Stephanie Kurtzuba is a force to be reckoned with in the entertainment industry, captivating audiences across film, television, and theater. The NYC-based starlet is better known for her shining roles in critically acclaimed movies like The Irishman and The Wolf of Wall Street.
The 52-year-old actress still has a thriving career today, with sources discussing her upcoming roles in yet-to-be-released TV series and movies. Even though she’s currently a mother with two sons, her love for acting doesn’t stop soon.
Read on as I dive into the life and career of Stephanie Kurtzuba to uncover more details about this phenomenal actress.
Stephanie Kurtzuba: The Basics
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Let’s start with a quick overview of who Stephanie Kurtzuba is.
| Full Name | Stephanie Kurtzuba Coakley |
| Age | 52 years old |
| Date of Birth | 20th of March, 1972 |
| Zodiac | Pisces |
| Place of Birth | Omaha, Nebraska, USA |
| Height | 5′ 10″ (1.63 m) |
| Nationality | American |
| Parents | Ray Kurtzuba (father) and Connie Pirruccello (late mother) |
| Siblings | Michael Pirruccello, Kimberly Kurtzuba Borner, Serena Kurtzuba, and Adrianna Kurtzuba |
| Spouse | Joshua Coakley |
| Children | Two sons |
| Years Active | 2003 – present |
| Net Worth | $1.6 million to $10 million |
Stephanie Kurtzuba: Early Life & Education
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Stephanie was born on the 20th of March, 1972, making her a Pisces, AKA the natural dreamer of all 12 sun signs. It would explain her passion for acting and utter discipline in pursuing it. In her words, she said:
“It’s almost like what some people would call a calling. But it’s almost like there’s nothing else I can or want to do with my time and energies than pursue this, and that’s a real motivator.”
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, Kurtzuba attended Omaha Central High School. There, she became interested in local theater productions at the tender age of 10. Her first role ever was as a pickpocketer in the musical Oliver.
Stephanie speaks fondly of how her mother helped her rehearse for that role and the role she later landed in the original Broadway Annie. She would sing the numbers around the house and do cartwheels up and down a bowling alley lounge built and owned by her maternal grandparents, Tony and Nellie Pirruccello.
Interesting fact: Her late mother grew up there in the 50s, and now Kurtzuba co-owns the business with her father and siblings. It’s her favorite place to visit with her family in her hometown.
Later, Stephanie earned a BFA from the NYU Tisch School For the Arts and finished her training at Playwrights Horizons Theatre School.
Stephanie Kurtzuba: Family & Current Life
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Stephanie lost her mother at a young age. She remembers her as being the actress’s most prominent supporter in her early days on the stage.
In an interview with Omaha Magazine, Kurtzuba argued that if her mother hadn’t died so young, the starlet wouldn’t have pursued her acting dream as vigorously as she did. She stated:
“If I had not lost my mother when I did, I don’t know that my choices would have been the same in terms of following my dream. We were so incredibly close, my mother and I. When everything went down with her health, it became obvious to me concisely that tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. Losing her rocked my foundation, my very being, but it taught me some precious lessons about carpe diem.”
Luckily, Kurtzuba had her father and siblings to help her stick to her dream. On her Instagram, you can see her sharing loving photos of them with heartfelt captions. Here’s one with her goofy siblings and another she posted celebrating her dad on Father’s Day.
In 2005, Kurtzuba married the love of her life, Joshua Coakley. At the time, the 33-year-old actress was performing at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. Joshua was working in the props department.
While I don’t have a clear timeline of their dating life before marriage, I can safely tell you they’re happily married with two wonderful sons. Kurtzuba’s Instagram is full of family photos, showing off her loving home, husband, and kids.
Stephanie Kurtzuba: Filmography and Career Timeline
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Kurtzuba has had a lucrative career. Her resume boasts several acclaimed roles, which I have covered below.
Broadway Theater
Kurtzuba played roles in both off-Broadway and Broadway performances. For the former, she starred in the following:
- Our Lady of 121st Street
- A Mother, Daughter & a Gun
- Newsical
- The Joys of Sex
- Bat Boy
- Spain
- Three Days of Rain
For her work on Our Lady of 121st Street, Stephanie says: “As an artist and a mother, the idea of community deepens in importance for me each passing year. To live in the world of Stephen Adly Guirgis’ play was to entrench myself in the meaning of that word.”
As for her Broadway shows, those included:
- Billy Elliot
- Mary Poppins
- The Boy From Oz
Television
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From playing Clara in Tulsa King to her moving performance as Carol Noesner in Waco, take a look at Kurtzuba’s roles in TV:
- Tulsa King (Recurring)
- The Watcher (Guest Star)
- The Blacklist (Guest Star)
- Dynasty (Recurring)
- Station 19 (Guest Star)
- Grey’s Anatomy (Recurring)
- Blue Bloods (Recurring)
- The Good Fight (Guest Star)
- The Enemy Within (Guest Star)
- The Good Cop (Guest Star)
- Bull (Guest Star)
- Waco (Mow) (Supporting Lead)
- Chicago P.D. (Guest Star)
- The Good Wife (Recurring)
- The Leftovers (Recurring)
- The Stand-in (Supporting Lead)
- Elementary (Guest Star)
- Law & Order: SVU (Guest Star)
- Do No Harm (Guest Star)
Film
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Kurtzuba shines like no other actress in films. Here’s an overview of her roles on the silver screen:
- The Machine
- Bad Education
- The Irishman
- The Wolf of Wall Street
- Annie
- Before I Disappear
- Away We Go
- Flushed
- Parting Words
- Knots
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
Fun fact: Kurtzuba’s son stars as her on-sunscreen in Bad Education. The starlet’s thoughts when working on the project were:
“I knew this film was special from reading the script. At my audition, I felt it. Watching Cory Finley direct, I felt it. Filming scenes with Hugh Jackman and my actual, real-life son (playing my onscronscreen), I felt it.”
To Sum Up
Stephanie Kurtzuba has had a thriving acting career that doesn’t show signs of stopping soon. Her story tells us that pursuing your dreams takes more than talent; it also requires fearless discipline and belief in oneself.
The Omaha-born starlet, though a mother and loving wife, is still working on and producing upcoming projects set to come out in the coming years.