New York-born Chazz Palminteri wrote his own ticket into Hollywood — literally. A stage actor and bit-player in wiseguy parts when he was pushing 40, he mounted a one-man show called A Bronx Tale, and parlayed its acclaim into a film adaptation alongside Robert De Niro. A year after that, Palminteri was Oscar-nominated for his supporting turn in Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway. Part dice scam ensemble, part family drama, his latest film is Yonkers Joe, about an aging, gruff, analog-type cardsharp who’s forced
to take in his Down’s Syndrome-stricken son (Tom Guiry), then heads west to
Las Vegas for a score, where he finally learns a few things about
fatherhood. In advance of the film’s release, I recently spoke with Palminteri about the benefits of adult-onset fame, turning down big
money to find the right fit for his big break, and his love for New
York sports teams. For the full Q&A, from New York Magazine‘s Vulture, click here.