Drea de Matteo is an American actress who is best known for her roles in television shows such as “The Sopranos” and “Sons of Anarchy”. She has also appeared in several films, such as “Swordfish”, “Assault on Precinct 13”, and “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul”. But how much is Drea de Matteo worth, and how did she earn her wealth? Here is a look at her career, sources of income, and net worth.
Early Life and Education
Drea de Matteo was born on January 19, 1972, in Queens, New York. She has Italian ancestry and was raised in a Roman Catholic household. She has two brothers, Darren and Joe. Her father, Albert, was a furniture manufacturer and owner and CEO of the company Avery Boardman and Carlyle, a custom furniture shop in New York. Her mother, Donna, was a playwright and a professor of playwrighting at HB Studio, a non-profit performing arts training center.
De Matteo attended the Loyola School, a Jesuit co-ed school on the Upper East Side of New York City. She then enrolled at New York University with the intention of becoming a film director. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in film production from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts while also studying acting at the HB Studio. While trying to pursue acting after the completion of her studies, de Matteo opened a clothing store in the East Village of the city called Filth Mart in 1997.
The store sold vintage and rock music-inspired designs and was the brainchild of de Matteo’s then-boyfriend and a couple of his friends, all of whom had worked as clothing buyers at various New York City vintage stores. De Matteo also worked as a designer for the store, creating her own line of custom t-shirts that were sold in the store and featured in a number of fashion publications, such as Elle. The store was initially successful but later closed in 2004.
Television Career
De Matteo began her television career in 1996, when she landed a role as a waitress in the NBC drama “Swift Justice”. She then appeared in various shows, such as “ER”, “Law & Order”, and “Angel”. Her breakthrough came in 1999, when she was cast as Adriana La Cerva, the girlfriend of Christopher Moltisanti, in the HBO crime drama “The Sopranos”.
Her performance received high critical praise and she was recognized with a number of awards and nominations, including an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, a Golden Globe nomination, and four Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. She also won a Gracie Allen Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
The same year, she also starred as Gina Tribbiani, the sister of Joey Tribbiani, in the NBC sitcom “Joey”, a spin-off of the popular show “Friends”. She played the role for two seasons until the show was canceled in 2006. She then appeared in other shows, such as “CSI: Miami”, “The Office”, and “Desperate Housewives”.
In 2008, she joined the cast of the FX drama “Sons of Anarchy” as Wendy Case, the ex-wife of Jax Teller and the mother of his son. She played the role for seven seasons until the show ended in 2014. She also received a Prism Award nomination for her performance.
Besides these prominent roles, de Matteo also made guest appearances on other popular shows, such as “Californication”, “New Girl”, “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”, and “The Mindy Project”. She also starred in the short-lived NBC comedy “Friends with Better Lives” in 2014, and the ABC crime drama “Shades of Blue” from 2016 to 2018.
Film Career
De Matteo also ventured into the film industry, where she showcased her versatility and talent. She made her film debut in 1996, in the comedy “I Shot Andy Warhol”. She then appeared in several films, such as “Meet Prince Charming”, “The Perfect You”, and “Prey for Rock and Roll”.
In 2001, she played a hacker in the action thriller “Swordfish”, alongside John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, and Halle Berry. She also starred in the remake of the classic film “Assault on Precinct 13” in 2005, as a police officer trapped in a besieged station. She also appeared in films such as “Broken English”, “New York, I Love You”, and “Dark Places”.
In 2020, she starred in the mockumentary film “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul”, which was a satire on the evangelical movement and the entertainment industry. She also produced and co-wrote the film, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2021, she played a detective in the horror film “The Birthday Cake”, which also featured her former co-star from “The Sopranos”, James Gandolfini’s son, Michael Gandolfini.
Net Worth and Sources of Income
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Drea de Matteo has a net worth of $4 million as of 2022. Her main source of income is her acting career, which has spanned over two decades and various genres. She reportedly earned $100,000 per episode for her role in “The Sopranos”, which makes her one of the highest-paid actresses on television at the time.
She also earns money from her film roles, endorsements, and production projects. She has endorsed brands such as Gap, L’Oreal, and Revlon. She also launched her own production company, Filth Mart Productions, in 2018, which aims to create original and diverse content for film and television.
Conclusion
Drea de Matteo is one of the most successful and respected actresses in the entertainment industry. She has proven her versatility and talent in various roles, both on television and film. She has also won numerous awards and accolades, and has been recognized as one of the most influential people in the world.
She has built a fortune of $4 million from her acting career and other ventures. She is also a devoted mother of two children, and a vocal advocate for animal rights and environmental causes. Drea de Matteo is an inspiration to many aspiring actresses and a role model to many fans.