Vincent Piazza (born 1975 or 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of gangster Lucky Luciano in the HBO television series Boardwalk Empire. He has also played Earl Hefner in the comedy-drama Rocket Science (2007) and singer Tommy DeVito in Clint Eastwood's film adaptation of Jersey Boys (2014).
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Early life and education
Piazza was born in Middle Village, Queens, New York City, and raised in nearby Maspeth. His father is Italian, having immigrated to the United States in the early 1960s. His mother is of German descent.
Piazza played ACHA Division I-AA ice hockey for Villanova University, until a shoulder injury forced him to quit playing and leave the university after a year.
Career
After retiring from hockey, he began to work with acting coach Alice Spivak and joined the TerraNOVA Collective theatre group in Lion Theatre along Theatre Row in New York City. After appearing in a number of New York Off Broadway productions, including Baby Steps, A Match Made in Manhattan and Much Ado About Nothing, he made his feature film debut in the 2006 film Stephanie Daley and went on to appear in the television movie The Dawn and an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent.
