With the exception of technical honors, there’s still probably no Academy Winner as surprising as Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny. To be fair, Tomei’s performance is absolutely delightful — funny at times, forceful at others, and the perfect counter for Joe Pesci’s endless barrage of conversation — but movies like My Cousin Vinny don’t typically take home Academy Awards for anything, least of all performances. That award speaks to the soft spot everyone has in their heart for that film; it may not be the most prestigious work of either Tomei or Pesci’s careers, but it’s a hard movie to say no to after a long day at the office.
Bobby Bank, Getty Images Joe Pesci believed he was going to paid $3 million to play real-life John Gotti enforcer Angelo Ruggiero in the upcoming movie ‘Gotti: In The Shadow of My Father.’
In fact, Pesci was so sure he had the role he gained 30 pounds to play the heavy-set Ruggiero...