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Debi Mazar

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Debi Mazar
Mazar in 2009
Born (1964-08-13) August 13, 1964 (age 59)
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1981–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2002)​
Children2

Debi Mazar Corcos (/ˈmeɪzɑːr/;[1] born August 13, 1964[2]) is an American actress and television personality. She began her career with supporting roles in Goodfellas (1990), Little Man Tate (1991), Singles (1992) and Batman Forever (1995), followed by lead roles on the legal drama series Civil Wars and L.A. Law. She portrayed press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage. She also starred as Maggie Amato on TV Land's longest running original series, Younger, and alongside her husband Gabriele Corcos in the Cooking Channel series Extra Virgin.

Early life

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Mazar was born in Queens, New York, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar (Harija Fogelmanis[3]). Her father was born in German-occupied Latvia to a Jewish family. She had no knowledge of her father's ancestry until her twenties as he practiced Catholicism.[4] Mazar's parents annulled their marriage shortly after she was born,[5] and she spent her early life in the country in upstate New York with her mother.[5] As a teenager, she relocated to Long Island, where she lived with her godparents.[5]

Mazar left home at 15, and by 16 she was working as a VIP doorperson at the Mudd Club in New York City.[6] She then went to work at Danceteria.[6] Mazar worked various odd jobs, including selling jewelry at Fiorucci with Linda Ramone and Joey Arias, and later as a dental assistant[7]

In the early 1980s, Mazar was part of the downtown club scene in New York City, socializing with artists Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, and Kenny Scharf.[6]

Career

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While working at Danceteria, Mazar met Madonna,[5] who hired Mazar to do her makeup for her first music video "Everybody" (1982). She appeared in five of Madonna's music videos: "Papa Don't Preach" (1986), "True Blue" (1986), "Justify My Love" (1990), "Deeper and Deeper" (1992) and "Music" (2000).[8][9] Mazar also originated the hair and makeup for the 1988 play Speed-the-Plow.[7]

As a teenager, Mazar was a b-girl in New York City. Her first television appearance was on the pilot for a hip-hop television dance show, Graffiti Rock, in 1984.[10] She gained her first real following from playing a character on Civil Wars in the early 1990s. When that series was cancelled her character was brought over as a recurring role between the 1993 and 1994 seasons of the TV drama L.A. Law.[8]

Mazar has played a number of minor supporting roles in a variety of films, including Sandy, a friend of Henry Hill's mistress in Goodfellas (1990); The Doors (1991); a small role in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992); Bullets Over Broadway (1994); and as Spice (of Sugar and Spice, with Drew Barrymore as Sugar) in Batman Forever (1995).

Mazar played the villain Regina, a modern-day Cruella de Vil, in the family film Beethoven's 2nd (1993). She has appeared in independent films Inside Monkey Zetterland and Nowhere and her short-lived sitcom, Temporarily Yours. She appeared as the genie in the Space Monkeys' music video, "Sugarcane".[8]

Mazar appeared on a Friends episode in its eighth season ("The One Where Rachel Has a Baby, Part One"). Mazar played "Doreen, the Evil Bitch," a crazed pregnant woman who shares a hospital room with Rachel.[11] In the 1999 docudrama film The Insider she played character Lowell Bergman's assistant Debi. From 2000-02 she played Jackie on the television drama That's Life. She provided the voice of Maria Latore in the video games Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).[12][13] Also in 2004, she made a cameo appearance in the movie Collateral in which she played the passenger while arguing with her boyfriend (Bodhi Elfman) while the movie's main protagonist, Max Durocher (Jamie Foxx), is driving them to their destination.

From 2004 to 2011, she had a supporting role on Entourage as press agent Shauna Roberts. She also had a recurring role on the sitcom Living with Fran, as Merrill, the cousin of Fran Drescher's character. She did a two-episode stint on the television series Ugly Betty as fraudster Leah Stillman.[14]

Mazar was a contestant on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and finished in twelfth place, eliminated in the third week (October 6, 2009).[15] In 2012, Mazar played Jessica, a glamorous, leather-clad villainess in Home Alone: The Holiday Heist.[16]

On January 19, 2011, Mazar and her husband Gabriele Corcos began hosting the cooking show Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel, and released a cookbook, Recipes & Love From Our Tuscan Kitchen, in 2014.[17][18][19] Mazar and her husband Gabriele Corcos appeared on an episode of the ABC talk show The Chew in 2014 to promote their show, Extra Virgin.[20] Their two daughters starred in the series, which depicted their lives and showcased their own recipes. The show was scripted and lasted five seasons. In 2015, Mazar and her husband started another series on the Cooking Channel entitled Extra Virgin Americana where they travel the U.S., road trip style, with their children and family friend searching for great food.[21]

From 2015 to 2021, Mazar starred in Younger with Sutton Foster and Hilary Duff as Maggie Amato. The series met critical acclaim and was renewed for a seventh season in 2019, making it the longest-running original series in the "TV Land" network's history.[22]

Mazar appeared in the second season of The $100,000 Pyramid reboot on ABC on August 6, 2017. In the main game, she helped her contestant get 7 clues in only 15 seconds causing host Michael Strahan to say, "I think that's the quickest round we've ever had, 15 seconds!"[23]

In 2018 she played Ava Gardner in the Spanish period comedy-drama television series Arde Madrid, telling the story of the period which the American actress spent in Madrid during Francoist Spain.

Between 2020–2021, Mazar and her husband ran a cafe/restaurant called Tuscan Gun in the Windsor Terrace neighborhood of Brooklyn.[24] Mazar and Corcos formerly hosted an internet show focused on Tuscan cuisine, Under The Tuscan Gun.[25]

Personal life

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Mazar dated artist Kenny Scharf and graffiti artist Kel 139 in the 1980s.[26][6] She dated actor Paul Reubens for several years beginning in 1993. Reubens later credited Mazar with ending his depression resulting from his 1991 arrest.[27] According to Mazar, the relationship was never consummated.[28]

She married Gabriele Corcos on March 16, 2002, in a ceremony officiated by Ellen Burstyn.[29] They have two daughters, Giulia and Evelina. The family formerly lived in Los Angeles but moved to Brooklyn, New York in 2009. They divided their time between Brooklyn and a 15th-century home outside of Florence, Italy, that was given to them as a wedding present by Mazar's in-laws.[29] Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mazar and her family relocated to their Florence villa;[30] she has Italian citizenship.[31]

Mazar has a close friendship with pop star Madonna.[32]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Goodfellas Sandy
1991 The Doors Whiskey Girl
Jungle Fever Denise
Little Man Tate Gina
1992 In the Soup Suzie
Inside Monkey Zetterland Daphne
Love Is Like That Delores
Singles Brenda
Malcolm X Peg
Toys Nurse Debbie
1993 So I Married an Axe Murderer Susan
Money for Nothing Monica Russo
Beethoven's 2nd Regina
1994 Bullets over Broadway Violet
Witch Hunt The Manicurist TV movie
1995 Batman Forever "Spice"
Empire Records Jane
1996 Things I Never Told You Diane
Girl 6 Girl #39
Trees Lounge Crystal
Red Ribbon Blues Darcy
Space Truckers Cindy
1997 Meet Wally Sparks Sandy Gallo
Nowhere "Kozy"
She's So Lovely Georgie
The Deli Teresa
Casper: A Spirited Beginning Angie Lyons Video
Trouble on the Corner Ericca Rice
1998 Frogs for Snakes Simone
Hush Lisa
Witness to the Mob Deborah Gravano TV movie
There's No Fish Food in Heaven Rosie
David and Lisa Maggie TV movie
Marry Me or Die -
1999 The Sissy Duckling Mother Duck 2 (voice) TV film
The Insider Debbie De Luca
2000 More Dogs Than Bones Mary
Held for Ransom Rita
Downtown 81 Peppermint Lounge Dancer
2002 Ten Tiny Love Stories "Six"
The Tuxedo CSA Agent Steena
The Groovenians Yalda/Swirly/Cuckoo Bird (voice) Short
2003 Who Killed the Idea? Mysterious Woman Short
Deception Janet Steiner
2004 Collateral Young Professional Woman
Goodnight, Joseph Parker Rita
My Tiny Universe Bonnie
2005 Be Cool Marla
Edmond Matron
Wait Joanne Short
2006 Lies & Alibis Detective Bryce
Red Riding Hood Red's Mother
2008 A Beautiful Life Susan
The Women Tanya
2012 Home Alone: The Holiday Heist Jessica TV movie
2013 Lovelace Dolly Sharp
Return to Babylon Gloria Swanson
2014 She's Funny That Way Vickie
The Actor Bag Lady Short
2015 Entourage Shauna Roberts
2017 The Only Living Boy in New York Anna
Wonder Wheel Birthday Party Guest
2021 A Christmas Number One Colleen Porter
2022 Rainbow Party Guest
2023 The Kill Room The Kimono

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1984 Graffiti Rock Dancer Episode: "Pilot"
1991–93 Civil Wars Denise Iannello Main Cast
1993–94 L.A. Law Denise Iannello Main Cast: Season 8
1995 Burke's Law Rachel Davis Episode: "Who Killed the Motor Car Maverick?"
1997 E! True Hollywood Story Herself Episode: "From Pinup to Sex Queen: Bettie Page"
Temporarily Yours Deb DeAngelo Main Cast
1998–99 Working Liz Tricoli Main Cast: Season 2
1999 The Wild Thornberrys Mongoose (voice) Episode: "Darwin Plays the Palace"
Providence Vonda Vickers Episodes: "Thank You, Providence: Parts 1 & 2"
2000 Get Real Kate Harris Episode: "Saved"
2000–02 That's Life Jackie O'Grady Main Cast
2002 Hollywood Squares Herself/Panelist Episode: "May 2 & 3, 2002"
Friends Doreen, The Evil Bitch Episode: "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby: Part 1"
2003 Wanda at Large Jenny Hawkins Episode: "Unaired Pilot"
2003–04 7th Heaven Nurse Kelly Recurring Cast: Season 8
2003–05 All of Us Alex Recurring Cast: Season 1-2
2004 The Practice Gigi Coley Recurring Cast: Season 8
CSI: Miami Rebecca Briggs Episode: "Speed Kills"
2004–11 Entourage Shauna Roberts Recurring Cast: Season 1 & 5-6 & 8, Main Cast: Season 2-3, Guest: Season 4 & 7
2005 NYPD Blue Maxine Annunziato Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands"
2005–06 Living With Fran Cousin Merrill Recurring Cast: Season 2
2006 Ghost Whisperer Josie Episode: "The Woman of His Dreams"
Ugly Betty Leah Feldman Recurring Cast: Season 1
2007 Top Chef Herself Episode: "Seven"
2008 Privileged Debra Episode: "Pilot"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Peggy Bernardi Episode: "Babes"
2009 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself Episode: "Barry Williams, Debi Mazar, Greg Grunberg and Sammy Hagar"
Dancing With The Stars Herself Contestant: Season 9
Burn Notice Amy Episode: "Friends Like These"
Castle Paula Haas Episode: "When the Bough Breaks"
2010 Sesame Street Herself Episode: "Jack Grows His Own Beanstalk"
Hell's Kitchen Herself Episode: "12 Chefs Compete"
RuPaul's Drag U Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "Moms on the Verge"
Shalom Sesame Herself Episode: "Chanukah: The Missing Menorah"
Iron Chef America Herself/ICA Judge Episode: "Symon/Burrell vs. Cora/Irvine"
The Life & Times of Tim Rochelle (voice) Episode: "Rodney Has a Wife?"
Hawthorne Donna Alberghetti Episode: "Hidden Truths"
Jonas Mona Klein Recurring Cast: Season 2
2010–12 Unique Eats Herself Recurring Guest: Season 1-4
2011 Iron Chef America Herself/ICA Judge Episode: "Holiday Battle Sparkling Wine: Garces vs. Lata"
Love Lust Herself Episode: "Make-Up"
Food(ography) Herself Episode: "Los Angeles"
Good Vibes Barbara "Babs" Brando (voice) Main Cast
2011–12 The Perfect 3 Herself Episode: "Salads" & "Pizza"
2011–15 Extra Virgin Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host
2012 Melissa & Joey Harper Quinn Episode: "The Knockout"
Happily Divorced Jan Episode: "The Back-Up Fran"
2013 Not My Mama's Meals Herself Episode: "Getting Saucy!"
2015 Park Bench with Steve Buscemi Herself Episode: "Sidekicker"
The Kitchen Herself/Host Episode: "Freezer Fixes and Pantry Staples"
2015–17 Beat Bobby Flay Herself/Judge & Mentor Recurring Judge & Mentor
2015–21 Younger Maggie Amato Main Cast
2016 All-Star Academy Herself/Co-Host/Judge Episode: "Geography"
Extra Virgin Americana Herself/Co-Host Main Co-Host
Project Runway All Stars Herself/Guest Judge Episode: "Rebel with a Cause"
Elementary Detective Cosa Episode: "It Serves You Right"
2017 So Cosmo Herself Episode: "Vol. 1, No. 2: Big New Futures"
The $100,000 Pyramid Herself/Celebrity Player Episode: "Bobby Moynihan vs. Debi Mazar and Wendie Malick vs. Jesse Palmer"
2017–19 Happy! Isabella Scaramucci Recurring Cast
2018 Match Game Herself/Celebrity Panelist Episode: "Episode #3.16"
The Simpsons Minnie Szyslak (voice) Episode: "King Leer"
Arde Madrid Ava Gardner Main Cast
2019 Worst Cooks in America Herself/Judge Episode: "The Day We've Been Waiting For"
2020 Power Doloris Recurring Cast: Season 6
Katy Keene Herself Episode: "Chapter Twelve: Chain of Fools"
At Home with Amy Sedaris "Jo-Jo" Episode: "First Dates"
2021 The Other Two Herself Episode: "Pat Connects with Her Fans"
2022 The Pentaverate Patty Davis Main Cast
2023 City Island Laney Episode: "History"
East New York Ann-Marie Quinlan Recurring Cast
2024 Ladies in Black Magda Szombathelyi Main Cast

Video Games

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Year Title Role
2001 Grand Theft Auto III Maria Latore
2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Music Videos

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Year Artist Song
1982 Madonna "Everybody"
1986 "Papa Don't Preach"
"True Blue"
1990 "Justify My Love"
1992 "Deeper and Deeper"
1997 Space Monkeys "Sugar Cane"
2000 Madonna "Music"

References

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  1. ^ Debi Mazar (October 6, 2009). "Dancing with the Stars" round three: results show (Television). United States: ABC. Event occurs at 41:30. I've just been going by /ˈmeɪzɑːr/ for all these years, but it's probably /məˈzɑːr/.
  2. ^ "Almanac". Dubuque Telegraph-Herald. August 13, 2023. p. A3. ProQuest 2850888325. Actor John Slattery is 61. Actor Debi Mazar is 59. Actor Quinn Cummings is 56. See also:
    • Eldredge, Richard L. (August 13, 2008). "PEACH BUZZ: Anchor's new gig back home significant one; Celebrity Birthdays". The Atlanta Journal - Constitution. p. D2. ProQuest 337502209. Author-journalist Linda Ellerbee is 64. Songwriter Jimmy Webb is 62. Actress Debi Mazar ("Entourage") is 44.
  3. ^ Search word for Fogelmanis: Harija Aka Harry Fogelmanis Aka Mazar and Nancy Kapies, 1964, Queens, New York City, New York, United States;Marriage, Queens, New York City, New York, United States, from Reclaim the Records, The NYC Marriage Index [http://www.nycmarriageindex.com} citing New York City Clerk's Office.
  4. ^ "Debi Mazar". Biography.com. The Biography Channel. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  5. ^ a b c d Posen, Zac (June 4, 2015). "Debi Mazar's History of New York". Interview. Retrieved May 7, 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d Singh-Kurtz, Sangeeta (April 24, 2023). "Debi Mazar Was the Hardest Working "It" Girl". The Cut. Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  7. ^ a b "Debi Mazar". intothegloss.com. May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
  8. ^ a b c "Debi Mazar Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  9. ^ "Debi Mazar: My Kids Have Play Dates With Madonna". UsMagazine.com. November 4, 2009. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  10. ^ "Debi Mazar Recounts 6 Close Encounters with Hip Hop in the '80s". egotripland.com. August 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 18, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2012.
  11. ^ "Friends S08E23 TOW Rachel Has A Baby (Parts 1&2) – video dailymotion". Dailymotion. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  12. ^ Time stamp- 3:05, Debbi Mazar as Maria, GTA 3 - End Credits (HD), retrieved July 18, 2022{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Time stamp- 3:38, Maria- Debi Mazar, GTA San Andreas - End Credits, retrieved July 18, 2022{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Ugly Betty (TV Series 2006–2010), retrieved March 10, 2018
  15. ^ Bosland, Katie; Ferran, Lee (September 21, 2009). "Dancing With the Stars Double Elimination: Tom Delay and Debi Mazar Go Down". ABC News. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  16. ^ Home Alone: The Holiday Heist (TV Movie 2012), retrieved March 10, 2018
  17. ^ "Extra Virgin with Debi Mazar & Gabriele Corcos". Archived from the original on February 18, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  18. ^ Rochlin, Margy (February 2, 2011). "Debi Mazar Hits the Kitchen on Extra Virgin". TV Guide. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
  19. ^ Pace, Gina (April 20, 2014). "'Entourage' actress Debi Mazar and family test out their Easter feast for the Daily News". New York Daily News.
  20. ^ "The Chew" Extra Value Friday: Baconfest (TV Episode 2014) – IMDb, retrieved February 17, 2021
  21. ^ Extra Virgin Americana, retrieved March 10, 2018
  22. ^ "Younger: Charles Michael Davis Promoted to Series Regular". TVLine. February 21, 2018. Archived from the original on February 21, 2018. Retrieved March 4, 2018.
  23. ^ "The $100,000 Pyramid: Bobby Moynihan vs Debi Mazar and Wendie Malick vs Jesse Palmer – Watch Season 2 Episode 08". ABC. Retrieved August 7, 2017.
  24. ^ Kaufman, Joanne (March 18, 2016). "Debi Mazar, Star of 'Younger,' at Home in Brooklyn". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
  25. ^ "Under The Tuscan Gun". November 3, 2008. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  26. ^ Rose, Venus (April 25, 2017). "'Round The Way Girl -Veteran Actress Debi Mazar Is More Hip Hop Than You - The Source". Retrieved March 8, 2024.
  27. ^ "Paul Reubens: Playboy Interview". Playboy. Archived from the original on August 17, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2011.
  28. ^ "Debi Mazar Opens Up About Her Platonic Love Affair With Pee Wee Herman".
  29. ^ a b "Debi Mazar in Entourage – Back in the Public Eye". Newyorkmetro.com. June 6, 2005. Retrieved April 19, 2009.
  30. ^ "Debi Mazar Pays Tribute To Ray Liotta | Digital Market News". www.digitalmarketnews.com. May 27, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  31. ^ Debi Mazar in love with Italy vogue.it
  32. ^ "Debi Mazar reacts to Julia Fox possibly playing her in Madonna biopic". Entertainment Weekly.
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