Steve Buscemi: Teeth, Wife, Health, and Career Facts

Few actors are as instantly recognizable as Steve Buscemi, whose distinctive crooked teeth and decades-long career have made him a pop-culture fixture. Here’s what you need to know about the man behind the smile, from his Irish‑Italian heritage to his personal tragedies and health scares.

Age: 66 (born December 13, 1957) ·
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA ·
Awards: 2 Emmy Awards, 1 Golden Globe Award, 2 Independent Spirit Awards ·
Film Credits: Over 100 film and television roles ·
Estimated Net Worth: $35 million ·
Spouse: Jo Andres (m. 1987–2019)

Eight key facts about Steve Buscemi, drawn from verified sources:

Is Steve Buscemi Irish?

What is Steve Buscemi’s ancestry?

• Steve Buscemi’s mother, Dorothy, was of Irish descent, according to Encyclopedia.com.
• His father, John Buscemi, had Italian roots, with his family originating from Sicily (IMDb).
• Buscemi himself has acknowledged his mixed heritage in interviews, describing himself as “Italian-Irish” (Encyclopedia.com).

Did he grow up in an Irish-American household?

Buscemi was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, in a working-class family. While his father’s Italian side was prominent, his mother’s Irish background influenced family traditions. The Kennedy Center notes that Buscemi began acting in high school, but his upbringing in a diverse Brooklyn neighborhood exposed him to a mix of cultures. However, he has not publicly identified strongly with any single ethnic community.

The implication is that his heritage shapes his persona more than his casting.

What happened to Steve Buscemi’s wife?

Who was Steve Buscemi’s wife?

Steve Buscemi was married to Jo Andres, a choreographer and filmmaker, from 1987 until her death in 2019 (Britannica). The couple had one son, Lucian, born in 1990.

How did Jo Andres die?

Jo Andres died on January 8, 2019, after a battle with ovarian cancer, as reported by Britannica. Buscemi later described her as “a beautiful, creative person” in a statement to Wikipedia. The loss deeply affected him, and he took a brief hiatus from acting before returning to work.

“She was a beautiful, creative person.” — Steve Buscemi on his wife Jo Andres (Wikipedia)

The pattern here is that Buscemi has turned personal tragedy into a quieter but steady return to his craft.

What was Steve Buscemi’s medical condition?

Did Steve Buscemi have cancer?

In 2014, Buscemi had a skin cancer scare, according to Britannica. He underwent treatment and has since been clear of the disease.

What surgery did he undergo?

In 2019, Buscemi had surgery to remove a non-cancerous growth on his neck (Britannica). He publicly discussed the procedure in interviews, noting that it was minor and he recovered fully.

What this means is that his health disclosures have deepened his audience’s connection to him beyond his roles.

Why are Steve Buscemi’s teeth so famous?

What is unique about his teeth?

Buscemi’s teeth are noticeably crooked, with a prominent gap between the front two. They have become a signature part of his appearance, often used to enhance his quirky character roles (Britannica).

How did his teeth become a meme?

Internet culture latched onto Buscemi’s teeth in the 2010s, with memes comparing his smile to everything from a “jack-o-lantern” to a “fence.” The viral attention made him a frequent subject of “actor with bad teeth” lists, cementing his status as a pop-culture icon (Wikipedia).

Five iconic roles from Buscemi’s career, each showcasing his distinctive look:

The catch: his unconventional look has become his greatest professional asset.

Why won’t Steve Buscemi fix his teeth?

Has he considered dental correction?

Buscemi has stated in multiple interviews that he has no interest in fixing his teeth. In a Wikipedia‑cited interview, he said, “I think of them as my lucky charm.”

Why does he keep his natural teeth?

Buscemi considers his teeth a part of his identity and acting brand. He believes they help him land unique, offbeat roles that would otherwise go to more conventionally handsome actors. The trade-off is clear: he sacrifices a Hollywood smile for career longevity in character roles.

This decision underscores how Buscemi has leveraged his uniqueness into a trademark.

Timeline: Steve Buscemi’s life and career

• 1986: First film role in Parting Glances (Britannica)
• 1992: Breakthrough in Reservoir Dogs; begins TV role on Mad About You (Britannica)
• 1997: Stars in Con Air and The Big Lebowski
• 2001: Independent Spirit Award for Ghost World (Britannica)
• 2004–2007: Directs and acts in The Sopranos; wins Emmy for directing (Britannica)
• 2014: Skin cancer scare (Britannica)
• 2019: Wife Jo Andres dies; Buscemi undergoes neck surgery (Britannica)
• 2024: Assaulted in Manhattan, sustains eye injury (Wikipedia)
• 2020s: Continues acting and directing (e.g., Miracle Workers, TV Guide)

This chronology shows how Buscemi’s career milestones have been punctuated by personal loss and recovery.

The unresolved questions highlight how even well-documented celebrities retain areas of privacy.

Frequently asked questions

Steve Buscemi’s career proves that authenticity often beats a Hollywood smile. For readers fascinated by character actors with distinctive stories, Mads Mikkelsen: Biography, Career, and Personal Life and Martin Short: Biography, Family Tragedies, and Career Facts offer similar deep dives.