Chazz Palminteri is an American actor, writer, screenwriter, film director, and producer born in The Bronx on May 15, 1952.

Growing up in The Bronx shaped the world Palminteri would later draw on across his career. He attended Theodore Roosevelt High School before going on to train at the Actors Studio, grounding his craft in a disciplined, technique-focused approach to performance.

Palminteri has worked across a wide range of formats throughout his career. On screen he has taken on roles as a film actor and a character actor, bringing supporting and leading parts to life in a variety of productions. His work hasn't been limited to film alone — he has also appeared on television and on stage, and has lent his voice to animated and other voice-driven projects. Beyond performing, he has stepped behind the camera and into the producer's chair as well, taking on work as a film director and film producer. His writing credits extend to screenwriting, giving him a hand in shaping stories rather than simply inhabiting them.

That combination of performing and writing sits at the heart of how Palminteri has built his career. Working in English across stage, screen, and television, he has consistently moved between roles in front of and behind the camera, contributing to projects as a creator as much as a performer.

His training at the Actors Studio, his Bronx roots, and his dual identity as both a character actor and a screenwriter continue to define the through-line of his work. Palminteri holds United States citizenship and has remained active across film, television, and stage — a range of platforms that reflects the breadth of his involvement in American storytelling.