Drea De Matteo is an American actress born on January 19, 1972. You may know her as Adriana La Cerva from “The Sopranos,” a television show that helped her land a Primetime Emmy Award. However, she has also starred in various TV shows like 'Desperate Housewives', 'Sons of Anarchy', 'Joey', 'Shades of Blue', and more. Her roles on these popular TV shows and other professional accomplishments have made her $10 million rich by 2022. Here's a breakdown of how she made that much money.
Matteo's beginnings
According to NUORDERTECH, Drea de Matteo is a stage name for popular American actress Andrea Donna de Matteo. Born in Queens, New York to Albert and Donna, Matteo hails from Italy and was raised Catholic. His father made furniture for his company, Avery Boardman and Carlyle, in New York. Matteo's mother was a faculty member at HB Studio and a playwright. Watching his mother playwright for the performing arts training center sparked his interest in acting. She went to Loyola High School before training as a director at New York University. At NYU Tisch School of Arts, she earned a degree in fine arts, specializing in film production.
She owned an after school clothing store
Although Matteo came from a wealthy family, she did not rely on her mother to find her a job in show business. After earning her Bachelor of Fine Arts in filmmaking, she launched a clothing boutique with designs inspired by vintage and rock music. Her ex-boyfriend, Shooter Jennings, also worked with another vintage store in New York, where de Matteo designed custom t-shirts for her product line. She was so talented in designing such outfits that her product line was recognized in top publications like Elle. His store closed in 2004 for unknown reasons. The two dated for many years before Jennings got down on her knees, asking her to be his wife at the Stanley Theater in 2009. Unfortunately, they never married until their relationship resulted in two children .
His professional acting career
De Matteo got her biggest break as an actress in 1996 for a minor role in “Swift Justice” and “Meet Prince Charming,” a 1999 film.”
"The Sopranos" (1999-2007)
“The Sopranos” was a popular TV hit from 1999 to 2007, with de Matteo as the lead actress. However, this does not reveal the full figure of his current net worth. According to The Things, the TV show was Matteo's springboard for demanding more pay after it ended. During the show, de Matteo was earning $75 per episode. With an Emmy Award and other nominations on her palms, it was clear she had set the bar too high. This meant that the next director and producer she would work with had to increase that amount if they considered it worth playing. Through his role in this TV show, de Matteo achieved the following:
- Golden Globe nominations
- Screen Actors Guild Award Nominations
- Won an Emmy Award for "Best Supporting Actress"
- Won a Gracie Allen Award
- Featured in Maxim's Hot 100 Women in 2001 and 2002
"Desperate Housewives", "Sons of Anarchy" and "Joey"
After “The Sopranos”, de Matteo also starred in “Desperate Housewives”, “Sons of Anarchy” and “Joey”. It's still unclear how much she earned per episode for those shows. However, what is inevitable is that she crushed the ceiling, mainly because of the recognition she received thanks to "The Sopranos". According to Wealthy Gorilla, de Matteo appeared in "Joey" as his sister, Gina. The series only survived two seasons. “The Sons of Anarchy” was another show in which she played the role of Wendy Case. The producers renewed his contract for the 7th and final season as fate would have it. She also starred in "Desperate Housewives" in the season 6 finale in 2010.
Other TV Shows
De Matteo once played Steve Wilde's stepmother on "Running Wilde," a Fox comedy show. Her appearance as Krissi Cates in “Dark Places” with Charlize Theron also contributed to her acting success. Additionally, she played Holly in "Californication" in the episode "Here I Go Again." She was Karla Faye Gideon in "Agents of Shield" and Detective Tess Nazario in "Shades of Blue." In 2019, she played Barbara Morgan in 2019's "A Million Little Things." The "Paradise City," which began operating in 2021, is a television spinoff from American Satan which also featured her. "The Sopranos" featured a rewatch podcast with her as the main host in 2020 called "Made Women, alongside Chris Kushner." In July of that year, the makers repurposed and renamed the podcast to "Gangster Goddess Broad-Cast."
Films
De Matteo's acting career also helped her land roles in films like 'Swordfish', 'Free Ride', 'Stalker', 'Dark Places' and 'Mob Wives'. It's hard to imagine, let alone believe, that she's making millions per episode. Usually, actors and actresses with long-term contracts and recurring roles earn royalties. Plus, she's stepping away from the big screen to focus on other obligations. Only a well-paid actress will take a break after earning her millions.
She is the host of an Amazon Prime Show alongside Kevin Bacon
De Matteo also has an Amazon Prime Show based on a new movie she's working on with Kevin Bacon. She also releases new wine when she's not acting or podcasting. When asked how she feels about being rich, she replies that she has only ever prayed for health and happiness, but not for finances.
Verdict
Our analysis of how Drea de Matteo gained a net worth of 10 million stems from her acting years. While she may have unknown stocks held somewhere that she doesn't want to disclose, it's clear that professional gambling pays well. Plus, having an Emmy award gives her the upper hand to dictate how much she wants to earn if someone wants to hire her as an actress. Through her role in "The Sopranos" and other shows, de Matteo was destined to earn her millions.
