Michael Rispoli, an American character actor who was born on November 27, 1960, is renowned for his significant contributions in the film and television industry. Raised in Tappan, New York, as a second-generation Italian American and one of eight children, Rispoli majored in theater at State University of New York at Plattsburgh, where he graduated in 1982.

He was one of the contenders for the role of Tony Soprano in the famous HBO television series, The Sopranos, where he was later cast as Jackie Aprile, in a recurring part during the show's first season. Rispoli's partnership with Sopranos co-star James Gandolfini continued in the 2009 thriller, The Taking of Pelham 123. His performance in the feature film Union Square, which premiered in 2011 at the Toronto International Film Festival, is worth mentioning. This film, co-written and directed by Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Award winner Nancy Savoca, starred Rispoli alongside Mira Sorvino, Patti LuPone, Tammy Blanchard, Mike Doyle, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. Additionally, he made a significant contribution to theatre by starring in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis.