Maria Pitillo is a former American actress best known for her appearances in Roland Emmerich’s “Godzilla” and Tina Calcaterra in the “Providence” series.
Childhood And Family
Maria Pitillo (Pinterest)Maria Pitillo was born on January 8, 1966, in Elmira, New York, USA, and so has American nationality, as well as the Capricorn zodiac sign. Maria was born into an Irish and Italian household; her mother, Patricia Masterson, and her father, whose name is unknown, divorced when Maria was about eight years old. When Maria’s father relocated to Mahwah, New Jersey, she spent the majority of her time there with him and her sisters, Gina and Lisa. Maria never explained why she chose to live with her father rather than her mother, and it is unclear whether she had a choice at all.
Maria realized she wanted to sing on stage from a young age and began taking music and vocal lessons. She also enjoyed walking, football, and volleyball.
Background In Education
Maria went to Mahwah High School and was a member of the track team. She was eventually transferred to Northern Highlands Regional High School in Allendale, Bergen County, New Jersey. She had many friends at school, but she couldn’t stand her teachers. Maria had an altercation with one of her teachers just before the prom, so she was barred from attending the graduation ceremony; however, Maria sneaked into the prom to enjoy dancing and partying with her classmates. Maria matriculated in 1984 and attended Playhouse West School and Repertory Theater, where she graduated in 1988.
Later, she took extra classes from Robbie McCauley, who taught Maria vocals. She also traveled to New York to learn the Meisner-Technique of acting from Harold Guskin and William Esper. She took advantage of the opportunity to study at Jeff Goldblum’s Playhouse West while in Los Angeles.
Career of Maria Pitillo
The Beginnings Of An Acting Career
Maria used to work in an Ann Taylor store in New Jersey to save money for college. Maria, on the other hand, began her acting career with the help of a friend who led her to auditions for young performers. She has since appeared in several TV advertisements. She appeared in commercials for Chic Jeans, Pepto-Bismol, and other brands. In 1986, Maria made her film debut as Masseuse in “Wise Guys.”
In 1987, she played Vickie in the episode “What If I’m Gay?” of the popular series “CBS Schoolbreak Special,” and in 1988, she played the Pony Tail Girl in “Bright Lights, Big City,” alongside Michael J. Fox and Dianne Wiest, and the same year, she played Angel in “Spike of Bensonhurst.”
Maria could be seen in a variety of popular series from 1989 to 1991, including irregular episodes of “Ryan’s Hope,” “Miami Vice,” and “Law & Order.” She has acted in films and television shows such as “The Lost Capone” (1990), “She-Devil” (1989), and “White Palace” (1990). Maria recorded two songs for the soundtrack of “The Lost Capone” in 1990: “Bye Bye Blackbird” and “The Jazz Standard.”
Maria earned the role of Robin in one of the episodes of “Middle Ages” in 1992; the series became a highly popular project, but for Maria, it was her first time receiving great reviews from critics, who applauded her talent even though she could only be seen in the episode “Night Moves.”
Success In The Future
The year 1995 was pivotal for Maria, as she worked on more than five projects, including films and television series. She was cast as Kim in “Bye Bye Love” and Zee in “Frank & Jesse.” She also starred as Teresa Walden Stamper in “Escape from Terror: The Teresa Stamper Story” and Maria Caprefoli in “Between Love and Honor.” Maria was cast as Alicia Sundergard in the FOX comedy series “Partners” (1995-1996) in the middle of 1995.
She landed the role of Gloria McKinney in “Drea God” in 1996 and has since acted in shows such as “Out of Order,” “House Rules,” and “In The Loop.”
Maria’s most prominent part, however, came in 1998, when she was cast as Audrey Simmonds in Roland Emmerich’s “Godzilla.” Despite the efforts of the entire crew, the film garnered numerous scathing reviews from critics and audiences. Maria was named Worst Supporting Actress at the 19th Golden Raspberry Awards; the film was also named Worst Remake or Sequel and was nominated for “Worst Picture,” “Worst Director,” and “Worst Screenplay.” The 1998 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards brought some misery to the film’s author, as “Godzilla” ‘won’ in the category “Worst Screenplay For A Film Grossing More Than $100 Million (Using Hollywood Math).”
The song “Come with Me,” performed by Sean P. Diddy Combs and Jimmy Page, won two different awards: “Favorite Song” by the 1999 Blockbuster Entertainment Award and “Worst Song in a Motion Picture” by the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards in 1998.
Recent Works And Retirement From Acting
Maria was not perplexed by the inconsequential outcomes of her labor in “Godzilla,” and she obtained more roles in other productions. In the year 2000, she played Vicki in “After Sex,” Paula in “Will & Grace,” and Debbie McNeil in “The Christmas Secret.” From 2001 to 2002, she was a recurring cast member on “Providence,” playing Tina Calcaterra; Maria later stated that she enjoyed working on the series because of the story of the plastic surgeon who left her job in Beverly Hills to work in her hometown of Providence, Rhode Island to be with her family resonated with her perspective on work and family balance.
Maria married in 2002 and had to stop acting soon after she discovered she was pregnant. Her later work included a cameo in the “Friends” episode “The One with the Home Study.” She made her acting debut in 2008 as Valerie Cerritas in the comedy-drama “Big Shots,” and she hasn’t done any acting since.
Husband’s Personal Life Fortney, David Roger
Maria met David Roger Fortney while both were working in Los Angeles. David is a camera operator who has worked on projects such as the TV series documentary “American Greed,” “The Cure Is U,” and “Earth Scapes.” David and Maria talk about their daughter, Eva Jean, but don’t share much about their personal lives on social media. As of 2020, she and David run a modest family business.
Hobbies, Favorite Items, And Fascinating Facts
Maria is still an active runner; she also enjoys yoga and enjoys spending time at the beach, particularly walking there in the evenings. She enjoys reading nonfiction. Red is her favorite color.
Appearance
Maria Pitillo (Pinterest)Maria has brown hair that falls to her shoulders and green eyes. She stands 5ft 4ins (1.63m) tall and weighs around 123lbs (56kgs); her vital data are unavailable at this time. Maria doesn’t have any tattoos.
Salary And Net Worth
Maria’s net worth is believed to be over $1 million as of 2020, owing primarily to her acting career, but the income she and her husband earned from the family business they oversee suggests that their joint fortune is somewhat more.