Lillo Brancato

Lillo Brancato Jr. is a Colombian-born American actor who has appeared in several notable films and TV series such as A Bronx Tale (1993), Renaissance Man (1994), and Crimson Tide (1995). The actor made headlines after he was involved in a burglary and a murder of an off-duty policeman in 2005. On parole, Brancato Jr was released from prison on December 31, 2013, and returned to acting from a small role in American Sniper in 2014. 

Early Life And Education Of Lillo Brancato Jr. 

Lillo Brancato Jr. was born Saul Rodriguez on August 30, 1976, in Bogotá, Colombia, under the birth sign Virgo. He was adopted as a child by his Italian-American parents, Lillo Sr., a builder, and Domenica, an electrolysis in Yonkers, New York. 

Brancato has a brother, Vinny, who worked as a fashion model and currently works as a Yonkers civil servant. He went to Mount Saint Michael Academy for education. Brancato Jr. is an American as per his nationality.

Career Highlights: His Movies And TV Shows

Brancato Jr. made his acting debut in the 1993 American crime drama film and was only 17 years old. A Bronx Tale was the directorial debut of actor Robert De Niro.

Brancato Jr. performed the role of Calogero in the movie A Bronx Tale, which may have gained $25,000 as the film became a massive hit. It was an admirable rating of 7.8 on IMDb, making it a successful movie of the 90s. 

The following year, he was selected for the role of Pvt. Donnie Benitez in the comedy film Renaissance Man, starring Mark Wahlberg, Stacey Dash, Khalil Kain, and others. 

In 1999, Brancato Jr. appeared in an episode of the western anthology series Dead Man's Gun. After that, he portrayed Matthew Bevilaqua in the crime drama television series, The Sopranos, where he worked alongside Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, and others.

Further, he also made notable appearances in other TV series like Dead Man's Gun, Falcone, and NYPD Blue. In contrast, his movie credits include Crimson Tide, The Florentine, The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Saturday Morning, and more.

The 47 years old actor has worked on several projects, including Sleepyhead, The Fury, Monsters of Mulberry Street, I'm on Fire, and Who Killed Jimmy Gumdrops.

How Much Is Brancato's Net Worth In 2022?

Brancato Jr. has worked in numerous TV series, films, and shows. The famous actor has earned a decent amount of money as an Actor. As of 2022, according to Wealthy Persons, his net worth is estimated at $1 million.

All of this fortune came from his active work as an actor. In the United States of America, an actor has an average salary of $48,499 to $71,857. So, being a notable actor, Brancato Jr might be earning in the same range.

Relationship Status: Who Is His Girlfriend?

Lillo Brancato Jr. is unmarried as of now. He is speculated to be in a relationship with Kristina Chen; however, the actor hasn't opened up about his relationship with Chen. There isn't much information regarding Brancato's relationship status and past affairs.

He rarely makes his appearance in the media; however, he was extensively covered by the press when he was involved in a notorious burglary and murder of an off-duty police officer in 2005.

Arrests, Conviction, And Incarceration

Brancato Jr started taking drugs and alcohol when he was 16 and soon became a cocaine and heroin addict. In June 2005, he was arrested for having an expired license and a rear brake light out. Moreover, police found four bags of heroin in his cigarette box, for which he was charged with a seventh-degree Class A misdemeanor.

Six months later, he was again arrested by the New York City Police for his involvement in the burglary and murder of a 28 years old police officer, Daniel Enchautegui. As per sources, Enchautegui confronted Brancato and his accomplice Steven Armento outside an empty house near his house after hearing a glass break. While he was trying to back up, he was shot by the men. He was then taken to Jacobi Medical Center, where he has pronounced dead shortly after.

Later, police arrested Brancato and Armento, both with several gunshot wounds. Armento was identified as the father of his then-girlfriend Stefanie. Armento was condemned to first-degree murder in October 2008 and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Moreover, Brancato was charged with second-degree murder, and his trial started in November 2008.

After a few trials, the jury found him not guilty of the murder; however, it found him guilty of first-degree attempted burglary and sentenced him to 10 years in prison in January 2009.

Brancato continued taking drugs in prison as well, which led him to suffer a heroin overdose as well. On December 31, 2013, he was released from prison on parole. 

The video below features an interview with actor Lillo Brancato after his release from jail.

 

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