born and bred in New York, has made her mark acting alongside top directors such as Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, and Michael Mann in numerous films and TV shows. Her credits include independent features like Inside Monkey Zetterland and Nowhere as well as her short-lived sitcom Temporarily Yours – fan favorites include her role as hard-charging publicist Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage.
She also played minor recurring roles on the HBO series Civil Wars and L.A. Law. Additionally, she made an appearance as a guest star in Friends in their eighth-season episode called “The One Where Rachel Has a Baby”.
Mazar remains an easygoing person despite her success on screen; she enjoys spending time with Gabriele Corcos and their two daughters, as well as cooking. She hosts lavish dinner parties specializing in Tuscan cuisine; eventually, the couple hopes to retire there to pursue this hobby and spend more time together as a family. In addition to acting, she maintains strong friendships with celebrity figures such as Madonna and Paul Reubens.
Cooking
Debi Mazar hails from New York and has spent her career portraying strong-minded female roles on screen. Her impressive acting resume includes Henry Hill’s mistress in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas; Malcolm X (Spike Lee); Civil Wars and L.A Law as well as Temporarily Yours and The Doors films starring her as one.
Mazar first began her acting career by appearing in supporting roles but quickly transitioned into playing leading characters. Her seductive presence quickly won her leading roles in several gangster movies such as the 1994 thriller The Doors and the 1995 romantic comedy Singles. Additionally, she appeared as hard-charging publicist ‘Shauna’ in the HBO series Entourage.
Mazar’s film and television career aside, she also possesses an insatiable passion for food. Together with Gabriele Corcos – an Italian executive chef – they host their own Cooking Channel show Extra Virgin which brings the flavors of Tuscany directly into America through delicious recipes created in their home kitchen and served up to their viewers on screen.
Extra Virgin: Recipes and Love from Our Tuscan Kitchen (Clarkson Potter, May 6, 2015). In it, they share their journey as they learned how to adapt traditional Tuscan cuisine for American kitchens; featuring 120 delicious recipes along with stories about themselves as a couple and the country they call home – including their romantic relationship and its impact.
Debi and Gabriele’s cookbook has received generally positive reviews from critics and was named one of the best celebrity chef books. Additionally, Debi and Gabriele are currently working on a show for Cooking Channel that will chronicle their culinary adventures around the globe. Even with busy shows and family lives, Debi and Gabriele still manage to find time for each other in the kitchen; thanks to the food they stay connected to Italy – an important place in both their hearts.
