Lillo Brancato

Lillo Brancato Jr. (born Saúl Rodríguez, August 30, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his portrayal of Calogero in Robert De Niro's 1993 directorial debut, A Bronx Tale. He also portrayed Matthew Bevilaqua, a young aspiring mobster, on The Sopranos.

In 2005, Brancato was arrested in connection with a burglary during which an off-duty police officer was killed. He was acquitted of murder in 2008 but convicted of first-degree attempted burglary and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released on parole in 2013.

Early life Brancato was born Saúl Rodríguez in Bogotá, Colombia, on August 30, 1976. Adopted when he was four months old, he was raised by Italian-American parents, Lillo Brancato Sr., a construction worker, and Domenica, an electrolysist, in Yonkers, New York. Brancato studied at Mount Saint Michael Academy. His adoptive brother, Vinny, briefly worked as a fashion model and now works as a Yonkers civil servant. Brancato was discovered in 1992, while swimming at New York's Jones Beach, by a talent scout who noticed Brancato's resemblance to Robert De Niro. Brancato was a fan of De Niro and impressed the scout with an impression of Travis Bickle from Taxi Driver. This won him the role of De Niro's son in A Bronx Tale (1993).

Career Brancato acted in three films in the mid-1990s, before joining the cast of The Sopranos. In A Bronx Tale (1993), he played the main character named Calogero, a teenager torn between his father and a mob boss who befriended him as a child (according to New York Magazine, Brancato earned $25,000 ($ today) for the role). Following his release from prison in 2013, Brancato made his return to acting with Back in The Day (2016). He has since had supporting roles in films including Dead on Arrival (2017) – a remake of D.O.A. (1950) – Vamp Bikers Dos and Vamp Bikers Tres by Eric Spade Rivas (2015–2017) and the 5th Borough (2020). He starred in Wasted Talent (2018), a documentary that follows his career, as well as his struggles with addiction and his criminal convictions. Brancato can be heard narrating the music video for the Chris Brown and Young Thug song "City Girls", released on December 4, 2020.

Legal troubles Drug use and possession charge 3117-3119 Arnow Place, Bronx, New York 10461, site of the shooting. The house left of the alleyway, number 3117, was Daniel Enchautegui's residence; number 3119, right of the alleyway, was the house Brancato and his accomplice Armento attempted to burglarize. Brancato started using drugs and alcohol shortly after beginning his acting career in 1992. He was addicted to cocaine and heroin by his mid-20s.

Murder charge and burglary conviction Six months later, on December 10, 2005, Brancato was arrested by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) in the Bronx for the murder of 28-year-old policeman Daniel Enchautegui, who was at home and off-duty at the time of his death. Enchautegui had served with the NYPD for three years and was assigned to the 40th Precinct in the Bronx. Enchautegui confronted Brancato (then 29) and his accomplice, Steven Armento (48), outside a vacant house located at 3119 Arnow Place, next to his own, after hearing glass break. While Enchautegui waited for backup, a gunfight erupted and Enchautegui was shot. He was later taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he died.

Brancato was charged with second-degree murder, and his trial began on November 17, 2008. On January 9, 2009, a judge sentenced him to 10 years in prison.

Brancato was incarcerated on Rikers Island and as state inmate #09A0227 in the Oneida Correctional Facility in Rome, New York, and was subsequently transferred to the Hudson Correctional Facility. In 2018, Brancato said he was 11 years sober and had returned to acting.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 1993 A Bronx Tale Calogero 1994 Renaissance Man Pvt. Donnie Benitez 1995 Crimson Tide Petty Officer Third Class Russell Vossler 1997 Firehouse Gaetano Luvullo TV movie 1998 Provocateur Chris Finn Enemy of the State Young Worker 1999 The Florentine Pretty 2000 Blue Moon Pete Mambo Café Weasel Table One Johnnie 2001 Sticks Lenny Prince 'R Xmas The Husband In the Shadows Jimmy Pierazzi The Adventures of Pluto NashLarry 2002The Real Deal Samy Saxo 2004 Downtown: A Street Tale Lenny 2005 Slingshot DJ Searching for Bobby D Bobby 2007 Saturday Morning Alan Delucci 2015 The Bronx Dahmer Joey Short 2016 Back in the Day Nicky Vamp Bikers Tres Tony 2017 Man of the House Desk Clerk Short Dead on Arrival Zanca 2018 King of Newark 2 Bruno 2019 The Fearless Two Tiger 2020 5th Borough Sonny Finici 2021 The Phone Call Johnny Short The War of the Worlds 2021 Stranger Short Monsters of Mulberry Street Father Palladino Made in Mexico Ochoa 2022 I'm on Fire Sal Short Sleepyhead Lillo Fante

Television

Year Film Role Notes 1999 Dead Man's Gun Gulseppe Guissipini Episode: "The Vine" 2000 The Sopranos Matthew Bevilaqua Recurring Cast: Season 2 Falcone Lucky Episode: "Windows" 2002 NYPD Blue Gary Montaneri Episode: "Dead Meat in New Deli"

Music video Year Artist TitleNotes 2020 Chris Brown and Young Thug "City Girls" Narrator (voice)

Documentary

Year Title 2018 Wasted Talent