De Matteo articulates a similar idea about the promoting process, commenting on the release of her critically acclaimed performance in director Abel Ferrara’s latest film ‘R Xmas, "I don’t care about the movie coming out.  It makes no difference to me if anybody ever sees it. I couldn’t care less."

De Matteo then softens her stance a little on this matter, noting that, "The people that I care about and a lot of the people I know have seen it and that was fun for me.  But for me it’s really like theater; you do it that night and it’s great for you.  That might be really self-indulgent, but I just like the process."

De Matteo's approach to acting is not surprising given that she spent her childhood in the shadow of the theater and her mother who taught playwriting for thirty years. 

Eventually, de Matteo chose to attend film school and study directing because, as she puts it, "I was way too shy" to act.  "I knew I could write a screenplay and get into [NYU] without having to audition for the theater department."

Once at NYU, de Matteo soon began to overcome her doubts about acting and started to express an interest in the craft.  "They had a lot of acting classes for directors – you get to learn how to work with actors," de Matteo explains, "So if I went in to those classes nobody would judge me.  It was like ‘Guys, I don't want to do this, but you lunatics do.’  [In those classes] I was more in control of whether or not people were going to make fun of me."

Slowly transitioning from the directing world to that of acting, it took de Matteo almost two years to receive her big break after graduating: a guest starring role on "The Sopranos" that turned into a regular gig for her as Adriana. 

Rather surprisingly, de Matteo doesn’t look at landing the role as being entirely beneficial to her career.  "To be honest," she says matter-of-factly, "I probably had a better shot at certain roles before I got on ‘The Sopranos’ than I do now."  She pauses and then says, "People really don't believe that I'm not my character on ‘The Sopranos.’  It's really unfortunate because this is a business run by people who are supposed to be creative and smart and they still can't figure out that I'm acting."

Still, it was her work on "The Sopranos" that allowed her a chance to work with director Abel Ferrara, a man she considers one of her directing heroes, in his film, ‘R Xmas. 

Even though she was delighted to be working with Ferrara, de Matteo is quick to note that she was miscast in the film as that of a Puerto Rican-American.  "The only reason why I agreed to do it is that Spanish is my first language," she sighs.  "I really didn’t think it was fair to Puerto Rican actresses who could’ve done a better job."  But it all comes back to Ferrara.  De Matteo smiles and says, "If I had to play a black guy, I would do it because he's fucking Abel.  He'll make it work.  He'll justify it for me."

Ferrara’s reputation for being a unique director sits well with de Matteo.  "The only difference between working with Abel and working with everyone else is you don't have to worry about hitting your mark," she points out summarily.  "You don't have to worry about being in the light.  You don't have to worry about your make-up.  You don’t have to worry about your hair.  You don't have to worry about any of that shit.  He doesn't care.  You don't have to get a line right.  He wants you.  He wants whatever is deep inside of you.  He doesn't give a fuck about anything else."

About the only concern in her life is still adjusting to life as a Hollywood actress.  De Matteo sheepishly admits that it means more time away from her New York hometown.  "I've been spending a lot of time in L.A., but I'm still a New Yorker," she adds quickly.  "And I will always be a New Yorker."        

peter beck