Lorraine’s story is basically the definition of a wild turnaround. Growing up on Long Island, she caught the worst kind of schoolyard infamy—nobody forgets being voted “ugliest girl in the 6th grade,” right? Kids can be brutal. But instead of letting that nonsense stick, she packed up her life and bounced to France in ‘74. Not exactly a small leap. Over there, the tables flipped—she went from outcast to fashion legend, strutting her stuff for none other than Jean-Paul Gaultier. Yeah, that Gaultier. The one who put Madonna in those cone bras. But, hey, life isn’t just catwalks and couture. Lorraine’s got some real family ties too. Her sister, Elizabeth Bracco, is in showbiz as well—maybe drama runs in their veins? Then there’s the whole love life saga: two daughters, each with a story. Stella Keitel, whose dad, by the way, is Harvey Keitel (yes, “Reservoir Dogs” Harvey), and Margaux Guerard, from Lorraine’s marriage to Daniel Guerard. Honestly, juggling that patchwork family with a career in the flashbulbs sounds exhausting. Yet she did it, and somehow made it look easy. So, if you’re ever feeling like the odd one out, just remember Lorraine. She turned the ultimate schoolyard insult into a ticket for a life most people can’t even dream up. Not too shabby for a so-called ugly duckling, huh?
Back in her modeling days in Europe, she found herself in some pretty wild circles—think smoky Parisian cafes, art weirdos, the whole scene. Out of nowhere, Salvador Dalí—yeah, the melting clocks guy—asked her to pose nude for him. Dalí, with his wild mustache and even wilder ideas, was dead serious. She shot him down, no hesitation. No way was she stripping for some surrealist fever dream, even if it meant having a story for the ages. That moment ended up being one of those wild “almost” stories you tell at parties, right? Imagine turning down a legend because, honestly, boundaries matter even when you’re rubbing elbows with the art world’s most notorious eccentrics. Dalí probably just shrugged and moved on to the next muse, but for her, it was one of those little “what ifs” that stick with you. Sometimes, saying no is the most interesting part of the story.
Playing Dr. Melfi nearly chewed me up and spat me out. I’m this wild, loud, messy-on-purpose kind of person in real life, but for her? I had to clamp down on every damn thing that makes me, me. It’s like I drained the color out of my soul just to stand there and barely react. Dr. Melfi doesn’t even smile, not really—she’s just this well of sadness and restraint. And let’s be real, sitting across from Tony Soprano? If I’d given him even the tiniest emotional opening, he’d have shredded her. No way was I letting that happen. So, I held onto that steel, but god, it was brutal. It’s the weirdest thing—having to show strength by being all buttoned-up and silent. I carried that heaviness even when the cameras stopped rolling. Just completely wrung out, honestly.
October 2, 1954
5′ 7″ (1.70 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Yes, Stella Keitel
Eileen Molyneux and Surekha
70 years old