Net Worth →
Biographies

Joe Pantoliano: Biography, Facts and Career

Who is Joe Pantoliano? An evergreen, sourced profile: biography, key facts and career.

By the Pop Culture Files editorial team4 min read✓ Fact-checked
Joe Pantoliano
Justin Hoch photographing for Hudson Union Society via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American actor who has played more than 150 roles across film, television, and theater. He won an Emmy for his portrayal of the sadistic gangster Ralph Cifaretto in HBO's The Sopranos. His film roles include Francis Fratelli in The Goonies (1985), Captain Conrad Howard in the Bad Boys film series (1995–2024), Cypher in the Wachowskis' sci-fi action film The Matrix (1999), and Teddy in Christopher Nolan's psychological thriller film Memento (2000).
Other notable film credits include Risky Business (1983), Empire of the Sun (1987), La Bamba (1987), Midnight Run (1988), The Fugitive (1993), Baby's Day Out (1994), the Wachowskis' directorial debut Bound (1996), and Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010). In 2025, he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his performance in The Last of Us. Pantoliano has published two memoirs and is active in the field of mental health, having documented his mother's issues and his own. He founded the nonprofit No Kidding, Me Too! which is dedicated to removing the stigma from mental illness.

Quick facts about Joe Pantoliano

  • Full name: Joe Pantoliano
  • Born: 1951-09-12
  • Nationality: United States
  • Known as: Actor
  • Wikidata ID: Q296883

Profile compiled from public Wikipedia and Wikidata data. Details can change over time.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Joe Pantoliano?

Joseph Peter Pantoliano (born September 12, 1951) is an American actor who has played more than 150 roles across film, television, and theater.

What nationality is Joe Pantoliano?

Joe Pantoliano is United States.

When was Joe Pantoliano born?

Joe Pantoliano was born on 1951-09-12.

Sources

More in Celebrities