Stephanie Kurtzuba (born March 20, 1972) is an American film, television, and theater actress. She is best known for her roles in the films The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Annie (2014), and The Irishman (2019), and on television in recurring roles on The Good Wife and Blue Bloods.
Stephanie Kurtzuba | |
|---|---|
 Kurtzuba at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born | March 20, 1972 Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | NYU Tisch School of the Arts |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2003–present |
| Spouse |
Joshua Coakley (m. 2005) |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | stephaniekurtzuba.com |
Early life and education
editKurtzuba was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, where she graduated from Omaha Central High School.[1] Growing up, she performed in local theater productions,[1] with her first role at the age of 10 as an orphan pickpocket in the musical Oliver, and won the Miss Nebraska Pre-Teen pageant.[2] She briefly attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studied journalism, before being accepted to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she earned an acting degree.[1][2]
Career
editTheater
editAfter graduating, she spent time performing in experimental off-off-Broadway productions, before going into commercial theater.[2] Her first Broadway show was as part of a backup trio to Hugh Jackman in The Boy from Oz in 2003.[3] As a member of the original Broadway casts of Mary Poppins in 2006 and Billy Elliot the Musical in 2008, she performed at the 2007 and 2009 Tony Awards.[2] Her Off-Broadway credits include the 2018 revival of Stephen Adly Guirgis' Our Lady of 121st St., directed by Phylicia Rashad for Signature Theatre,[4] The Joys of Sex, directed by Jeremy Dobrish for Variety Arts Theater,[5] and Bat Boy: The Musical, directed by Scott Schwartz at the Union Square Theatre.[6]
Film
editKurtzuba portrayed Mrs. Kovacevic, a social services clerk with a Russian accent, in the 2014 film adaptation of Annie.[2] Her performance was praised in the Los Angeles Times[7] and Variety.[8] She is featured on the song "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" on the Annie soundtrack album.[9] In The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorsese, she played Kimmie Belzer, a single mom hired by Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and the only female stockbroker at the company.[2][10] In the Scorsese Netflix film The Irishman, starring Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, she portrays Irene, the wife of De Niro's character.[11] She also appeared in Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and Away We Go opposite John Krasinski.[2]
Television
editKurtzuba had recurring roles as Olivia on The Good Wife on CBS, as Sergeant (and later Captain) Paula McNichols on Blue Bloods, as cult member Sabrina on The Leftovers on HBO, and on the Paramount Network miniseries Waco.[2] She has also appeared on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit on NBC, Elementary on CBS, and Bull on CBS.[2][11]
Personal life
editKurtzuba married Joshua Coakley in 2005. They met when Kurtzuba was performing in a show at the Alley Theatre in Houston, and Coakley was working on the show in the props department.[2] They live in New York City and have two sons.[1]
Kurtzuba co-owns West Lanes Bowling Center in Omaha with her father and two siblings. Her maternal grandparents built the bowling alley in 1955.[2]
Kurtzuba is also a model and has been the spokesperson for Red Baron Pizza since 2017.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Knots | Sheila |
| 2008 | Parting Words | Brenda Turko |
| 2009 | Away We Go | Performance Mom |
| 2011 | Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close | Elaine Black |
| 2013 | The Wolf of Wall Street | Kimmie Belzer |
| 2014 | Before I Disappear | Blonde Woman |
| Annie | Mrs. Kovacevic | |
| 2018 | To Dust | Receptionist |
| 2019 | Bad Education | Carol Schweitzer |
| The Irishman | Irene Sheeran | |
| 2023 | The Machine | LeeAnn Kreischer |
| Fish Out of Water | Brenda |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Law & Order | Janet | Episode: The Brotherhood" |
| 2006 | Related | Waitress | Episode: "His Name Is Ruth" |
| Numb3rs | Publicist | Episode: "All's Fair" | |
| 2010–2014 | The Good Wife | Olivia Suconik | 4 episodes |
| 2013 | Elementary | Eileen Rourke | Episode: "Risk Management" |
| Do No Harm | Nadia Cross | Episode: "Six Feet Deep" | |
| 2014 | The Leftovers | Sabrina | 2 episodes |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Joan Harris | Episode: "Glasgowman's Wrath" | |
| 2016 | Chicago P.D. | Detective Ricci | Episode: "The Silos" |
| 2017 | #MotherJudger | Deb | Web series |
| 2018 | Bull | Rebecca Lexington | Episode: "Kill Shot" |
| Waco | Carol Noesner | Miniseries; 3 episodes | |
| The Good Cop | Evelyn | Episode: "Will Cora Get Married?" | |
| 2019 | The Enemy Within | Desiree Villareal | Episode: "An Offer" |
| The Good Fight | Olivia Suconik | Episode: "The One Where Diane and Liz Topple Democracy" | |
| 2019–2024 | Blue Bloods | Sergeant/Captain Paula McNichols | Recurring |
| 2020 | Grey's Anatomy | Opal | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | Station 19 | Opal | Episode: "Train in Vain" |
| Dynasty | Katie Loftland | 2 episodes | |
| 2021 | The Blacklist | Eva Mason | Episode: "Eva Mason (No. 181)" |
| The Watcher | Helen Graff | Episode: "Götterdämmerung" | |
| 2022–2023 | Tulsa King | Clara Truisi | Recurring |
| TBA | Your Friends and Neighbors | Upcoming series |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Bat Boy: The Musical | Shelly (u/s) | Off-Broadway |
| 2003–2004 | The Boy from Oz | Trio member / Ensemble Judy Garland (u/s) |
Broadway |
| 2004 | The Joys of Sex | Stephs Nolton/Gladys/Brandi | Off-Broadway |
| 2004–2005 | Newsical | Performer | Off-Broadway |
| 2005 | A Mother, A Daughter, and A Gun | Eleanor/Cheryl Jess (u/s) |
Off-Broadway |
| 2006–2007 | Mary Poppins | Swing | Broadway |
| 2008–2009 | Billy Elliot the Musical | Lesley / Dancer / Ensemble Dead Mum (u/s) |
Broadway |
| 2018 | Our Lady of 121st Street | Marcia | Off-Broadway |
References
edit- ^ a b c d Leo Adam Biga, "From Bowling Alley, to Broadway, and Back," Omaha Magazine, August 8, 2016. Retrieved January 20, 2022
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Bob Fischbach, "Central grad, 'Annie,' 'Wolf of Wall Street' actress also co-owns Omaha bowling alley," Omaha World-Herald, December 23, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2022
- ^ Ben Brantley, "Flash Of 70's Sequins," New York Times, October 17, 2003.
- ^ Scheck, Frank (May 20, 2018). "'Our Lady of 121st Street': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn (May 18, 2004). "The Joys of Sex". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ "Bat Boy: The Musical".
- ^ Betsy Sharkey, "An 'Annie' without the expected sunshine, spirit or energy," Los Angeles Times, December 18, 2014.
- ^ Ronnie Scheib, "Film Review: 'Annie'," Variety, December 14, 2014.
- ^ Halee Makhan, "'Annie: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack' is Set to Drop on November 17," The Source, October 23, 2014.
- ^ Corinna Clendenen, "The Wolf of Wall Street – Saint or Sinner?" HuffPost, January 6, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2022
- ^ a b "Who Is Wealthy Widow Rebecca Lexington on 'Bull'? Stephanie Kurtzuba," 2paragraphs, January 23, 2018.