Ray Abruzzo

Ray Abruzzo, straight outta Queens, has this whole New York energy baked into his DNA—you can just tell. Dude’s probably got a million stories about growing up in the city that never sleeps, and honestly, you see that grit and heart in everything he does on screen. The guy’s been hustling in the acting scene for decades, and if his face looks familiar, well, that’s because he’s been in some of TV’s most iconic shows. Let’s talk about The Sopranos. If you’ve ever gotten sucked into Tony’s world, you’ve definitely seen Ray in action. He played “Little” Carmine Lupertazzi, and honestly, it’s one of those roles that’s way trickier than people give it credit for. Ray brought this weird mix of charm, cluelessness, and ambition—he was always slightly out of his depth, but you couldn’t help rooting for the guy. That’s talent. Then there’s The Practice. That show basically set the gold standard for legal dramas back in the late ‘90s, and Ray fit right in. He had this way of making even the tiniest scenes feel important. And don’t even get me started on Transparent. That show broke all kinds of ground, and Ray popped up there too, flexing those dramatic chops in a whole new way. Bottom line: Ray Abruzzo’s carved out a solid spot in the TV universe. He’s the kind of actor who turns minor roles into moments you remember, and his NYC roots just make the whole package feel real.