Personal details
- Birth Date: 1972-06-28
- Height: 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
- Birth Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Children: (2 children) May Nivola
- Parents: Pietro Nivola
- Professions: Actor, Producer, Executive
Alessandro Nivola, born June 28, 1972, in Boston—yeah, that Boston—has this sort of quiet, simmering energy that sneaks up on you in every role he takes. You probably remember him from American Hustle, where he glided through the madness with a calm that's honestly a little unnerving. Or maybe you caught Disobedience, where he pulled off this delicate balancing act—devout, conflicted, painfully human. And lately, he's been making waves in The Brutalist (2024), which, if you haven’t seen, is a wild ride through postwar ambition and the messy, beautiful chaos of trying to build something that lasts. Nivola doesn’t do loud, showy acting—he’s more like a slow burn; you look away for a second, and suddenly he’s the most compelling person on screen. The guy’s got range, too. He’s played everything from charming con men to men torn up by love, guilt, and, let’s be real, some pretty messed-up circumstances. There’s something about his eyes—like he’s always holding back a secret, or maybe just laughing at the universe behind your back. Offscreen, he’s been married to Emily Mortimer since 2003—which, in Hollywood, is basically a miracle. Two kids, a bunch of indie and blockbuster hits, and somehow he stays under the radar. Maybe that’s his superpower: slipping into a role so seamlessly you forget you’re watching Alessandro Nivola, and not just some guy you could run into at a coffee shop, deep in thought, with a script in his hand.
reference nSo, this guy, fresh outta Yale with a shiny English degree in hand—class of ‘94, mind you—dives straight into the world, probably thinking he’s gonna be the next Hemingway or something. You can almost see him, clutching some battered copy of “The Great Gatsby,” quoting poetry at parties, and probably judging everyone’s grammar in his head. It’s Yale, so yeah, the pressure’s on. Maybe he spent four years buried under stacks of novels, arguing about Shakespeare and Modernism with professors who’ve seen it all. There’s late-night caffeine-fueled essay sessions, that one roommate who never shuts up, and the occasional existential crisis about whether studying books will ever pay the bills. But hey, he made it through—cap, gown, and all. Now he’s out there, maybe teaching, maybe writing, maybe just trying to explain to his family what he’s gonna do with an English degree. Classic.
referencennBeing an actor’s a wild ride, honestly. You get to slip out of your own skin and jump into someone else’s shoes—sometimes someone totally unlike you, with a backstory you can barely imagine. It’s weirdly freeing, you know? You drag along your own quirks, all the stuff you’ve picked up from watching people, living life, making mistakes. But then you mash all that up with this new character’s world. Maybe they’ve seen stuff you haven’t, or maybe they react to things in ways you never would. Sometimes, it messes with your head—in a cool way. You start noticing the little details about how people move or talk, steal a bit of that for your next scene. The process just keeps you on your toes. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s never boring. Every role’s a new puzzle piece, and you never know how you’ll fit until you’re in it, figuring it out as you go.
June 28, 1972
5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Yes, May Nivola
Pietro Nivola and Surekha
53 years old