Laura Schirripa, born Laura Lemos, is an American private individual best known as the wife of actor Steve Schirripa, who became internationally recognized for his role as Bobby Baccalieri in HBO’s The Sopranos and Detective Anthony Abetemarco in CBS’s Blue Bloods. Born in March 1963 in the United States, Laura grew up in a family of Mexican-American heritage, married Steve in April 1989, and has spent over three decades supporting his career while raising two daughters and building her own identity as a dedicated marathon runner and philanthropist. She has run 13 New York City Marathons and 41 half marathons across four countries. She is widely credited by Steve as the person who encouraged him to pursue the Sopranos audition that changed their lives.
Quick Bio Facts
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Laura Lemos Schirripa |
| Date of Birth | March 1963 |
| Age (2026) | Around 63 years old |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Heritage | Mexican-American |
| Father | James Manuel Lemos Sr. |
| Mother | Juanita (Janie) R. Lemos |
| Siblings | James Lemos Jr. and Arthur A. Lemos |
| Hair | Red |
| Eyes | Brown |
| Husband | Steve Schirripa (married April 22, 1989) |
| Daughters | Bria Schirripa (born December 22, 1991) and Ciara Schirripa |
| Sons-in-Law | Michael Buccarelli (Bria’s husband), Zach (Ciara’s husband) |
| Residences | New York City; Westerly, Rhode Island (purchased 2025) |
| Marathon Record | 13 New York City Marathons, 41 half marathons across four countries |
| Career | Homemaker, philanthropist, marathon runner |
| Social Media | No confirmed public accounts |
| Net Worth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Steve Schirripa Net Worth | Estimated $5 million – $10 million |
Early Life and Background
Laura Lemos was born in March 1963 in the United States. She is of Mexican-American heritage. Her father is James Manuel Lemos Sr. and her mother is Juanita Lemos, known within the family as Janie. She grew up alongside two brothers, James Lemos Jr. and Arthur A. Lemos. Multiple sources note she spent part of her childhood in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she ran cross-country as a young girl. That early involvement in distance running planted the seed for what would become a lifelong athletic passion.
Her upbringing was family-centered and grounded. Steve Schirripa has described her family as close-knit and warm. The values Laura grew up with, including loyalty, commitment, and a focus on family over public life, have defined every decision she has made as an adult.
Details about her schooling, educational background, and professional training beyond homemaking have not been confirmed through any public source. She has never given formal interviews about her childhood or background. The clearest window into her early years comes from her daughter Bria, who published a tribute piece about her mother on her Substack in October 2025 that referenced details of Laura’s life including her dedication to running, her family, and her role in steering Steve toward the opportunity that made him famous.
Meeting Steve Schirripa
Laura and Steve Schirripa met during the 1980s when both were living in Las Vegas. Steve had moved to Las Vegas after graduating from Brooklyn College and built his career there over 25 years, first working as an entertainment director at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. The two dated for approximately four years before deciding to get married.
Steve has credited Laura with being one of the most stabilizing and decisive forces in his life. One of the most documented stories about their relationship is the moment when Steve was considering whether to fly to New York for an audition for The Sopranos. He was uncertain about going. Laura encouraged him to take the trip and reportedly told him to spend the money to get on the plane. That single decision led to his casting as Bobby Baccalieri and transformed his career entirely. The Westerly Sun reported that Laura told Steve to spend the $24,000 or whatever sum was necessary to pursue the audition. The fact that one of Laura’s most notable public records is the moment she pushed her husband toward the role of a lifetime speaks to how central her influence has been on his career without any desire for credit.
Their Wedding
Laura and Steve Schirripa married on April 22, 1989, in a ceremony surrounded by close friends and family. The wedding was personal and low-key rather than showy or industry-focused. Steve wore a gray tuxedo with a red bow tie. Laura wore an elegant white wedding gown with a choker necklace and carried a bouquet of red and white flowers. The ceremony reflected the couple’s shared preference for meaningful, personal celebration over public spectacle.
As of April 2026, they have been married for 37 years. In an industry where marriages frequently collapse under the weight of celebrity and career pressure, their partnership stands as one of Hollywood’s most enduring and genuinely private relationships.
Their Two Daughters
Laura and Steve raised two daughters together. Their older daughter Bria Schirripa was born on December 22, 1991. She married Michael Buccarelli, and the couple lives in New York City. Bria has pursued a career in strategic planning and has also written about her family through a personal Substack publication. Her October 2025 Substack piece about her mother brought significant attention to Laura’s marathon record and her role in the family.
Their younger daughter Ciara Schirripa was born some years after Bria and also lives in New York City with her husband Zach. Ciara married in a ceremony held on October 8 at a New York City venue. Steve attended the wedding and was photographed proudly with both daughters at the event. Ciara has pursued a career in education.
Both daughters were raised primarily in Las Vegas during Steve’s years at the Riviera before the family relocated to New York following his Sopranos success. Steve has spoken in interviews about how unfazed both daughters were by his fame. He said they were proud of him but that was it, adding with affection that they could not care less about his career accolades.
Laura’s Marathon Career
One of the most specific and verifiable things known about Laura Schirripa is her athletic achievement as a marathon runner. She has run 13 New York City Marathons across her adult life. She has also completed 41 half marathons held across four countries. This is an extraordinary record by any standard. Running a single marathon requires months of dedicated training, physical endurance, and mental discipline. Running 13 full marathons and 41 half marathons over the course of a lifetime represents a genuinely elite level of personal commitment to distance running.
Her daughter Bria’s Substack included a reference to a particular race Laura ran in 2015 that she dedicated to her mother. That detail revealed both the emotional depth with which Laura approaches her running and the bond she shares with her children around it. Steve regularly appears on his social media to celebrate Laura’s marathon completions, sharing photos and words of encouragement after her races.
Steve has described her in the context of running as someone who simply gets up and does it, year after year, without fanfare or expectation of recognition. Her running career is a precise reflection of how she approaches everything else in her life.
The Family Dog: Willie
One of the more charming details of the Schirripa family life is their smooth-red Dachshund named Willie, whose full name appears to be WillieBoy or Willie the Weenie of Wall Street based on his Instagram account handle @willietheweenieofwallstreet. Willie has accumulated over 20,000 Instagram followers and holds a Blue Bloods screen credit, having appeared in the show. He also appeared on stage at Westerly’s SoupyFest event in 2025. Steve’s IMDb biography describes him as living in New York City and Rhode Island with his wife Laura and son WillieBoy, affectionately treating the dog as a third family member.
The Westerly, Rhode Island Home
In early 2025, Steve confirmed to the Westerly Sun that he and Laura had purchased a house in Westerly, Rhode Island, intended as a gathering home for the entire extended family. He described the house as a place for Bria and Michael, Ciara and Zach, and the couple to come together as a family. He said both he and Laura love Westerly and that the whole family shares that feeling. The couple also maintains their primary residence in Battery Park City in New York City.
The Westerly purchase followed Steve’s growing connection to the town through community events including SoupyFest, a local celebration of the Calabrian Easter food tradition that Steve has served as master of ceremonies for. He formally became an official Westerly resident in April 2025 when the purchase was confirmed.
Philanthropy and Community Work
Laura Schirripa participates in charitable work, particularly focused on children and families. She has attended charity galas alongside Steve over three decades of their public life. The Getty Images archive contains records of her appearances at various benefit and charity events. She does not seek recognition for this work and has never been quoted discussing her philanthropic activities in any media format. Her approach to giving is consistent with her overall approach to life, present and active but entirely out of the spotlight.
Who Is Steve Schirripa?
Steven Ralph Schirripa was born on September 3, 1957, in New York City. He was raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, in a household shaped by his Italian-American father Ralph Schirripa and his mother Lorraine Schirripa, who was of Jewish descent. His paternal grandparents came from Riace, Calabria, in southern Italy. He grew up in a low-income household with four siblings and attended Brooklyn College after high school.
He moved to Las Vegas after college and spent 25 years there before his acting career took off. He served as entertainment director at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, a role that gave him his first professional exposure to show business and performance. He made his screen debut as an extra in Martin Scorsese’s Casino in 1995.
His breakthrough came in 2000 when he was cast as Bobby Baccalieri in the second season of The Sopranos on HBO. Bobby was the endearing and complex brother-in-law of Tony Soprano, played by James Gandolfini. He played the character across five seasons until Bobby was killed in the show’s final season in 2007. His performance earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast.
After The Sopranos, he appeared in numerous films and television shows and became a regular cast member on The Secret Life of the American Teenager. He voiced the character Roberto in the Open Season film series. His most sustained post-Sopranos role was Detective Anthony Abetemarco on CBS’s Blue Bloods, a role he held from 2015 through the show’s final season in 2024, appearing in 146 episodes. He had a small role in Dexter Resurrection in 2025.
He has appeared on The Tonight Show approximately 40 times as both guest and correspondent and served as a Today Show correspondent. He has written eight books, two of which became New York Times bestsellers. He co-hosts the podcast Talking Sopranos alongside Michael Imperioli, which launched on April 6, 2020, and has attracted a large and dedicated audience revisiting the show episode by episode with behind-the-scenes stories.
His net worth is estimated between $5 million and $10 million as of 2026, built through his acting career, book royalties, podcast revenue, and broadcasting work.
Laura Schirripa Net Worth
Laura Schirripa’s personal net worth has never been publicly confirmed. She has no documented independent professional career and has not generated income through any publicly known professional activity. Her financial situation is shared with Steve’s estimated household net worth of $5 million to $10 million. The family owns property in Battery Park City in New York City and a house in Westerly, Rhode Island, purchased in 2025. These real estate holdings represent significant assets in two of the most desirable markets on the East Coast.
Why People Search for Laura Schirripa
Interest in Laura spikes whenever Steve Schirripa is in the news. The final season of Blue Bloods in 2024, his appearance in Dexter Resurrection in 2025, anniversary coverage of The Sopranos, and the Talking Sopranos podcast all generate sustained public curiosity about him that extends naturally to his family. The story of Laura encouraging Steve to take the Sopranos audition is also frequently retold in entertainment coverage, which brings renewed attention to her role in his success.
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FAQ
1. Who is Laura Schirripa?
She is an American private individual born Laura Lemos in March 1963. She is the wife of actor Steve Schirripa and the mother of two daughters, Bria and Ciara. She is known for her marathon running record and her philanthropic work.
2. When did Laura and Steve Schirripa get married?
They married on April 22, 1989, in a private ceremony attended by close friends and family. As of 2026 they have been married for 37 years.
3. How many marathons has Laura Schirripa run?
She has run 13 New York City Marathons and 41 half marathons across four countries.
4. What is Laura Schirripa’s heritage? She is of Mexican-American heritage. She was born Laura Lemos and grew up in a family rooted in those cultural values.
5. Does Laura Schirripa work? She is primarily known as a homemaker and full-time family manager. She also participates in charitable work and has devoted significant time to her marathon running.
6. What are Laura Schirripa’s daughters’ names? Her older daughter is Bria Schirripa, born December 22, 1991, who married Michael Buccarelli. Her younger daughter is Ciara Schirripa, who married a man named Zach.
7. Did Laura Schirripa encourage Steve to audition for The Sopranos?
Yes. Steve has credited Laura with pushing him to take the trip to New York for the Sopranos audition. Her encouragement led directly to his casting as Bobby Baccalieri.
8. What is Laura Schirripa’s net worth?
Her personal net worth is not publicly confirmed. She shares a household with Steve Schirripa, whose net worth is estimated between $5 million and $10 million.
9. Where does Laura Schirripa live?
She lives primarily in Battery Park City in New York City. She and Steve also purchased a home in Westerly, Rhode Island, in early 2025 as a family gathering place.
10. Does Laura Schirripa have social media?
No. She has no confirmed public social media accounts on any platform.
11. Who is Steve Schirripa?
He is an American actor best known for playing Bobby Baccalieri in The Sopranos and Detective Anthony Abetemarco in Blue Bloods. He is also a bestselling author, podcaster, and television correspondent. His net worth is estimated at $5 million to $10 million.
12. What is the family dog’s name?
The Schirripas have a smooth-red Dachshund named Willie, known on Instagram as Willie the Weenie of Wall Street. He has over 20,000 Instagram followers and holds a Blue Bloods screen credit.