March 1992 marked the release ofMy Cousin Vinny, a Jonathan Lynn comedy that many still consider one of the best of that decade. This Dale Launer and Paul Schiff productionstars Joe Pesciand follows Bill and Stan, two college students from New York City who find themselves on a road trip through Alabama. Along the way, they happen to stop at a store where, as they are leaving, someone murders the store clerk.
Due to a string of mix-ups, both young men are charged with the crime and brought to trial, and since they have no money to pay for a lawyer, Bill’s cousin Vinny steps in to help them along with his fiancée Mona Lisa. As much as this may seem like a lifesaver for both of them, it also brings with it a few problems: Vinny has just graduated from law school after many unsuccessful attempts and has never won a case. Moreover, his outspoken personality makes him very much at odds with the townspeople, something that does nothing to help him get the case back on track.
Dale Launer wrote this productioninspired by the real-life caseof a student who needed 13 attempts to pass the bar exam in order to become a lawyer.My Cousin Vinnyperformed surprisingly well at the box office and earned rave reviews from critics, even landing some major accolades. The actors who were cast in this production, many of whom were already well-known stars at the time, went on to play roles in different film and TV projects, and still do to this day. This is what they are doing now.
Joe Pescistars in this 1992 film as the hilarious Vinny Gambini, the underdog lawyer who ends up proving to everyone, including himself, that he has what it takes to win his cousin’s case. By the time he was cast as the lead in this production, Pesci was very well known in the industry. His performance in the crime filmThe Death Collectorgot the attention of Martin Scorsese, who cast him inRaging Bulland subsequently called him back forGoodfellasandCasino. His role inMy Cousin Vinnyis not the only comic part in his career: the actor is also known for his parts in other genre blockbusters, most notably inHome Aloneand its sequel.
In 1999, Pesci decided to quit acting and focus on a music career and a life away from the film industry. However, over the years he returned to the silver screen for a few projects, such as the filmsThe Good ShepherdandLove Ranch. But his most popular movie of recent times is certainly the one that reunited him with Scorsese, the 2019 filmThe Irishman, in which he co-starred alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. In the near future, he is expected to star inDay of the Fight, a film that will mark Jack Huston’s directorial debut.
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Ralph Macchio
InMy Cousin Vinny,Ralph Macchioplays Bill Gambini, the young man accused of murder who, in spite of his doubts, was confident that his cousin could win the case. And although Macchio has worked on several projects throughout his career, his most popular one is, hands down, theKarate Kidfilm series, where he played Daniel LaRusso in the original 1984 film and two sequels.
Over the years, Macchio went on to land roles in several films and TV series, such asUgly Betty,PsychandThe Deuce, although his appearances diminished in recent years. Such was the case until 2018, the year in which he stepped back into his most popular role in the showCobra Kai, which serves as a sequel to theKarate Kidfilms.Cobra Kaihas now been on the air for five seasons, and was renewed for a sixth and final one earlier this year.
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomeihad already been performing for a few years when she joined the cast ofMy Cousin Vinnyto play Mona Lisa Vito. However, her role in this comedy was the one that earned her critical acclaim, consecrating her as the production’s most-awarded performer and landing her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. After winning the award, Tomei landed roles in productions of all kinds, such as the filmsChaplin,Crazy, Stupid, Love,andIn the Bedroom. She also guest-starred in TV series, most notablyRescue Me,Empire,andThe Handmaid’s Tale.
In recent years, Tomei joined the MCU toplay Aunt Mayin Tom Holland’sSpider-Manmovies, which earned her widespread popularity among new audiences. The actress remains very active in the industry to this day: earlier this year she co-starred in Rebecca Miller’s romantic comedyShe Came to Mealongside Peter Dinklage, and she is also expected to star in the upcoming filmUpgraded, which still has no release date.
Mitchell Whitfield
Mitchell Whitfieldplays Stan, the other college student charged with the store clerk’s crime. And althoughMy Cousin Vinnyis one of the most popular films in the actor’s career, Whitfield is also widely known for his role as Barry Farber, the man that Rachel Green abandons at the altar in the popular sitcomFriends.
Although Whitfield remained active in the industry after taking part in these productions, he gradually decreased his appearances over the years. The last time he was spotted on the silver screen was in Tiziano Sclavi’s 2011 filmDylan Dog: Dead of Night, a production that became a box office bomb with poor reviews. His most recent parts on TV, on the other hand, involved voice roles in animated kids' productions, such asSofia the First,Vampirina,andGoldie & Bear.
Fred Gwynne
Fred Gwynnewas able to excel not only in films, television and theater, but also as a writer, singer, painter and even children’s book illustrator. Although his portfolio comprises a huge number of productions across all genres, the two that made him so popular were the 1960s sitcomsThe MunstersandCar 54, Where Are You?. Decades later, Fred shined in films such asThe Boy Who Could Fly,Pet Sematary,andFatal Attraction, among many others.
In My Cousin Vinny, Gwynne played Judge Chamberlain Haller, the man in charge of Bill and Stan’s case, and a constant pain in the neck for Vinny. This role became the final one in the actor’s career as, one year after the premiere of the film, he passed away due to complications with pancreatic cancer.
Austin Pendleton
Austin Pendleton’s role inMy Cousin Vinnyis quite small, but he manages to steal the spotlight in his limited screen time. He plays John Gibbons, the skittish public defender Stan relies on for the trial after growing tired of Vinny. Pendleton boasts a very extensive career in the industry, and over the years portrayed characters in all kinds of productions. Furthermore, his work as stage director has earned him enormous recognition and many accolades.
Despite the fact that he has been working in the entertainment industry for over 60 years, Austin continues to work on different projects to this day. Last year, besides serving as director in the Broadway playBetween Riverside and Crazy, he was cast in5-25-77, a Patrick Read Johnson film starring John Francis Daley. The last time he was seen on TV was in 2021, when he guest-starred in the legal drama showThe Good Fight.
Related:Best Marisa Tomei Movies, Ranked
Bruce McGill
In this 1992 filmBruce McGillplays Sheriff Dean Farley, although this is not the only film in which the actor has portrayed an authority figure: he has played this kind of role on many occasions, in movies such asCliffhanger,The Insider,andCollateral, among many others. Ever since his acting debut in the 1977 comedyHandle with Care, McGill has remained active in the industry as part of many projects, although in recent years he has enjoyed greater success in television.
One of his most recent productions isReacher, the Prime Video series inspired by Lee Child’s books, which has already been renewed for a second season. In addition, McGill was also featured as a cast member inLove & Death, Max’s miniseries inspired by Candy Montgomery’s story.
Raynor Scheine
Raynor Scheinetook his first steps in the industry back in the 1970s inSomething Short on Paradise, a romantic comedy by David Helpern starring Susan Sarandon and David Steinberg. From then on, the actor has been involved in all sorts of film, television and stage productions. However, over the years his performances in the industry became less frequent, and in fact, his most recent credits date back to the early 2010s, when he was spotted in Steven Spielberg’sLincolnand inN.Y.C. Underground. InMy Cousin Vinny, Scheine plays a small role as Ernie Crane.
Lane Smith
Before playing district attorney Jim Trotter III inMy Cousin Vinny,Lane Smithhad already won critical acclaim for his performance as Richard Nixon in the 1989 filmThe Final Days, a production that earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination. After these roles, Smith went on to land parts in other projects that also ranked among his most popular ones, such as Perry White inLois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, a role he played for four seasons until 1997.
In the mid-2000s, Smith was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a disease that eventually led to his death in 2005. His final roles were in the filmThe Legend of Bagger Vance, starring Will Smith, Charlize Theron and Matt Damon, and the Showtime miniseriesOut of Order.
Chris Ellis
Rounding out this list isChris Ellis, who plays J.T., a townsman who gets into an argument with Vinny and his fiancée after swindling the woman. The actor took his first steps in the industry many years before joining this production, although he had his big break with the 1990 filmDays of Thunder. Over the years, Ellis appeared in some major projects, such as the filmAddams Family Valuesand the TV seriesMelrose Place.
However, he has not been as involved in productions lately as he used to be. The latest film in his portfolio to date is the 2019 thrillerSilo, directed by Marshall Burnette, and he was last seen on screen as a guest star in the Fox TV series9-1-1: Lone Star.
