Marisa Tomei

Marisa Tomei

	Oscar Worthy
A FEW OTHER PEOPLE YOU MAY HAVE OVERLOOKED THAT WE'VE LOOKED OVER	by jim It has been a crazy little career for Oscar winner/Brooklynite/hottie Marisa Tomei. After nearly a decade of toiling around in small roles (and a brief stint on Lisa Bonet's "A Different World", Marisa finally landed a prime role in a made-to-order Hollywood blockbuster comedy. Sadly for her, that movie was Sly Stallone's box office misfire OSCAR. While we at the DangerSeekers find the movie irresistible and hilarious, must people just think that it sucks. As we are slowly learning there happen to far more of "them" than there are of "us", so the stigma sticks. However, the next year Marisa got cast opposite Joe Pesci in MY COUSIN VINNY, a big hit that would lead to her winning one of the most infamous Oscars in history. Rumors have widely circulated that Tomei only won due to a misread by presenter Jack Palance. Anyone with half their wits about them knows the whole concept is preposterous. Tomei beat old all those grand old ladies of acting fair and square. I think she deserved to win and consider that one of the few times the Academy got the Supporting Actress category right. However, he career really seemed to sputter from there on in. That was 1992. Fast forward to 2000. In those eight years Marisa seemed to vanish off the face of the earth. She worked, sure, but mostly in small roles or small projects. Despite great work in the overlooked WELCOME TO SARAJEVO and as silent screen legend Mabel Normand in CHAPLIN, there is a whole lotta crap in there. Suddenly in rings the new millennium and Marisa is everywhere, appearing high profile projects, both good and bad, including THE WATCHER, SOMEONE LIKE YOU, WHAT WOMEN WANT and most recently she finds herself back in Oscar's golden glow with her gripping turn in IN THE BEDROOM. The stunning New Yorker has had such a rocky road to Oscar and back again, that it surpasses the rough path of fellow nominee Jennifer Connelly. I know that on March 24th, I'll be rooting for Tomei and her sexy accent to take the prize again. It would be a great victory for her and will, hopefully, put to rest all the ridicule surrounding her first trip to the podium.
©DSFC