Mercedes Ruehl biography

Synopsis

Mercedes Ruehl was born on February 28, 1948, in Queens, New York. Of Cuban and Irish descent, she was the daughter of FBI agents and moved frequently as a child. Ruehl won two Obies and a Tony Award for Lost in Yonkers and an Oscar for her supporting role in The Fisher King. She's married to painter David Geiser; they have a son, Jake.

Early Life

Actress Mercedes Ruehl was born on February 28, 1948, in Queens, New York. Of Cuban and Irish descent, Ruehl is the daughter of FBI agents and moved frequently with her family before settling in Silver Spring, Maryland. After graduating from the College of New Rochelle in 1969, she performed in community theater and supported herself with odd jobs in New York City while pursuing a stage career. She won two Obie awards and a Tony for Best Actress for Lost in Yonkers.

Breakthrough Role

Ruehl's breakthrough came in 1988, when she landed two scene-stealing supporting roles in feature films, that of Josh's mother in Big and a Mafia wife in Married to the Mob. Her next critical and commercial success was an Oscar-winning supporting performance in The Fisher King in 1991.

With a dearth of film roles to choose from in the 1990s, Ruehl turned her focus to television, engaging audiences with a recurring guest role on the sitcom Frasier. She has appeared in several made-for-TV movies and joined the cast of HBO's Entourage.

Personal Life

Ruehl is married to painter David Geiser; they have a son, Jake.