Debi Mazar Biography

Deborah "Debi" Mazar ( or ; born August 13, 1964) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her Jersey Girl-type roles; as sharp-tongued women in independent films; and for her recurring role as press agent Shauna Roberts on the HBO series Entourage.

Early life

Mazar was born in Jamaica, Queens, New York, the daughter of Nancy and Harry Mazar. Her father was born in the Latvian SSR, Soviet Union, from a Jewish family, but raised in the Roman Catholic Church. She had no knowledge of her heritage until her twenties. Her mother was raised a Roman Catholic, briefly converted to Judaism, then became a Buddhist, and later joined Jehovah's Witnesses until she was disfellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion.

Career

Mazar began her career as a hip hop 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. She appeared in five of Madonna's music videos -" "Papa Don't Preach," "True Blue" (both 1986), "Justify My Love" (1990), "Deeper and Deeper" (1992) and "Music" (2000). Mazar has played a number of minor-yet-colorful supporting roles in a variety of films, including Sandy, a friend of Henry Hill's mistress. Goodfellas (1990); The Doors (1991); Bullets Over Broadway (1994); and as Spice (of Sugar and Spice, with Drew Barrymore as Sugar) in Batman Forever (1995). 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 1993 and 1994 season of the TV drama L.A. Law.

She played the villain Regina 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 also appeared as the genie in the Space Monkeys' music video, "Sugarcane".

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. From 2000 to 2002 she played Jackie on the television drama That's Life. She also provided the voice of Maria Latore in the video games Grand Theft Auto III (2001) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004).

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, playing Fran Drescher's character's cousin, Merrill. She did a two-episode stint on the television series Ugly Betty, where she played Leah Stillman, a scam artist who claims to be a lawyer.

Mazar was a contestant on the ninth season of Dancing With the Stars. She was partnered with Maksim Chmerkovskiy and finished in twelfth place. She was eliminated in the third week (October 6, 2009).

Personal life

Prior to her marriage, she dated actor Paul Reubens for several years beginning in 1993. Reubens has since credited Mazar with ending his depression resulting from his infamous 1991 arrest.

She married Gabriele Corcos on March 16, 2002, in a ceremony officiated by Ellen Burstyn, who is an ordained Sufi high priest. They have two daughters: Evelyn Maria (born on July 12, 2002) and Giulia Isabel (born on March 17, 2006). The family divides their time between their home in Brooklyn and a 14th-century house outside of Florence, Italy, that was given to them as a wedding present by Mazar's in-laws.

Mazar and Corcos hosted an internet show focused on Tuscan cuisine, Under The Tuscan Gun. On January 19, 2011, they began hosting the cooking show Extra Virgin on the Cooking Channel.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1981	Downtown 81	Peppermint Lounge Dancer	AKA, New York Beat Movie
1990	Goodfellas	Sandy
1991	'	Whiskey Girl
1991	Jungle Fever	Denise
1991	Little Man Tate	Gina
1992	In the Soup	Suzie
1992	Love Is Like That	Delores
1992	Inside Monkey Zetterland	Daphne
1992	Singles	Brenda
1992	Malcolm X	Peg
1992	Toys	Nurse Debbie
1993	So I Married an Axe Murderer	Susan
1993	Money for Nothing	Monica Russo
1993	Beethoven's 2nd	Regina
1994	Bullets Over Broadway	Violet
1995	Batman Forever	Spice
1995	Empire Records	Jane
1996	Cosas que nunca te dije	Diane
1996	Girl 6	Girl #39
1996	Trees Lounge	Crystal
1996	Red Ribbon Blues	Darcy
1996	Space Truckers	Cindy
1997	Meet Wally Sparks	Sandy Gallo
1997	Nowhere	Kozy
1997	She's So Lovely	Georgie
1997	'	Teresa
1997	Casper: A Spirited Beginning	Angie Lyons	Video
1997	Trouble on the Corner	Ericca Rice
1998	Marry Me or Die
1998	Frogs for Snakes	Simone
1998	Hush	Lisa
1998	Life in the Fast Lane	Rosie
1999	House on Haunted Hill	Jennifer Jenzen	Scenes available on DVD only
1999	'	Debbie De Luca
2000	More Dogs Than Bones	Mary
2000	Held for Ransom	Rita
2002	Ten Tiny Love Stories	Six
2002	'	Steena
2003	Who Killed the Idea?	Mysterious Woman	Short film
2003	Deception	Janet Steiner
2004	Collateral	Young Professional Woman
2004	My Tiny Universe	Bonnie
2005	Be Cool	Marla
2005	Edmond	Matron
2005	Wait	Joanne	Short film
2006	Lies & Alibis	Det. Bryce	AKA, The Alibi
2006	Red Riding Hood	Red's Mom
2008	'	Susan
2008	'	Tanya
2013	Lovelace	Dolly Sharp
2013	Return to Babylon	Gloria Swanson

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Graffiti Rock	Dancer	TV film
1991-1993	Civil Wars	Denise Iannello	Main role (36 episodes)
1993-1994	L.A. Law	Denise Ianello	Recurring role (22 episodes)
1994	Witch Hunt	The Manicurist	TV film
1995	Burke's Law	Rachel Davis	Episode: "Who Killed the Motor Car Maverick?"
1997	Temporarily Yours	Deb DeAngelo	Main role (6 episodes)
1998	Witness to the Mob	Deborah Gravano	TV film
1998	David and Lisa	Maggie	TV film
1999	'	Mongoose (voice)	Episode: "Darwin Plays the Palace"
1998-1999	Working	Liz Tricoli	Regular role (17 episodes)
1999	'	Mother Duck 2 (voice)	TV film
1999	Providence	Vonda Vickers	Episodes: "Thank You, Providence: Parts 1 & 2"
2000	Get Real	Kate Harris	Episode: "Saved"
2000-2002	That's Life	Jackie O'Grady	Main role (34 episodes)
2001	Grand Theft Auto III	Maria Latore (voice)	Video game
2002	Friends	Evil Bitch	Episode: "The One Where Rachel Has a Baby: Part 1"
2002	'	Various (voice)	TV short
2003	Wanda at Large	Jenny Hawkins	Episode: "Unaired Pilot"
2003	7th Heaven	Nurse Kelly	Episode: "The One Thing"
2003-2004	All of Us	Alex / Debi	Recurring role (7 episodes)
2004	7th Heaven	Nurse Kelly	Episode: "The Anniversary"
2004	'	Gigi Coley	Episodes: "Comings and Goings", "New Hoods on the Block"
2004	Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas	Maria Latore (voice)	Video game
2004	CSI: Miami	Rebecca Briggs	Episode: "Speed Kills"
2004-2011	Entourage	Shauna	(50 episodes)
2005	NYPD Blue	Maxine Annunziato	Episode: "Lenny Scissorhands"
2005-2006	Living With Fran	Cousin Merrill	Episodes: "A Year of Living with Fran", "Going to a Bar Mitzvah with Fran", "Coupling with Fran", "Reuniting with Fran"
2006	Ghost Whisperer	Josie	Episode: "The Woman of His Dreams"
2006	Ugly Betty	Leah Feldman	Episodes: "Trust, Lust and Must", "Four Thanksgivings and a Funeral"
2008	Privileged	Debra	Episode: "Pilot"
2008	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Peggy Bernardi	Episode: "Babes"
2009	Burn Notice	Amy	Episode: "Friends Like These"
2009	Castle	Paula Haas	Episode: "When the Bough Breaks"
2010	'	Rochelle (voice)	Episode: "The Girl Scout Incident/Rodney Has a Wife?"
2010	Hawthorne	Donna Alberghetti	Episode: "Hidden Truths"
2010	Jonas L.A.	Mona Klein	Recurring role (7 episodes)
2011	Good Vibes	Barbara "Babs" Brando (voice)	Main role (12 episodes)
2012	Melissa & Joey	Harper Quinn	Episode: "The Knockout"
2012	Home Alone: The Holiday Heist	Jessica	TV film
2012	Happily Divorced	Jan	Episode: "The Back-Up Fran"