Vincent Gallo
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Vincent Gallo (born April 11, 1961)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="Deadline">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> is an American actor, filmmaker, and musician. He has won several accolades, including a Volpi Cup for Best Actor, and has been nominated for the Palme d'Or, the Golden Lion, and the Bronze Horse.
Gallo was a successful painter and musician, working with Jean-Michel Basquiat and Lukas Haas. Gallo later became an actor and starred in films including Arizona Dream (1993), The House of the Spirits (1993), Palookaville (1995), The Funeral (1996), Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby (1999), Trouble Every Day (2001), Stranded (2001), Tetro (2009), Metropia (2009), Essential Killing (2010), The Legend of Kaspar Hauser (2012), and Shut In (2022).
As a filmmaker, Gallo directed, wrote, and starred in Buffalo '66 (1998), The Brown Bunny (2003), and Promises Written in Water (2010). He has also directed and starred in numerous short films, including The Agent (2010), and several music videos, such as "Going Inside" (2001), "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" (2002), and "99 Problems" (2004). Gallo has released several albums, including When (2001), and worked as a model, having been photographed by Calvin Klein, H&M, Supreme, Persol, and Yves Saint Laurent.
Gallo's work has gained a cult following,<ref name="bad"/><ref name="Deadline"/> especially in Japan.<ref name="Japan">Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo's acting performances have been widely praised by critics, while his directorial work has proven divisive. Fans of Gallo's work have notably included Jean-Luc Godard, John Waters, Werner Herzog, Claire Denis, David Lowery, and Robert Pattinson.
Early lifeEdit
Vincent Gallo was born on April 11, 1961, in Buffalo, New York to Vincent Gallo Sr. and Janet Gallo. He is the second of three children, having an older brother, Charles, and a younger sister, Janine.<ref name="American">Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo was raised Catholic, and made his First Communion in 1969.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Gallo's parents are Sicilian and worked as hairdressers, with his father having retired to be "a gambler."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo has described his parents as dishonest people, saying "If it was my birthday, I knew my mother took me to the K-Mart and she stole my toy. She'd put it in the shopping cart and we'd walk out. I was raised with that."<ref name="Guardian"/> Growing up, Gallo says that his father was abusive and beat him on several occasions, including one instance where Gallo's father broke his nose. He has said that while growing up, his father was "this kind of dark, raging figurehead...That's not who he is today, but when I was a child there wasn't a day...when he didn't hit me, punish me, yell at me or tell me something I did wrong."<ref name="American"/> Gallo's mother also forbade him from decorating his own room, which he shared with his siblings and grandfather,<ref name="Freak">Template:Cite news</ref> and from owning a guitar, leading Gallo to secretly hide the latter underneath his bed. Gallo has attributed his self-described controlling and perfectionist nature as a filmmaker to his childhood experiences.<ref name="Freak"/>
Gallo claims that at the age of 12 he worked for the local mafia in Buffalo, helping them to perform small crimes, such as carjacking and shoplifting. Supposedly, Gallo worked for the mafia for approximately one year, and desired to continue down a life of crime and become a powerful gangster. However, he was eventually convinced by a mafia member, who felt that Gallo was wasting his potential, to abandon it in favor of a legitimate career.<ref name="Dazed">Template:Cite news</ref>
After graduating from Sweet Home High School in 1978, Gallo left his home in Buffalo and ran away to New York City at the age of 16.<ref name="American"/><ref name="Buffalo Magazine">Template:Cite news</ref> He took up various jobs, including ones working in a hi-fi guitar shop and as a restaurant dishwasher.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallo claims he went on to race motorbikes professionally, supposedly without training, in Formula II.<ref name="Formula II">Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo says he performed at a professional level in Grand Prix racing,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> racing for Yamaha,<ref name="Dazed"/> but never won a national championship. He claims to have raced 125cc and 250cc WERA bikes in the 1980's; and later performed his own racing scenes in his 2004 film The Brown Bunny. In the film, Gallo rides a gold Honda NSR250, which he personally designed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also went on to become a successful painter.<ref name="Guardian"/>
Film careerEdit
20th centuryEdit
During Gallo's artistic period in the 1980s, when he worked as a musician and painter in New York City, he also began experimenting with film. Gallo created the short film "If You Feel Froggy, Jump" and appeared in the 1981 film Downtown 81 with painter Jean-Michel Basquiat. In 1984, Gallo acted in the No Wave film The Way It Is or Eurydice in the Avenues (1985) by Eric Mitchell, along with actors Steve Buscemi, Edwige Belmore, Mark Boone Junior and Rockets Redglare. After starring in the obscure 1989 film Doc's Kingdom, he began acting in small parts in more well-known films such as Goodfellas, The House of the Spirits, and The Perez Family. French director Claire Denis hired Gallo to act in several films such as the short film Keep It for Yourself, the made-for-TV U.S. Go Home, and its follow-up feature Nénette et Boni (1996)."<ref name="movies.nytimes.com">Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1998, Gallo released his directorial debut film, Buffalo '66. The film received positive critical reception and was nominated for an award for "Best First Feature" at the Independent Spirit Awards.<ref name="movies.nytimes.com"/> Gallo made this drama for $1.5 million, serving as writer, director, lead actor, and composer/performer of the soundtrack. The release of Buffalo '66 "gained him a solid fan base."<ref name="movies.nytimes.com"/>
During filming, Gallo had difficulties working with actress Christina Ricci, who starred in the film alongside him. According to Ricci, Gallo was a "crazy lunatic man" and did not get along with her on the set. Ricci also said that Gallo mocked her weight several years after the film released, and that she has no interest in ever seeing his other films.<ref name="Time">Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo disputes Ricci's account, and in 2018, wrote "I still smile when I see a picture of her and when she insults me in the press it reminds me that we are connected in some way, and for that I am grateful. Christina Ricci was my friend during the filming of Buffalo 66 and working with her made sense and felt natural....I insulted her jokingly one day to a friend and a sneaky gossip writer overheard me. Christina and I have not spoken since."<ref name="Gallo letter"/>
2000sEdit
In 2001, Gallo again collaborated with Denis, and appeared in her horror film Trouble Every Day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2003, Gallo starred in and directed the film The Brown Bunny, which chronicles a motorcycle racer's cross-country road trip and co-starred Chloë Sevigny. The film, which contained a scene of Sevigny performing unsimulated oral sex upon Gallo, received an overwhelmingly negative critical response to its Cannes premiere and became a media scandal, in part due to Gallo's use of a still image from a sex scene on a promotional billboard. Andrea LeVasseur of Allmovie said that The Brown Bunny "premiered to much derision at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival."<ref name="movies.nytimes.com"/> Film critic Roger Ebert stated that The Brown Bunny was the worst film in the history of Cannes.<ref name=ebert>Template:Cite book</ref> Gallo retorted by calling Ebert a "fat pig with the physique of a slave trader" and put a hex on Ebert, wishing him colon cancer.<ref name=ebert/> Ebert then responded – adapting a statement made by Winston Churchill – that, "although I am fat, one day I will be thin, but Mr. Gallo will still have been the director of The Brown Bunny."<ref name=ebertohseven>Template:Cite book</ref> In 2003, several media sources later reported that Gallo apologized to Ebert, but Gallo disputed this, saying "I never apologized for anything in my life...The only thing I am sorry about is putting a curse on Roger Ebert's colon. If a fat pig like Roger Ebert doesn't like my movie then I'm sorry for him."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2004, Gallo and Ebert appeared to have reconciled, and Ebert ended up giving a thumbs up to a re-edited version of The Brown Bunny.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, in a 2018 article, written after Ebert's death, Gallo accused Ebert's review of the re-edited version as being "far fetched and an outright lie."<ref name="Gallo letter"/>
Gallo was strongly considered for and almost cast as Uncle Rico in the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite, though the role ultimately went to Jon Gries.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
In 2008, Gallo was cast as the titular character in Francis Ford Coppola's drama film Tetro (2009).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2010sEdit
In 2010, Gallo won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 67th Venice International Film Festival for his non-speaking role in Essential Killing. Gallo did not attend the ceremony to accept his award in person, leaving the duty to the film's director Jerzy Skolimowski, who tried to get the actor to reveal himself, leading the audience in a chant of his name. Gallo was not in attendance.<ref name="Inside Out Film">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="BBC News">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
At the festival, Gallo's third feature film, Promises Written in Water, debuted. It was also screened once at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. The film received polarized and mostly negative reviews from critics, though several positive reviews cited it as one of the year's greatest films. The film was nominated for the Golden Lion.
Gallo has stated that he has no plans to ever distribute the film and allow it to be seen again, as "I do not want my new works to be generated in a market or audience of any kind." He also added that allowing the film only ever being shown at two screenings was part of a deal he made with Delfine Bafort, who starred in the film.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo explained in a 2011 interview that the film would be "allowed to rest in peace, and stored without being exposed to the dark energies from the public."<ref name="New York Times">Template:Cite news</ref> As of 2024, Promises Written in Water is not available to watch, and has not been screened since 2010.
During the Venice festival, Gallo also released a short film, titled The Agent, which was nominated for Best Short Film. The Agent starred Sage Stallone, and has also only ever been screened twice, with Gallo having no plans to re-release it to the public.<ref name="Gallo letter"/>
In 2012, Gallo starred in Davide Manuli's The Legend of Kaspar Hauser, a modern-western interpretation of the German legend of Kaspar Hauser which premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Gallo plays the two largest roles in the film, the English-speaking Sheriff and the Italian-speaking assassin.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Later that year, he appeared in Julie Delpy's 2 Days in New York, in a cameo role as himself. In the film, Gallo appears as a Mephistopheles-like version of himself, who purchases the protagonist's (Delpy) soul, after she puts it up for auction.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Delpy wrote the role with Gallo specifically in mind, who agreed to the part after reading the screenplay.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2013, Gallo's website listed that he had directed, written, produced, and acted in his fourth feature film, April. It states that the film is 88 minutes long, stars Gallo as the lead character Seth Goldstone, and co-stars pornographic actor Jamie Gillis. The film has never been released, leading to speculation about the nature of the project.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> That year, Gallo also co-starred with Kōichi Satō and Yoo Ji-tae in Junji Sakamoto's film, Human Trust.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2020sEdit
In 2022, Gallo appeared in D. J. Caruso's thriller film Shut In. Released by The Daily Wire, Shut In marked Gallo's first acting role since 2013.<ref name="Deadline"/>
In January 2024, it was revealed that Gallo was set to portray Joseph James DeAngelo in The Policeman.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Franco">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Policeman"/><ref name="Policeman">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In May 2025, Lionsgate Films obtained the film, which was also retitled to Golden State Killer.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Speculation also emerged that the film may have been directed and written by Gallo himself, using a pseudonym.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In April 2025, Variety initially reported that Gallo would co-star with Karla Sofía Gascón in The Life Lift, a psychological thriller directed by Stefania Rossella Grassi..<ref name="Gascon">Template:Cite news</ref> In May, Gallo told Entertainment Weekly that he had only been approached, and has not been signed onto the film, alleging that the filmmakers leaked a "false rumor" to obtain financing.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Music and modeling careerEdit
MusicEdit
Gallo played electric bass and sang in the mid-1970s in several adolescent garage bands such as Blue Mood; a progressive rock cover band named Zephyr (not to be confused with the late 1960s band of the same name, or the 1980s Johnny Goudie-fronted band of the same name) which did one performance at Lincoln Park, Tonawanda, New York in 1978; The Good (with Bernie Kugel and Larry Galanowitz); The Detours; and the Plastics.<ref name=autogenerated3>[{{#ifeq: yes | yes | https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p471620/biography{{
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}} Allmusic ((( Vincent Gallo – Biography )))]</ref> At the age of 16, Gallo moved to New York City and was a later member of the band Gray, with visual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Gray played at clubs such as Max's Kansas City, CBGB's, Hurrahs, and the Mudd Club. A few of Gray's recordings appear on the soundtrack for the film Downtown 81.<ref>[{{#ifeq: yes | yes | https://www.allmusic.com/album/r551298{{
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}} Allmusic ((( Downtown 81 > Overview )))]</ref>
In 1984, Gallo (using the name "Prince Vince") also appeared as a dancer on an unsold TV pilot for a hip-hop dance show called Graffiti Rock.
Gallo played in a band called Bohack, which recorded an album entitled It Took Several Wives.<ref name=autogenerated3 /> When Bohack disbanded, Gallo turned his attention to acting, directing, and composing in films. He wrote songs for the soundtrack of the 1998 film Buffalo 66. He played in a rock band with Lukas Haas called Bunny, and Gallo put out his own album which he wrote, performed and produced under Warp Records, titled When.<ref name=autogenerated3 /><ref>Template:Usurped. Chart Attack, October 16, 2001, by Debbie Bento</ref>
On August 3, 2013, Vincent Gallo headlined the 3rd Annual San Frandelic Summer Fest in San Francisco.<ref>"3rd Annual San Frandelic Summerfest w/ Vincent Gallo, Spindrift & More!". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 18, 2013.</ref>
Gallo directed music videos for the songs "Going Inside" by John Frusciante, and "Anemone" by L'Arc-en-Ciel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also starred in the music videos for "Bitter" by Lit, "Cosmopolitan Bloodloss" by Glassjaw, and "Grounded" by My Vitriol.
In January 2025, Gallo's new album, Butterfly, was released; Gallo co-created the album with musician Harper Simon. Gallo claims that the album was originally recorded in 2021, but had its release cancelled by Because Music due to his political views. Gallo's self-owned label, Family Friend Records, later purchased the rights to the album and finalized its release.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ModelingEdit
In 1990, Gallo modeled for Calvin Klein.<ref name="Buffalo Magazine"/> In 2007, Gallo modeled for Stefano Pilati's menswear campaign,<ref name="Hero">Template:Cite news</ref> and was also photographed for Supreme.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2009, Gallo appeared as a model in H&M Spring Collection alongside Eva Herzigova.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He later did a fashion campaign and photo shoot with G-Star Raw jeans in Fall 2011.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2017, Gallo modeled glasses for Persol in their Spring/Summer campaign.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> From 2017 through 2018, Gallo also appeared as a model, photographed in black-and-white, in the Saint Laurent SS18 campaign.<ref name="Hero"/>
Additionally, Gallo has stated that he once walked in a fashion show for designer Anna Sui, but left her disappointed by his performance, and was never hired by Sui again.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal lifeEdit
Gallo lives in Arizona,<ref name="Arizona">Template:Cite news</ref> owning a $3.25 million mansion in Tucson.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo previously owned a condo at Trump Tower, as well as apartments in buildings designed by Jean Nouvel and Richard Meier.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo is a teetotaler.<ref name="Guardian">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He is a collector of vinyl records and pre-war sound equipment.<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref>
Gallo has said that he once lived in author William S. Burroughs's house for six months.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo also knew poet John Giorno, who lived with Burroughs at the time. Throughout their lives, Burroughs and Gallo exchanged postcards, letters, and mixtapes.<ref name="Freak"/> Ohio State University holds one of Gallo's letters to Burroughs among its archival collection.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1984, Gallo was married to a woman for just 10 weeks, before their relationship ended.<ref name="Guardian"/> Gallo once dated socialite Paris Hilton. Gallo has held close friendships with musician Johnny Ramone (prior to Ramone's death in 2004),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> musician John Frusciante,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and actress Milla Jovovich.<ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>
On May 24, 2001, Gallo successfully sued actor John Ventimiglia for assault and battery. The New York Supreme Court decided the case in Gallo's favor in Gallo v. Ventimiglia (2001).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Gallo has garnered infamy for making incendiary and provocative comments. When once asked by an interviewer if he was Jewish, Gallo replied, "No, I do not have the Jew gene."<ref name="bad"/> On his website, Gallo offers himself as an escort to women for $50,000; and sells his sperm for $1,000,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> His website has been labeled as satirical by media outlets such as The Daily Wire,<ref name="Deadline"/> and has drawn the scorn of other outlets, such as The Guardian.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo has stated in interviews that his website and provocative statements are satire, and has mocked critics who have interpreted them as serious.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
PoliticsEdit
Template:Quote box Gallo is a lifelong Republican<ref name="Way We Live">Template:Cite news</ref> and a conservative.<ref name="Observer">Template:Cite news</ref> He holds anti-abortion,<ref name="Lodown">Template:Cite magazine</ref> anti-drug, and anti-pornography views.<ref name="Formula II"/> Gallo once authored an anti-abortion opinion piece in BlackBook.<ref name="Lodown"/>
Gallo is a fan of U.S. President Richard Nixon, describing him as an "intellectual".<ref name="Way We Live"/> Gallo claims to have met Nixon when he was six years old, during the time when he lived with Burroughs.<ref name="bad"/>
In 2004, Gallo appeared in the documentary, Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood, discussing the political discrimination he has faced in the film industry as a conservative.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He also spoke at the Women's National Republican Club, where he expressed his support for President George W. Bush, saying that "you know the United States has a great President...when the French hate him!"<ref name="Observer"/> Later that year, Gallo also met Barbara Bush and Lauren Bush, attending a fashion show alongside them.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2018, Gallo expressed his support for President Donald Trump, writing that he is "extremely proud [Trump] is the American President."<ref name="Gallo letter">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 2022, he also praised then-Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema as an "open minded and thoughtful" politician, who "adds productive ideological diversity and balance to our beautiful country";<ref name="Arizona"/> and donated $250 to the campaign of Republican Representative Juan Ciscomani.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In August 2024, Gallo met Trump and endorsed him in the 2024 presidential election;<ref>Template:Cite Instagram</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while calling Trump "the greatest president the USA has ever produced."<ref name="American Gallo">Template:Cite news</ref>
Views on film and musicEdit
In 2009, Gallo listed Francis Ford Coppola's The Rain People (1969) as his favorite film.<ref>Template:Cite video</ref> He has cited Warren Beatty as one of his favorite actors,<ref name="Beatty"/> as well as his "idol".<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref>
In a 1998 interview with Elvis Mitchell, Gallo explained that his taste in films is "hokey". He has listed The Boy in the Plastic Bubble (1976), All Fall Down (1962),<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref> Lilith (1964), Mickey One (1965), The Ravine (1969), The Only Game in Town (1970), The Panic in Needle Park (1971), The Gambler (1974), The Death of Richie (1977), The Beyond (1981), and Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) among his favorite films.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Beatty">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="Caveh"/> In his interview with Mitchell, Gallo also stated that his films are heavily inspired by music, describing Buffalo '66 as a "pure musical."<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref> Gallo has also expressed a preference for mixing his films with a mono audio track, as opposed to surround sound.<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref>
Although a member,<ref name="Downtown">Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo has expressed disdain for the Screen Actors Guild, calling them "a self-serving union that has never had the best intentions of its membership in mind".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallo has cited King Crimson's In the Court of the Crimson King as his favorite album. He used the album's track "Moonchild" during a dance sequence in his film Buffalo '66.<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref> He has also called the Ramones the greatest band of all time.<ref>Template:Cite video</ref>
Public receptionEdit
Gallo's acting performances have received generally positive reviews from film critics. Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club praised Gallo's performance in Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby as "ever-eccentric" and "profound".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Film critic Roger Ebert frequently praised Gallo's performances, including those in The Brown Bunny (2004),<ref name="Ebert Bunny">Template:Cite news</ref> Tetro (2009),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Essential Killing (2010),<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and 2 Days in New York (2012).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Gallo's performance in Shut In (2022) was singled out and praised by Cath Clarke of The Guardian and John Semley of The New Republic, who gave the film itself negative reviews.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallo's directional work has received more polarized reception from critics. Buffalo '66 (1998) received generally positive reviews from critics, and was praised by Ebert,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Elvis Mitchell,<ref>Template:Cite podcast</ref> and Andrew Johnston.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> Conversely, The Brown Bunny (2004) received mixed reviews. Ebert described the initial 119-minute festival cut of the film as the worst film in the history of Cannes, though later praised the 93-minute cut of the film, awarding it 3/4 stars.<ref name="Ebert Bunny"/> Moria McDonald of The Seattle Times gave the film a negative review, calling it a "self-indulgent and seemingly endless road movie".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Manohla Dargis gave the film a mixed review, describing it as "Neither an atrocity nor a revelation".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Promises Written in Water (2010) received mostly negative reviews, including from Leslie Felperin of Variety,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and Xan Brooks of The Guardian.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It received a mixed review from Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and a positive one from Truls Lie of Modern Times Review.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 2010, Empire listed Buffalo '66 (1998) as the 36th-greatest independent film ever made, calling it a "mini masterpiece".<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> French cinema magazine Les Cahiers du Cinéma voted The Brown Bunny (2004) one of the ten best films of the year;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> while The Daily Telegraph listed it as one of the 100 "defining" films of the decade.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Film Comment also included it among the best unreleased films of 2003, ranking it 14th.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Gallo's directorial work has been acclaimed by many within the film industry. The Brown Bunny (2004) has been praised by individuals including Jean-Luc Godard, John Waters, Werner Herzog, Sean Penn,<ref name="Brown">Template:Cite news</ref> Josh Safdie,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="essential">Template:Cite news</ref> Claire Denis,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and David Lowery.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Promises Written in Water (2010) was hailed as one of the greatest films of the decade by cinematographer Sean Price Williams.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Actor Robert Pattinson has also cited Gallo's performance in Arizona Dream (1993) as influential on his career.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola stated that he was warned against working with Gallo, with many in the film industry describing Gallo as "a nightmare." Nonetheless, Coppola chose to cast Gallo in Tetro (2009), and said that he found Gallo "was very intelligent and a pleasure to work with."<ref name="Independent">Template:Cite news</ref> Filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski praised Gallo's performances and described him as a method actor, but stated that he was difficult to direct and prone to anger.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Filmmaker Josh Safdie has also said that Gallo is "a genius. One of the smartest people I’ve ever met and known – funniest too";<ref name="essential"/> while filmmaker Caveh Zahedi has written that Gallo is "one of the most talented directors of his generation".<ref name="Caveh">Template:Cite news</ref> Additionally, actor Kevin Corrigan has described Gallo as "really funny",<ref>Template:Cite video</ref> while actresses Chloë Sevigny,<ref name="Brown"/> Julie Delpy,<ref>Template:Cite video</ref> and Courteney Cox<ref>Template:Cite episode</ref> have all spoken positively about their experiences working alongside Gallo. Actor Alden Ehrenreich has also praised Gallo as "fascinating".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Conversely, actress Christina Ricci described her experience with Gallo as "working with a crazy lunatic man", and vowed to never work with him again.<ref name="Time"/>
Entertainment Weekly has described Gallo as "rapturous, hilarious, and notoriously acerbic",<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> while The Independent has written that "Gallo may have an ego the size of a hot-air balloon, but even an hour in his company is wildly entertaining."<ref name="Independent"/> The Guardian has called him a "narcissistic, fantastic director"<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and said that Gallo "has a reputation as not only one of the most paranoid, controlling men in movies, but also one of the funniest."<ref name="bad">Template:Cite news</ref> The Austin Chronicle has written that Gallo is "Equally detested and adored".<ref name="Fagan">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2011, GQ included Gallo on their list of The 25 Most Stylish Directors of All Time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Among the general public, Gallo possesses a cult following, mostly relating to his films Buffalo '66 (1998) and The Brown Bunny (2004).<ref name="bad"/><ref name="Deadline"/> Gallo's cult following remains especially popular in Japan, having begun shortly after Buffalo '66 was released in the country in 1999.<ref name="Japan"/> The Hara Museum of Contemporary Art in Japan featured a survey of Gallo's art, titled the Vincent Gallo Retrospective 1977-2002, holding roughly 120 paintings, drawings and photographs by Gallo;<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> prior to its closure in 2021.
In other mediaEdit
Gallo's popularity in Japan led to him appearing or being referenced in several Japanese video games, manga comics, and anime films.
- In the 2000-2013 Japanese manga series, Gantz, one vampire character is visually modeled after Gallo.
- In the 2001 Japanese anime film Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, Gallo visually served as the primary inspiration for the film's antagonist, Vincent Volaju.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
- In the 2003 Japanese video game Silent Hill 3, the character Vincent Smith had his name and visual appearance inspired by Gallo.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation
|CitationClass=web }}</ref> Additionally, a photograph from Buffalo '66 appears as an easter egg in the game.
- In the 2011 Japanese video game Catherine, the game's protagonist, Vincent Brooks, is loosely based on Gallo as he appeared in Buffalo '66.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
- In the 2013 Japanese video game Killer Is Dead, Gallo is referenced.
FilmographyEdit
Feature filmsEdit
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Editor | Composer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Buffalo 66 | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:No | Template:No | Template:Yes | |
| 2003 | The Brown Bunny | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:No | Also DOP |
| 2010 | Promises Written in Water | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| 2013 | April | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Unreleased |
Acting performances Template:Pending films key
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Way It Is | Victor / Heurtebise | |
| 1988 | Doc's Kingdom | Jimmy | |
| 1990 | Goodfellas | Henry's '70s Crew #3 | |
| 1991 | A Idade Maior | Mario a.k.a. Alex | |
| 1993 | Arizona Dream | Paul Leger | |
| The House of the Spirits | Esteban Garcia | ||
| 1995 | Angela | Preacher | |
| The Perez Family | Orlando | ||
| Palookaville | Russell Pataki | ||
| 1996 | Nénette and Boni | Vincenzo Brown | |
| The Funeral | Johnny | ||
| 1997 | Truth or Consequences, NM | Raymond Lembecke | |
| 1998 | Buffalo '66 | Billy Brown | |
| Johnny 316 | Johnny | ||
| Goodbye Lover | Mike | Uncredited | |
| L.A. Without a Map | Moss | ||
| 1999 | Freeway II: Confessions of a Trickbaby | Sister Gomez | |
| 2000 | Hide and Seek | Frank | |
| 2001 | Trouble Every Day | Shane Brown | |
| Stranded | Luca Baglioni | ||
| Get Well Soon | Bobby Bishop / Kevin Moss | ||
| 2003 | The Brown Bunny | Bud Clay | |
| Gli indesiderabili | Antonino 'Tony' Bendando | ||
| 2006 | Moscow Zero | Owen | |
| 2007 | Oliviero Rising | Oliviero Olivieri | |
| 2009 | Tetro | Angelo 'Tetro' Tetrocini | |
| Metropia | Roger Olofsson | Voice role | |
| 2010 | Essential Killing | Mohammed | |
| Promises Written in Water | Kevin | ||
| 2011 | Loosies | Jax | |
| 2012 | The Legend of Kaspar Hauser | Pusher / Sheriff | |
| Two Days in New York | Himself | Uncredited | |
| 2013 | Human Trust | Harold Marcus | |
| 2022 | Shut In | Sammy | |
| TBA | Template:Pending film | Joseph James DeAngelo | Upcoming film |
TelevisionEdit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Graffiti Rock | Dancer | Pilot |
| 1987 | Crime Story | Charlie Riccio | Episode: "Ground Zero" |
| 1989 | The Equalizer | Tony Santiago | Episode: "Heart of Justice" |
| 1994 | Tous les garçons et les filles de leur âge... | Captain Brown | Episode: "U.S. Go Home" |
| 2002 | The Groovenians | Nixon | Pilot; Voice role |
| 2004 | Rated R: Republicans in Hollywood | Himself | Television documentary film |
| 2007 | Dirt | Sammy Winter | Episode: "This Is Not Your Father's Hostage Situation" |
Short filmsEdit
| Year | Title | Director | Actor | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | A Vincent Gallo as Jesus Christ | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Michael Holman |
| 1980 | If You Feel Froggy, Jump | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| 1984 | Too Many Fish | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Michael Holman |
| Gaslight LeStat | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Michael Holman | |
| 1986 | The Gun Lover | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| Wedding | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| 1988 | That Smell | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| 1989 | Gallo 2000 | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| 1991 | Keep It for Yourself | Template:No | Template:Yes | |
| 1993 | The Hanging | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Victoria Leacock |
| 1994 | U.S. Go Home | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Claire Denis |
| Casting Director Billy Hopkins Leaves a Message for Vincent Gallo | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| 1997 | Buffalo 66 Trailer | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Included on the 2014 Lionsgate Blu-ray release of Buffalo '66 |
| Vincent Gallo Directs | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| Vincent Gallo Has a Thing or Two to Say About the British | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| Looking for Enemies Finding Friends | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Described as a "self-portrait of Vincent Gallo NYC 1997" | |
| 1999 | Live Love Drive | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| 2000 | Anemone | Template:Yes | Template:No | |
| 2001 | Honey Bunny | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | |
| John Frusciante Plays and Sings | Template:Yes | Template:No | ||
| 2003 | The Brown Bunny Trailers | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | Included on the 2005 Sony DVD release of The Brown Bunny |
| The Curse of Manuel Chiche | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| 2004 | Vincent Gallo vs Sonic Youth | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Chris Habib |
| Akiko | Template:Yes | Template:No | ||
| 2009 | 1989 | Template:No | Template:Yes | Directed by Camilo Matiz |
| 2010 | Anea 17 | Template:Yes | Template:No | |
| The Agent | Template:Yes | Template:Yes | ||
| 2014 | United States Wins the World Cup | Template:Yes | Template:No |
Music videosEdit
| Year | Artist | Song | Director | Appearance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Lit | Bitter | Template:No | Template:Yes |
| 2001 | My Vitriol | Grounded | Template:No | Template:Yes |
| John Frusciante | Going Inside | Template:Yes | Template:No | |
| L'Arc-en-Ciel | Anemone | Template:Yes | Template:No | |
| 2002 | Glassjaw | Cosmopolitan Bloodloss | Template:No | Template:Yes |
| 2004 | Jay-Z | 99 Problems | Template:No | Template:Yes |
DiscographyEdit
AlbumsEdit
- It Took Several Wives (1982, Family Friend Records) as Bohack
- The Way It Is Soundtrack (1984, Rojo Records)
- Buffalo '66 Soundtrack (1998, Will Records)
- When (2001, Warp Records)
- Recordings of Music for Film (2002, Warp Records)
- Butterfly (2025, Family Friend Records) (with Harper Simon)
EPsEdit
- So Sad (2001, Warp Records)
SinglesEdit
- Honey Bunny (2001, Warp Records)
BibliographyEdit
IllustrationEdit
Awards and nominationsEdit
ReferencesEdit
External linksEdit
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- Owned 2 homes designed by the legendary architect John Lautner: the Wolff Residence and the Garcia House.
Template:Volpi Cup for Best Actor Template:Authority control