Peter Facinelli

July 27, 11:40 AMCelebrity Profile ExaminerAndy Williamson

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PETER FACINELLI

You know about Team Edward and Team Jacob -- but what about Team Carlisle?  Those fans are out there. Just ask Peter Facinelli, whose acting career received a major boost when he was cast as erstwhile vampire, Dr. Carlisle Cullen, in 2008’s film version of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight.

Peter Facinelli was born on November 26th, 1973 in New York City, the son of Pierino Facinelli (a waiter) and Bruna Facinelli ( a homemaker), both Italian immigrants.  Peter attended St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, NY, and later studied acting at New York City’s Atlantic Theater Company, where his teachers included William H. Macy, Camryn Manheim, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Peter made his film debut in Rebecca Miller’s 1995 film Angela, where Peter played the devil.  Much television work followed, on shows like Law & Order, and TV movies such as The Runaways (1995), The Price of Love (1995), An Unfinished Affair (1996 - where Peter would meet his wife, actress Jennie Garth), and After Jimmy (1996).  Peter also appeared in the low-budget films Foxfire (1996 - with Angelina Jolie), and Touch Me (1997 - with Amanda Peet).

Peter got his biggest exposure yet when he starred alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt in 1998’s Can’t Hardly Wait.  After many more low-budget films (so low, even Peter Can’t Hardly Remember them), he got another boost when he appeared in director Penny Marshall’s 2001 film Riding in Cars With Boys starring Drew Barrymore.  The following year, Peter had another high-profile supporting role in The Scorpion King.

Between 2002 and 2003, Peter starred in the FOX series Fastlane.  From 2004 - 2005, he had a recurring guest role on HBO’s Six Feet Under.  While more undistinguished fare followed (like 2006’s direct-to-video Hollow Man II with Christian Slater), Peter fared better with another recurring role on the FX series Damages.  After two more low profile films, Reaper (2008 - where Peter countered his premiere role as Lucifer by portraying Jesus), and Finding Amanda (2008), Peter caught the break of his career when he was cast as the patriarch of the vampiric Cullen clan in 2008’s Twilight.

PETER FACINELLI AS DR. CARLISLE CULLEN

As Dr. Carlisle Cullen, Peter was nearly unrecognizable under his blond hair, gold contacts and a pale make-up job (a tad too Kabuki for some) -- nevertheless, many Twi-Hards found him just as “dreamy” as his son Edward (Robert Pattinson).  Peter will reprise this role in Twilight’s upcoming sequels, New Moon (2009), Eclipse (2010), and Breaking Dawn (2010, rumored).

In the wake of his Twilight success, Peter had yet another recurring role on the Showtime series Nurse Jackie.

Peter and his wife Jennie Garth were married on January 29th, 2001.  They have three daughters: Luca Bella (born June 30th, 1997), Lola Ray (born December 6th, 2002) and Fiona Eve (born September 30th, 2006).

Up next (other than those Twilight sequels): The Absinthe Drinkers (2009), and Thicker (2010).

Peter Facinelli Quotes:

Regarding his Twilight audition: "I went and auditioned for Catherine (Hardwicke) and thought I did great -- but I didn't get it.  They wanted an older actor.  Carlisle is young in the book, but visually I was told they wanted his character to look a lot older than the kids.  But that fell through and they came back to me."

"I can actually say I'm one of the few guys who have ‘necked’ with Rob Pattinson.  A lot of people are envious of me.”

Regarding his wife’s first meeting with his verrrry Italian family: “When she [Jennie] first came over for dinner, she started crying.  She said, "Everybody's yelling at each other!"  I explained that they were trying to get a word in edgewise and they talk passionately!  Her family is quiet.  Very Midwest.  When they eat dinner, you can hear a pin drop.”

PETER FACINELLI

Regarding how he relaxes: “Taking a hot bath is always nice, especially when it's with my wife.  We usually have fifteen to twenty minutes before the kids start pounding on the door!”

“My wife and I have been together for 13 years.  I don't exactly know how we survive.  I think it's just being fully committed to making it work.  We have an amazing family, three beautiful children, a great house.  We have our bad days but our good days outweigh them, and we try to remember how fortunate we are.  ... Sometimes I'll lose sight of her in the store, and then my eye catches her, and I'm like, ‘That is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.’  Then I think, ‘God, that's my wife, I'm so lucky.’  Those kinds of moments hit me, and they hit me often.”

Regarding his chemistry with on-screen wife Elizabeth Reaser: “Elizabeth and I get along very well.  I respect her as an actress, and we work well together.  I think Carlisle and Esme's relationship is like an old married couple that are still completely and utterly in love and that is what we work to bring to the screen.”

“There's nothing like coming home and seeing [my daughter] Luca Bella.  I totally recommend fatherhood.  It's wild.  It's grounding.”

“I’ve been very fortunate to have worked with a lot of great actors.  It’s like tennis; when you’re playing with someone who’s really good, it makes you raise your game.”

Regarding his physique: “I want to look good.  Why let yourself go and be eating tons of doughnuts at the craft service table?  I think there is a certain responsibility.  ... It’s hard being man candy, but chewy in the middle.”

“I was a heartthrob?  Someone should have told me!”

For more Twilight profiles, click here.