Lorraine Bracco is embracing single life with a hopeful heart and a clear idea of what she’s looking for in her next leading man.
The Sopranos alum, best known for her role as Dr. Jennifer Melfi, opened up in a recent chat with AARP, sharing that she’s open to love and ready for someone new to walk into her life—preferably with confidence and a great sense of humour.
“I’m single, and I’m sure someone will arrive,” Bracco, 70, said.
“I believe in love. What do I look for in a man? A sense of humor is extremely important. And I like a guy who’s sure of himself.” She added with refreshing honesty, “I’m sure of myself, so I want him to be rock steady.”
Bracco’s love life has seen its fair share of plot twists, much like the roles she’s played.
Her first marriage was to French hair salon owner Daniel Guerard in 1979, and the two share daughter Margaux. That chapter closed in 1982, and she later entered an 11-year relationship with actor Harvey Keitel, with whom she had daughter Stella in 1985.
Their relationship came to a dramatic end in 1993 when Bracco confessed to having an affair with her A Talent for the Game co-star Edward James Olmos.
“He hated me for it. I disgusted him,” she told ABC News in 2006. “That was the beginning of the end. And I knew that. And maybe it was my way, my very immature un-Dr. Melfi-ish way to end that relationship.”
Bracco married Olmos the following year, but that union ended in 2002. Her split from Keitel also led to a lengthy custody battle over their daughter Stella, leaving Bracco with sole custody and a $2 million legal bill.
That chapter took a toll on her mental health, leading her to seek professional help for depression in 1997.
“I lost a year of my life to depression, and my advice to anyone going through it is get a good doctor, get diagnosed, and know that pharmacology works — don’t be afraid of it,” she shared with AARP.
“The stigma of it stopped me at first. Stupid. And talk therapy is major. You’re worth it, you’re worth having a good day, every day.”
Now, with humor, strength, and self-assurance, Lorraine Bracco is looking toward her future with optimism—and maybe a date or two.
