Crazy Beautiful

Nine years ago, Joey Pantoliano was a sought-after murderer who knew he had more to offer. Best known for his Emmy award-winning portrayal of Ralph Cifaretto on “The Sopranos,” Joey feared being typecast as the man everyone loved to hate and wanted his next role to set everyone straight.

When the opportunity came up to play a caregiver in “Canvas,” a film that explores how mental illness affects a family, he thought the role would change everyone’s mind. It ended up changing his. He still wants to influence people’s thinking – but not about him. Today his reputation is secondary to his mission: combating the stigma around mental illness or what he likes to call “brain dis-ease.” 

On Saturday, March 21 Joey will headline “Pathos, Pasta and Pantoliano,” an educational event sponsored by the Mental Health Association in Indian River County. A screening of “Canvas” will be followed by a pasta dinner in honor of Joey’s Italian heritage. The evening will culminate with a question-and-answer session with the movie’s star and producer, who will share how the film helped him come to terms with his own “brain dis-ease.”