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Tracee Chimo
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Tracee Chimo Pallero (born 1983) is an American stage, television and film actress who became an arts critic favorite[1] after her 2012 breakout role as Daphna Feygenbaum, the antagonist in Joshua Harmon’s hit dark comedy Bad Jews.
Key Information
In 2018 she married Canadian cameraman Richard Joseph Pallero, after meeting and falling in love on the set of her first television series, TBS’ cult comedy People of Earth.
Early life
[edit]Chimo was born in Saugus, Massachusetts. Her father is of Albanian descent and her mother is of Irish and Italian ancestry (her father is an Albanian Orthodox Christian, and her mother is Catholic).[2][3][4] She splits her time between living in Los Angeles and New York City.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]Chimo's 2010 work in the plays Bachelorette and Circle Mirror Transformation was praised by Erik Piepenburg of The New York Times, who lauded Chimo for transforming herself into two characters so distinct from one another, commenting, "If, at the same time, you could meet the shy, expressionless Lauren, mumbling into the wall of her red hoodie, and the glittering, claws-extended Regan, the meanest predator on the hunt, it would be hard to believe that they are the same person underneath. And maybe they aren’t — even if the actress Tracee Chimo channeled those characters to critical acclaim in two Off-Broadway plays this season."[5] Chimo's performance in Mirror was also singled out by Elisabeth Vincentelli of the New York Post, who called her "a master of the comic silent reaction."[6]
In 2012, Charles Isherwood of The New York Times, who also noted Chimo's performances in these two productions, called her work in the Broadway revival of Harvey "excellent". Echoing other critic's, Isherwood stated, "What's most startling about this actress is her versatility: she seems to be almost physically transformed from performance to performance, so deeply does she burrow into her characters’ identities. I didn’t recognize her at all, with her hair a frizzy nimbus of angry-looking dark curls and her face scrubbed free of makeup, in keeping with Daphna’s righteous self-seriousness."[1]
In 2016, TBS premiered the TV comedy series People of Earth, on which Chimo plays Chelsea Healey.[7]
Awards and nominations
[edit]2014 Lucille Lortel Win for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play" for Bad Jews[8]
2013 Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress - Bad Jews[9]
2013 Drama League Award nomination for "Distinguished Performance - Bad Jews[10]
2013 Rising Star Award - Winner from the Salem State University Alumni Association[citation needed]
2011 Stage Scene Award LA for "Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Drama" for her work in Neil LaBute's The Break of Noon[11]
2011 Clarence Derwent Award on June 14 for "Most Promising Actress in New York City"[12]
2011 Lucille Lortel Nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress" in Bachelorette[13]
2010 Drama Desk Award for "Outstanding Ensemble Performance" in Circle Mirror Transformation[14]
2010 Obie Award for Circle Mirror Transformation[15]
2010 Lucille Lortel Nomination for "Outstanding Featured Actress" in Circle Mirror Transformation[16]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Margaret |
| 2013 | He's Way More Famous Than You | Tracee |
| 2013 | Gods Behaving Badly | River Styx |
| 2013 | Concussion | Woman #2 |
| 2013 | Side Effects | Receptionist |
| 2013 | Take Care | Rachel |
| 2014 | Cyber | Secretary |
| 2016 | Sully | Evelyn May |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Guiding Light | Jamie Collick | |
| 2010 | Louie | Dog Pound Volunteer | Episode: "Dogpound" |
| 2011 | Inside the Actor’s Studio Apartment | Actress | |
| 2012 | First Dates with Toby Harris | Michelle | Episode: "Movies" |
| 2012 | I Just Want My Pants Back | Dylan | |
| 2013–2019 | Orange Is the New Black | Neri Feldman | recurring role |
| 2013 | The Good Wife | Chrissy Quinn | Episode: "Outside the Bubble" |
| 2014 | The Money | Jane Mulvaney[17][18] | Pilot |
| 2013 | Black Box | Mackenzie Teller | 5 episodes |
| 2014 | Royal Pains | Lauren | Episode: "Oh, M.G." |
| 2015 | High Maintenance | Orly | Episode: "Esme" |
| 2015–2017 | Difficult People | Gaby | 6 episodes |
| 2016–2017 | People of Earth | Chelsea Healey | 10 episodes |
| 2018–2019 | Madam Secretary | Nina Cummings | |
| 2018 | Genius | Gertrude Stein | |
| 2020 | The Undoing | Rebecca Harkness |
Theatre
[edit]| Year | Play | Role | Theatre | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | After Ashley | Julie Bell | Philadelphia Theatre Company, Regional | |
| 2007 | Guilty | Lindsey | Acorn Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 2008 | All Hail Hurricane Gordo | India | Actors Theatre of Louisville, Regional | |
| Vendetta Chrome | Tallulah | Clubbed Thumb, Off-Off-Broadway | ||
| Irena’s Vow | Fanka Silberman | Rose Nagelberg Theatre, Off-Broadway | ||
| 2009 | Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway | |||
| Circle Mirror Transformation | Lauren | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | ||
| 2010 | Bachelorette | Regan | Second Stage Theatre, Off-Broadway | |
| The Break of Noon | Jenny/Gigi | Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway | ||
| 2011 | Geffen Playhouse, Regional | |||
| 2012 | Harvey | Myrtle Mae Simmons | Studio 54, Broadway | |
| Bad Jews | Daphna | Roundabout Underground, Off-Broadway | ||
| 2013 | Laura Pels Theatre, Off-Broadway | |||
| 2014 | Lips Together, Teeth Apart | Chloe Haddock | Second Stage Theater, Off-Broadway | |
| 2015 | The Heidi Chronicles | Fran/Molly/Betsy/April | Music Box Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2016 | Noises Off | Poppy Norton-Taylor | American Airlines Theatre, Broadway | |
| 2016–2017 | Fingersmith | Sue Trinder | American Repertory Theater, Regional |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Isherwood, Charles (30 October 2012). "Tiny Space, Big Enough for Emotions". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 January 2013.
- ^ "Bad Jews Kvetching Over Good Soup Off-Broadway".
- ^ Company, Roundabout Theatre. "Interview with Tracee Chimo".
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "Orange Is the New Black's Tracee Chimo Stars In Off-Broadway Revival Bad Jews". 10 October 2013.
- ^ Piepenburg, Erik (14 August 2010). "An Actress Wielding a Dancer’s Intuition". The New York Times, p. C1.
- ^ Vincentelli, Elisaeth (October 14, 2009). "‘Mirror’ reflects well on cast". New York Post
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (July 30, 2015). "Wyatt Cenac, Alice Wetterlund, Luka Jones, Brian Huskey & More Join TBS' 'The Group'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
- ^ "Awards and Info Page for Bad Jews". Lortel Archives. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
- ^ "Outer Critics Circle Awards Nominations Announced". TheaterMania. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Miller, Gregory. "2013 Drama League Awards nominations announced". NY Post. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "StageSceneLA Announces Best Of 2010-2011 Awards! aka "The Scenies"". StageSceneLA. Steven Stanley. Retrieved 14 September 2011.
- ^ "The Clarence Derwent Award". Actor's Equity Association Website. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "NOMINATIONS FOR THE 2011 LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS". OffBroadway.com. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Mandell, Johnathan. "2010 Drama Desk Award Nominations". 2010 Drama Desk Award Winners. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ "Off-Broadway's Highest Honor". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on May 21, 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Healy, Patrick. "Lucille Lortel Nominees Announced". New York Times. Retrieved 5 September 2011.
- ^ Goldberg, Lesley. "Ray Liotta, Mamie Gummer Among David Milch 'Money' Cast Additions". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
- ^ "Billy Magnussen Joins HBO's 'The Money'; Rosemary Harris, Mamie Gummer, Ray Liotta To Recur". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
External links
[edit]- Tracee Chimo at the Internet Broadway Database
- Tracee Chimo at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
- Tracee Chimo at IMDb
Tracee Chimo
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Early life and education
Early life
Tracee Chimo Pallero was born Tracee Ann Chimo on May 23, 1979, in Saugus, Massachusetts, a small town north of Boston, to parents Deborah and Bruce Chimo.[6] Her mother, Deborah, of Irish and Italian Catholic ancestry, worked as a dance instructor, while her father, Bruce, is of Albanian Orthodox Christian descent.[7][8] The family's cultural influences blended Albanian heritage from her father with her mother's mixed European roots, alongside differing religious traditions of Orthodox Christianity and Catholicism.[7] From age three, Chimo received early exposure to dance through her mother's classes, igniting her initial aspiration to pursue a career as a professional dancer and choreographer.[8] Raised in Saugus alongside her younger brother, Kevin.[5]Education
Tracee Chimo originally planned to attend Emerson College on a full dance scholarship following her high school graduation, aspiring to a career in dance and choreography. However, during her senior year at Saugus High School in Massachusetts, she suffered a severe knee injury while performing a Bob Fosse number, tearing all ligaments and breaking a bone in her left knee, which doctors indicated would likely prevent her from dancing professionally again.[9][10] The injury derailed her scholarship opportunities and college plans, leading her to apply late to institutions that accepted submissions after standard deadlines.[11] Chimo enrolled at Salem State College (now Salem State University) as a late admission, initially intending to continue with dance studies despite the injury. Encouraged by friends, she auditioned for the theater department and shifted her focus to acting after discovering a passion for it during her first role. Due to her strong Boston accent, she initially faced challenges entering the BFA program but underwent private dialect training and was accepted the following semester.[10][8] Her college acting debut came in a production of Tennessee Williams's The Eccentricities of a Nightingale, where she portrayed Alma Winemiller, an experience she later described as feeling "like flying" and more fulfilling than dance.[9] Throughout her time at Salem State, Chimo built her early resume through auditions, minor performances, and involvement in the theater program, honing skills that prepared her for professional opportunities. She graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in theater.[12][8][11]Professional career
Theater career
Tracee Chimo made her Broadway debut in 2009, portraying Fanka Silberman in the play Irena's Vow, a World War II drama produced by The Directors Company at the Walter Kerr Theatre.[11] In 2010, Chimo gained early recognition in two Off-Broadway productions: she played the introspective teenager Lauren in Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation at Playwrights Horizons, where critics praised her for conveying emotional depth through subtle physicality and vulnerability.[2][13] Later that year, she originated the role of the volatile Regan in Leslye Headland's Bachelorette at Second Stage Theatre, earning acclaim for her portrayal of a character masking inner turmoil with sharp wit.[2] Chimo's breakout role came in 2012 with Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews at the Laura Pels Theatre, where she starred as the fiercely argumentative Daphna Feygenbaum, a performance that drew widespread critical favor for its intensity and humor, solidifying her reputation as a compelling stage presence.[14][15] That same year, she returned to Broadway as the optimistic Myrtle Mae Simmons in the revival of Mary Chase's Harvey at Studio 54, opposite Jim Parsons.[16][4] Chimo continued her Broadway work in subsequent years, taking an ensemble role in the 2015 revival of Wendy Wasserstein's The Heidi Chronicles at the Music Box Theatre, where she embodied multiple characters across decades, showcasing her range from quirky intellectuals to media figures.[17][18] In 2016, she appeared as the flustered stage manager Poppy Norton-Taylor in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of Michael Frayn's farce Noises Off at the American Airlines Theatre.[19][20] In 2023, she appeared as Saunders in a benefit reading of Noël Coward's Fallen Angels on Broadway.[21] Throughout her theater career, Chimo has been noted for her chameleonic versatility, transforming fluidly between roles with a dancer's physical intuition that infuses her performances with precise, expressive movement.[8][2][22]Television and film career
Tracee Chimo transitioned to screen acting following critical acclaim for her theater performances, particularly her breakout role as Daphna Feygenbaum in the 2012 Off-Broadway production of Bad Jews, which garnered attention from casting directors and opened doors to television and film opportunities.[23] Her ability to embody complex, often comedic characters in live settings translated effectively to the more structured demands of filmed mediums, allowing her to balance recurring stage work with on-screen projects while maintaining a base in New York.[8] Chimo had an early guest role as Chrissy Quinn on The Good Wife in 2013.[24] She followed this with early appearances, including as Dylan on I Just Want My Pants Back in 2012, before securing a recurring role as the inmate Neri Feldman on Orange Is the New Black from 2013 to 2019 across 13 episodes.[25] This role showcased her talent for dry humor and emotional depth in ensemble casts, leading to further television commitments such as the 17-episode arc as Nina Cummings on Madam Secretary (2014–2019) and a starring turn as the skeptical journalist Chelsea Healey on People of Earth (2016–2017), where she appeared in all 20 episodes.[24] In film, Chimo debuted with a supporting role as Margaret in The Five-Year Engagement (2012), a romantic comedy directed by Nicholas Stoller that highlighted her comedic timing alongside Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. She continued building her feature credits with a small but memorable part as Evelyn May in Clint Eastwood's Sully (2016), portraying a flight attendant in the biographical drama about pilot Chesley Sullenberger.[26] Her performance as the infertile friend Caroline in Tamara Jenkins' Private Life (2018), a Netflix-released dramedy exploring IVF struggles, further demonstrated her range in intimate, character-driven stories.[27] More recently, Chimo has taken on diverse guest roles that reflect her versatility across genres, including a recurring role as Gertrude Stein in the 2018 season of the National Geographic series Genius: Picasso, Betty Friedan in HBO Max's Julia (2022), where she embodied the feminist icon in a single episode focused on the author's activism, and Nikki's Sister in the limited series Dying for Sex (2025), a dramedy based on the real-life podcast, continuing her expansion into prestige television narratives. She has also had guest roles in series like Louie and The Good Wife. Throughout her screen career, Chimo has emphasized the challenges and rewards of adapting her physically expressive theater background to the precision of camera work, often crediting her dance training for informing subtle on-screen movements.[22]Personal life
Marriage
Tracee Chimo married camera technician Richard Pallero on September 6, 2018.[6] The couple met on the set of the TBS comedy series People of Earth (2016–2017), where Chimo portrayed Chelsea Healey and Pallero worked as part of the production team.[28] Following the marriage, Chimo began using the professional name Tracee Chimo Pallero in select credits, including theater productions and television appearances.[29] As of 2025, the couple has no children.[1]Residences
Tracee Chimo was born in Saugus, Massachusetts, a suburb north of Boston, where she maintains family roots that prompt occasional visits.[6] She relocated to New York City in 2001 to launch her performing arts career, initially focusing on dance before transitioning to acting.[2] By 2011, Chimo resided in a modest studio apartment in the city, as featured in a segment showcasing her living space amid her rising theater profile.[30] Her ongoing Broadway and Off-Broadway commitments have kept New York as a primary base for proximity to stage work.[3] To pursue television and film opportunities, Chimo has spent periods in Los Angeles, including an eight-month stint where she rented an apartment on Santa Monica Beach around 2012, though she described the experience as challenging due to the industry's emphasis on appearance and networking.[22][16] She later expressed no intention of repeating such an extended stay in the city.[23] This bicoastal pattern reflects the demands of her dual theater and screen career, with time divided between the East and West Coasts.[31] Following her 2018 marriage to cameraman Richard Pallero, whom she met on the set of People of Earth, Chimo has adapted her lifestyle to balance their schedules, continuing to split time between New York and Los Angeles without any announced permanent move as of 2025.[1][32]Awards and nominations
Theater awards
Tracee Chimo has garnered notable recognition for her stage work, particularly in off-Broadway productions, with awards highlighting her versatile and impactful performances. In 2010, Chimo received the Obie Award for Performance for her portrayal of Lauren in Circle Mirror Transformation at Playwrights Horizons. She was nominated for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for the same role.[33] The production's ensemble, including Chimo, also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for the same play.[34][35] The following year, in 2011, she was honored with the Clarence Derwent Award, presented by Actors' Equity Association, for Most Promising Female Performer, recognizing her emerging talent in works such as Bachelorette. She received a nomination for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play for Bachelorette.[36] Chimo's critically acclaimed turn as Daphna Feygenbaum in Joshua Harmon's Bad Jews at Roundabout Theatre Company's Laura Pels Theatre led to further accolades. She won the 2014 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play. For the same performance, she received nominations for the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play and the 2013 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance.[37][38][39][40]Other nominations
Chimo's contributions to television and film have earned critical notice, but as of 2025, she has not secured major award nominations in these areas, with her honors remaining centered on stage performances. For her role as Chelsea Healey in the TBS comedy series People of Earth (2016–2017), Chimo received praise for her portrayal of a quirky housewife grappling with alien abduction experiences, helping to bolster the show's reputation as a clever ensemble piece.[41] In film, Chimo's supporting turn as Irene in Private Life (2018), directed by Tamara Jenkins, contributed to the film's festival buzz and subsequent accolades for the screenplay, including nominations at the 2018 Gotham Awards and 2019 Independent Spirit Awards. Despite the film's recognition for its exploration of infertility and family dynamics, Chimo did not receive individual nods for her performance. This pattern underscores Chimo's emerging screen presence, built on the foundation of her theater success, though major industry awards beyond the stage have yet to materialize.[42]Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | The Five-Year Engagement | Margaret[3] |
| 2013 | He's Way More Famous Than You | Tracee[3] |
| 2013 | Gods Behaving Badly | River Styx[3] |
| 2013 | Concussion | Woman #2[3] |
| 2013 | Side Effects | Receptionist[43] |
| 2014 | Take Care | Rachel[3] |
| 2015 | Blackhat | Secretary[44] |
| 2016 | Sully | Evelyn May[45] |
| 2018 | Private Life | Caroline[46] |
| 2019 | The Sound of Silence | Hillary[3] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Louie | Dog Pound Volunteer | Episode: "Dogpound"[47] |
| 2012 | High Maintenance | Orly | Web series[1] |
| 2012 | I Just Want My Pants Back | Dylan | 1 episode |
| 2013 | The Good Wife | Chrissy Quinn | Episode: "Outside the Bubble" |
| 2013 | Black Box | Mackenzie | 2 episodes |
| 2013–2019 | Orange Is the New Black | Neri Feldman | Recurring role (13 episodes) |
| 2014 | The Money | Jane Mulvaney | TV pilot |
| 2015–2017 | Difficult People | Gaby | Recurring role (6 episodes) |
| 2016 | Royal Pains | Unknown | Guest role[42] |
| 2016–2017 | People of Earth | Chelsea Healey | Main role[48] |
| 2018 | Genius | Gertrude Stein | Recurring role (Genius: Picasso) |
| 2018 | Madam Secretary | Nina Cummings | 2 episodes[49] |
| 2020 | The Undoing | Rebecca Harkness | 1 episode[49] |
| 2022 | Julia | Betty Friedan | 1 episode[49] |
| 2025 | Dying for Sex | Nikki's Sister | Miniseries[50] |