Vincent Gallo

Name	Vincent Gallo
Caption	Gallo in portrait, August 2005
Birth name	Vincent Gallo
Birth date	April 11, 1962
Birth place	Buffalo, New York
Occupation	Actor, Producer, Composer, Director, Screenwriter, Songwriter, Singer
Years active	1981–present

Vincent Gallo

Gallo was awarded the Coppa Volpi for Best Actor at the 67th Venice International Film Festival for his performance as a wordless escaping Muslim prisoner in Jerzy Skolimowski's Essential Killing. His own feature film Promises Written In Water, which he wrote, directed, produced and starred in, also screened In Competition at the festival.

Early life

Gallo was born in Buffalo, New York, the son of Janet, a hair-dresser, and Vincenzo Vito Gallo, also a hairdresser and professional gambler. Both of his parents emigrated from Sicily, Italy. On the Howard Stern Show, Gallo said that when he was a teenager he was arrested for exposing himself to a woman in an office building and masturbating. Gallo lived in New York City 1978–2002 and traveled around most of Europe living briefly in Paris and Rome. Gallo's first creative project was as a member of the New York City-based post-punk band GRAY whose members included famed artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.

Films

Gallo has modeled, most notably for Calvin Klein, and been photographed by Richard Avedon. He first began painting, then racing motorcycles, and finally became an actor.

During Gallo's artistic period in the 1980s, when he worked as a musician and painter in New York City, he also began experimenting with film. He made the short film "If You Feel Froggy, Jump" and appeared in a film called the "New York Beat Movie" (1981) with painter Jean Michel Basquiat. In 1984, Gallo acted in The Way It Is (1984), which included actors Steve Buscemi and Rockets Redglare. After starring in the obscure 1989 film Doc's Kingdom, he began acting in small parts in more well-known films such as Goodfellas, The House of the Spirits, and The Perez Family. French director Claire Denis hired Gallo to act in several films such as the "short film Keep It for Yourself, the made-for-TV U.S. Go Home, and its follow-up feature Nénette et Boni (1996)."

Gallo acted in the film Arizona Dream, with Johnny Depp, in the cult comedy Palookaville, and in The Funeral, and had a lead role in the film Truth or Consequences, N.M..

In 1998, his debut film Buffalo '66 was nominated for, but did not win, an award for "Best First Feature" at the Independent Spirit Awards. Gallo retorted by calling Ebert a "fat pig with the physique of a slave trader" and put a hex on Ebert, wishing him colon cancer.

A shorter, re-edited version of the film played later in 2003 at the Toronto International Film Festival (although it retained the controversial sex scene). While not receiving the highest praise, neither did it garner the same level of derision as the Cannes version. Ebert responded favorably to this second edit, and the pair reconciled amicably thereafter.

Music

Gallo played electric bass and sang in the mid-1970s in several adolescent garage bands such as Blue Mood, a progressive rock cover band named Zephyr (not the late 1960s band) which did one performance in New York State, The Good (with Bernie Kugel and Larry Galanowitz), The Detours and the Plastics. At the age of 16, Gallo moved to New York City and was a later member of the band, Gray, with visual artist Jean Michel Basquiat (who was not yet famous). Gray played at clubs such as Max's Kansas City, CBGB's, Hurrahs, and the Mudd Club. A few of Gray's recordings appear on the soundtrack for the film Downtown 81. In the early 1980s, Gallo performed solo as the Nonsexuals, rapped in a duo called Trouble Deuce under the name Prince Vince (along with Nick Nice, who went under the name DJ High Priest).

Gallo played in a band called Bohack which recorded an album entitled It Took Several Wives.

Gallo also appeared as a model in H&M; Spring 2009 Collection alongside Eva Herzigova.

Personal life

Gallo is a supporter of the Republican Party, and has been seen at a New York fashion show with George W. Bush's daughters Barbara and Jenna. He has stated that his fantasy is "becoming more like the stereotype of the Republican Party." He also wishes to look "more like [American conservative journalist] George Will."

Gallo is godfather to Chris Squire's son Cameron.

Gallo is known to have dated singer/songwriter Cat Power, who subsequently wrote a song about their relationship, entitled "Mr. Gallo", on her debut album Dear Sir.

Filmography

Actor

Essential Killing (2010)

Promises Written in Water (2010)

Tetro (2009)

Metropia (2009)

Oliviero Rising (2007)

Dirt (2007-TV)

Moscow Zero (2006)

The Brown Bunny (2003)

(2001)

Get Well Soon (2001)

Trouble Every Day (2001)

Hide and Seek (2000)

(1999)

Buffalo 66 (1998)

Johnny 316 (1998)

L.A. Without a Map (1998)

Truth or Consequences, NM (1997)

Nénette et Boni (1996)

The Funeral (1996)

Basquiat (1996)

Palookaville (1996)

The Perez Family (1995)

Arizona Dream (1993)

The House of the Spirits (1993)

A Idade Maior (1991)

Goodfellas (1990)

Doc's Kingdom (1987)

The Gunlover (1986)

The Way It Is (1985)

Writer/director

Promises Written in Water (2010)

The Brown Bunny (2003)

Buffalo ’66 (1998)

Discography

Albums

It Took Several Wives – (1982), released on Family Friend Records (as Bohack)

The Way It Is Soundtrack – (1984), released on Rojo Records

Buffalo 66 Soundtrack – (1998), released on Will Records

When – (2001), released on Warp Records (as Vincent Gallo)

Recordings Of Music For Film – (2002), released on Warp Records

Shades of... – (2010), released on Plush Safe Records (as Gray)

Singles

So Sad – EP (2001), released on Warp Records

Honey Bunny – 7" (2001), released on Warp Records

References

External links

Drowning In Brown – information about Gallo's music.

Gallo Appreciation – comprehensive resource page

Official website

The Guardian: Contrite Gallo apologises for pretension

Warp Records website

Selling Sperm but not Selling Out An article and interview with Vincent Gallo

Category:1962 births Category:American alternative rock musicians Category:American film actors Category:American film directors Category:American male models Category:Living people Category:People from Buffalo, New York Category:New York Republicans Category:American people of Sicilian descent