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.
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Early life
Joseph Peter Pantoliano was born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on September 12, 1951, the son of Italian-American parents Mary (née Centrella) and Dominic "Monk" Pantoliano. He traces his ancestry to Avellino, Campania. His mother was a bookmaker and seamstress, while his father was a hearse driver and factory foreman. His family moved to Cliffside Park, New Jersey, where he attended Cliffside Park High School. He attended the HB Studio and studied extensively under actors Herbert Berghof and John Lehne.
