Laura San Giacomo is an Italian-American actress who came to stardom for portraying Cynthia in the 1989 independent film, Sex, Lies and Videotape. She later garnered more popularity through her roles in Pretty Woman (1990), Just Shoot Me! (1997–2003), and Saving Grace (2007-2010). For her outstanding performances, Laura has received several highly-rated awards and recognition. Her role as Cynthia earned her a Golden Globe nomination as well as an LA Film Critics Association award. Laura is also a philanthropist, always working to improve the education of children with disabilities.

Laura San Giacomo’s Biography

Laura San Giacomo was born on the 14th day of November 1962. She was born to John San Giacomo and his wife, MaryJo in West Orange, in the Essex County of New Jersey, United States. She grew up in Denville, Morris County (still in New Jersey) where she attended the Morris Knolls High School. Giacomo is of Italian origins.

Laura discovered her acting talents during her days at Morris Knolls. She later moved to Pennsylvania, Philadelphia where she enrolled to study Fine Arts (with a major in Acting) at the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh, graduating in 1984.

On completing her degree, Laura Giacomo moved to New York to start up a full time acting career, beginning with theater performances. Some of the stage productions she performed in include Princeton/McCarter Theatre’s production of the 1900 play, Three Sisters; Broadway’s production of Alan Bowne’s play, Beirut; Garry Marshall and Lowell Ganz’s production of Wrong Turn at Lungfish and regional production of Shakespearean plays, As You Like It, The Tempest, and Romeo and Juliet. She also featured in a regional production of Beth Henley’s play, Crimes of the Heart.

Marital Life

Not long after debuting screen acting, Laura San Giacomo met fellow American actor, Cameron Dye, probably on set of Miami Vice in 1989. She later married Dye (who is also a singer) in 1990. About five years after their marriage, Laura welcomed a son named Mason Alan Dye, precisely on 19th November 1995. Mason was born with cerebral palsy which caused him permanent mental and physical disabilities.

Unfortunately, Laura’s marriage with Cameron could not last. The duo eventually got a divorce in 1998. About two years after parting ways with her first husband, San Giacomo tied the knot with yet another fellow actor, Matthew Adler. They wedded in 2000.

Philanthropy

Giacomo lives in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California. In addition to her acting career, she is significantly involved in charities that concern physical disabilities, always participating in fundraisers that benefit disabled children in her locality. In 2001, she founded the CHIME Charter, a free all-ability inclusion elementary school located in Woodland Hills, San Fernando Valley where pupils gain admission through lottery.

Laura San Giacomo’s Movies and TV Shows

Laura San Giacomo made her screen debut in 1987. She started with guest roles on episodes of several television shows. She first appeared as Sharon on an episode of the crime drama series, Spenser: For Hire. Following this, she played the guest role of Theresa Farantino on a 1988 episode of Crime Story. Laura made her film debut in the 1988 film, Miles from Home, where she played the uncredited role of Sandy.

Other minor roles followed before she landed a major role in the 1989 film, Sex, Lies and Videotape, starring as Cynthia Patrice Bishop. Her role in the Palme d’Or winning independent film shot her to international acclaim, earning her a New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association as well as a Golden Globe nomination.

The exposure soon got her another major role in Garry Marshall’s hit romantic comedy film, Pretty Woman (1990). She starred as the lead character’s friend, Kit De Luca. Owing to the outstanding success of the film, Laura’s prominence in the movie industry increased. After Pretty Woman, Giacomo played both minor and major roles in numerous other films and TV series including Vital Signs, For Their Own Good, Nina Takes Over, Fallen Angels, and so on.

In 1997, she landed another major and career-transforming role in Just Shoot Me!, a situation comedy series that aired on NBC until 2003. Laura portrayed journalist Maya Gallo in all of the 148 episodes of the series. Her exceptional performance in the sitcom earned her another Golden Globe nomination. While she filmed Just Shoot Me!, Laura also appeared in other films/TV series including Suicide Kings, Eat Your Heart Out, and The Handler.

In 2006, San Giacomo once again landed a starring role on the TNT drama series, Saving Grace. She played the character of Rhetta Rodriguez, best friend to the title character Grace, which was played by her fellow Carnegie Mellon alumna, Holly Hunter. Other films/television series Laura San Giacomo has starred in are The Defenders (2010), Hot In Cleveland (2011), The Mentalist (2013), and The Meddler (2015).

In 2016, she started appearing as Dr. Grace Confalone on NCIS, a CBS action police procedural series. The next year (2017), she also started playing the role of Morgan Wilson in Animal Kingdom.

Body Measurements

Laura San Giacomo has a small height of 1.57 meters which is approximately 5 feet 2 inches. She is nevertheless, a beautiful woman with the triangle-shaped body figure. Her body measures 39-25-35 inches by her bust, waist, and hip respectively). She weighs about 59 kilograms. Her eye color is dark brown while her hair is light brown.