Gina Mastrogiacomo was an American actress who is best remembered for her role as Janice Rossi, the mistress of Ray Liotta’s character Henry Hill, in Martin Scorsese’s 1990 classic film Goodfellas. She also appeared in other movies and TV shows, such as Harry and the Hendersons, Jungle Fever, The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear, NYPD Blue, and The X-Files. However, her promising career was cut short by her untimely death in 2001. What was Gina Mastrogiacomo’s cause of death and how did she die?
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A Rare Bacterial Infection of the Heart
According to The Celebrity Deaths, Gina Mastrogiacomo died from a rare bacterial infection of the heart on May 2, 2001, at the age of 39. The infection, known as endocarditis, occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and infect the inner lining of the heart or the heart valves. This can cause serious complications, such as heart failure, stroke, or blood clots. Endocarditis can be caused by various factors, such as dental procedures, intravenous drug use, or congenital heart defects.
Gina Mastrogiacomo’s death was a shock to her friends, family, and fans, as she was still young and had so much talent left to share with the world. Her father, Leonard Mastrogiacomo, who was also her manager, was heartbroken by her loss and died six months later. She was buried at Holy Rood Cemetery in Westbury, New York.
A Passionate and Realistic Performance in Goodfellas
Gina Mastrogiacomo was born on November 5, 1961, in Great Neck, Long Island, New York. She moved to New York City in her early adulthood to pursue her acting career. She made her film debut as Roxie in the 1987 fantasy comedy film Harry and the Hendersons. She then starred as Ginny in the 1989 sci-fi comedy film Space Avenger, which parodied the Alien franchise and other sci-fi horror films.
Her performance in Space Avenger impressed Martin Scorsese, who decided to cast her in his hit 1990 gangster film Goodfellas after watching the film. In that film, she portrayed Janice Rossi, Ray Liotta’s mistress, and delivered a performance praised for its passionate and realistic delivery. Her role was pivotal in the plot, as she was involved in several memorable scenes, such as the one where she confronts Henry’s wife Karen (Lorraine Bracco) with a gun or the one where she is harassed by Jimmy (Robert De Niro) over the phone.
Her performance was described as “vivid and immediate” by critics and audiences alike. However, it has not been reflected in retrospectives and oral histories of the film because of her early death.
Other Roles and Appearances
After Goodfellas, Gina Mastrogiacomo continued to work in film and television. She starred in the 1990 musical television film An East Side Story. She also played Louise in Spike Lee’s 1991 film Jungle Fever, one of several actors who had also appeared in Goodfellas. She had a cameo role as a sex shop worker in The Naked Gun 2½: The Smell of Fear (1991).
She also appeared in several TV shows, such as The Fanelli Boys (1990-1991), NYPD Blue (1994), ER (1995), Tall, Dark and Deadly (1995), Bloodhounds (1996), Seinfeld (1996), and The X-Files (2000). Her last appearance was in the X-Files episode “Chimera”, where she played Jenny Uphouse, a character having an affair with the sheriff as a form of revenge against middle-class housewife snobbery.
Gina Mastrogiacomo was a talented actress who left a lasting impression on many viewers with her role in Goodfellas. She also had a versatile career that spanned different genres and mediums. Her death was a tragic loss for the entertainment industry and for those who knew and loved her.
