Talia Shire

Talia Rose Shire (née Coppola; born April 25, 1946) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Adrianne Pennino Balboa in the Rocky series. For her work in The Godfather Part II and Rocky, Shire was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, and for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in Rocky.

Talia Shire
Shire in 1977
Born
Talia Rose Coppola

(1946-04-25) April 25, 1946 (age 78)[1]
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1968–present
Spouses
  • (m. 1970; div. 1980)
  • (m. 1980; died 1994)
Children3, including Jason and Robert Schwartzman
Parent(s)Carmine Coppola
Italia Coppola
RelativesAugust Coppola (brother)
Francis Ford Coppola (brother)
Nicolas Cage (nephew)
Roman Coppola (nephew)
Christopher Coppola (nephew)
Sofia Coppola (niece)
FamilyCoppola

Early life and family

Shire was born Talia Rose Coppola in the Woodhaven section of Queens, New York,[2] in 1946. Her maternal grandparents came to the United States from Bernalda, Basilicata.[3] Her maternal grandfather, popular Italian composer Francesco Pennino, emigrated from Naples, Italy.[4]

Shire is the only daughter of Italia (née Pennino) and arranger/composer Carmine Coppola. She is the sister of director and producer Francis Ford Coppola, and of the academic August Coppola, the aunt of actor Nicolas Cage, and of director Sofia Coppola, and the niece of composer and conductor Anton Coppola.[5]

At a young age her family moved to Lake Success on Long Island, New York, where she lived through high school.[6]

She has three children. Her son Matthew Orlando Shire is the child of her first marriage to composer David Shire. Her other sons, actors/musicians Jason and Robert, are from her second marriage, to the film producer Jack Schwartzman.[7]

Career

Shire portrayed Connie Corleone in The Godfather and its sequels and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Godfather Part II (1974).[6] For her portrayal of Adrian Pennino, the love interest of Rocky Balboa in Rocky (1976),[8] she won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress, the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, and was nominated for both the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actress. In addition to reprising her Adrian role in four Rocky sequels,[9] Shire has appeared in such films as Kiss the Bride (2002), I Heart Huckabees (2004), and Homo Erectus (2007).[10]

Filmography

Films
YearTitleRoleNotes
1968The Wild Racers1st GirlfriendAs Talia Coppola
1970The Dunwich HorrorNurse CoraCredited as Talia Coppola
MaxieSandy
1971Gas-s-s-sCoralee
The Christian Licorice StoreLast Party Guest
1972The GodfatherConnie Corleone
The Outside ManMake-Up Girl
1974The Godfather Part IIConnie Corleone
1976RockyAdrianna "Adrian" Pennino
1979Old BoyfriendsDianne Cruise
ProphecyMaggie Verne
Rocky IIAdrianna "Adrian" Pennino
1980WindowsEmily Hollander
1982Rocky IIIAdrianna "Adrian" Pennino
1985Rocky IV
1986RadMrs. Jones
Hyper Sapien: People from Another StarDr. Tedra Rosen
1989New York StoriesCharlotteSegment: Life Without Zoe
1990Rocky VAdrianna "Adrian" Balboa
The Godfather Part IIIConnie Corleone
1991Cold HeavenSister Martha
1992Bed & BreakfastClaire
1993DeadfallSam
1997A River Made to Drown InJaime's Mother
She's So LovelyRestaurant OwnerUncredited
1998Divorce: A Contemporary WesternLacey
Can I Play?RobertShort film
Caminho dos SonhosIda Stern
The LandladyMelanie Leroy
1999Lured InnocenceMartha Chambers
Palmer's Pick UpMr. Price
The Black and the WhiteTulip Clayton
2000The VisitParole Board Member Marilyn
2001The Whole ShebangCountess Bazinni
2002Kiss the BrideIrena Sposato
2003Family TreePatriciaShort film
DunsmoreMildred Green
2004I Heart HuckabeesMrs. Silver
2005PomegranateAunt Sophia
2006Rocky BalboaAdrianna "Adrian" BalboaArchival footage
2007Homo ErectusIshbo's Mother
2008Looking for PalladinRosario
Dim Sum FuneralViola Gruber
My Father's Willaka My Secret Billionaire
2009The DeportedDina
2010MinkowCarole Minkow
Scratching the SurfaceMrs. Shifman
2011The Return of Joe RichGloria Neiderman
2013Palo AltoMrs. Ganem
2016DreamlandVictoria
2019Working ManIola Parkes
2024MegalopolisConstance Crassus Catilina
TBANonnasTBAPost-production
That's Amore!Post-production
Television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1975Foster and LaurieAdelaide LaurieCBS Television film
1976Doctors' HospitalEpisode: "Lullabye"
Rich Man, Poor ManTeresa SantoroABC Television miniseries
1977Kill Me If You CanRosalie AsherNBC Television film
The Godfather SagaConnie Corleone
1978Daddy, I Don't Like It Like ThisCarol AgnelliCBS Television film
1987Blood Vows: The Story of a Mafia WifeGinaNBC Television film
Faerie Tale TheatreWilma Van WinkleEpisode: "Rip Van Winkle"
1991Mark Twain and MeJean ClemensTelevision film
1992For Richer, for PoorerMillie KatourianHBO Television film
CBS Schoolbreak SpecialMrs. LelandEpisode: "Please, God, I'm Only Seventeen"
1993Chantilly LaceMaggieShowtime Television film
1995BlossomHerselfEpisode: "A Star Is Bared"
1997Born Into ExileDonna NolanNBC Television film
2007Blue SmokeBianca HaleLifetime Television film
Christmas at Cadillac Jack'sPegTelevision film
2017KingdomAnnette KulinaEpisodes: "Old Pueblo" and "Cactus"
2018Grace and FrankieTeddieEpisodes: "The Pop-Ups" and "The Hinge"
Girlfriends' Guide to DivorceMeryl FrumpkisEpisode: "Rule #149: Don't Eat the Yellow Snow"

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
1974Academy AwardBest Supporting ActressThe Godfather Part IINominated
1976Academy AwardBest ActressRockyNominated
Golden Globe AwardBest Actress - Motion Picture DramaNominated
New York Film Critics CircleBest Supporting ActressWon
National Society of Film CriticsBest Supporting Actress2nd Place
National Board of ReviewBest Supporting ActressWon

See also

References