"I am from The Bronx. When you hear the "cops" and none of your guys are down, you run."
"If I could have man-love for another man's body, it would be for Jimmy Madio."
James "Jimmy" Madio (born November 22nd 1975 in The Bronx, New York) is an American actor from The Bronx, New York. He got his start as a child actor, playing a Lost Boy called Don't Ask in Steven Spielberg's Hook and Dustin Hoffman's son in the film Hero. He continued acting into adulthood with roles in The Basketball Diaries, Jersey Boys, Kick-Ass and Love Lies Bleeding, among other independent films. He's perhaps best known for playing Bobby "Lazz" Lazzarini on the sitcom USA High or as Frank Perconte in Band of Brothers. He's also done voiceover work for he Call of Duty video games, as well as writing, producing and directing numerous projects.
In 2011 when interviews were done to commemorate the ten year anniversary of Band of Brothers, he enjoyed a surge in notoriety - as his fellow cast members seemed to have endless stories about him on set, making him something of a Memetic Badass. It should come as no surprise that he's still good friends with most of them to this day.
Also has a Twitter account
"Madio's Gonna Trope Ya":
- Actually Pretty Funny:
- On his first day of boot camp, he went up to Capt Dale Dye (on the bad advice of Donnie Wahlberg) and said "Hey general, I got this problem with my gun here"note . In a real military situation, this would be a serious offence (and he was given lots of push-ups to do as punishment). Capt Dye describes himself leaving another officer to discipline him and - as soon as he was out of earshot - broke down in a fit of hysterical laughter.
- He has this reaction to all the stories told about him on the set. When talking about the Dale Dye one above, he says as much about the prank Donnie Wahlberg set up on him.
- Ascended Extra: His role as Frank Perconte was originally much smaller. However his performance impressed the writers enough to give him more lines. He's featured quite prominently in the ninth episode as a result.
- Bar Brawl: Plenty of his cast members mentioned an infamous one in Soho during Band of Brothers. According to the man himself, a drink got spilled on a girl. He went downstairs to apologise to her infuriated friends, but Neal McDonough mistakenly thought he was being attacked and rallied the rest of the cast. Police had to be called but he had already disappeared by the time they got there, and he was already back in his hotel room by the time they could call him.
- Big Applesauce: Has a very distinctive Bronx accent. He said that his parents were told it would limit the roles he could get when he first got into acting. Ironically his best known role has him playing a Chicago native (though with the accent).
- Brooklyn Rage: Tends to come up in a few roles. Averted in real life, according to colleagues. Though many of them do joke that he spent most of his childhood dodging cops in The Bronx.
- Canine Companion: Is a dog lover.
- The Chew Toy: There are plenty of stories of the military advisors setting him up to get pranked on the set of Band of Brothers.
- Even the Guys Want Him: As detailed in the page quote by Damian Lewis.
- Everyone Has Standards: Said of two of his famous BOB pranks - the gift giving in trailers and biting Neal McDonough on the chest - he would only defecate in the toilet itself and not on the seat (out of respect for the teamsters who'd have to clean it up) and he would not bite a man on his chest if he was shirtless.
- Expy: His character Lazz in USA High was one of Screech from Saved by the Bell.
- Former Child Star: Averted. He began acting as a teenager but enjoyed more success in adulthood. His best remembered roles are from when he was in his mid-twenties.
- Fragile Speedster: Got a reputation as such. He jokes that he had plenty of experience running around the Bronx as a child.
- Genki Guy: In real life. Plays this type of character from time to time as well.
- The Glomp: Is shown giving one to Eion Bailey during the "Ron Livingston Video Diaries".
- Happily Married: He sent out a Tweet in favour of legalising gay marriage - saying "my wife is my everything."
- Heterosexual Life-Partners: With his BOB co-stars Rick Gomez (George Luz), Neal McDonough (Buck Compton), Frank John Hughes (Bill Guarnere) and Ross McCall (Joe Liebgott).
- The Heart: By all accounts, he was this on the set of Band of Brothers. David Schwimmer said he would have loved to have made friends with him during filming note .
- Intergenerational Friendship: Remained close friends with the real Frank Perconte after BOB. Also with Capt Dale Dye, who's about thirty years older than him. If a ten-year gap counts then Neal McDonough is this too.
- The Mafia: He's played this kind of role once or twice.
- The Napoleon: Plays one in a Film Within a Film in Applebox.
- Nice Guy: Ask anyone who's ever worked with him. If they don't tell a
Memetic Badass story, they'll probably mention how nice he was. - Older Than They Look: Certainly doesn't look like he's in his 40s.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Referred to as "Jimmy" by most of his colleagues.
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: At 5'5", look at those arms.
- The Prankster: Again on the BOB set. Highlights include taking dumps in everyone's trailers and turning the heat up, allowing the smell to spread.
- Production Posse: The film The Week alongside Rick Gomez, Frank John Hughes and Richard Speight Jr.. All of them also appear in James's short Applebox.
- Refuge in Audacity: See the Actually Pretty Funny example above.
- Scully Box: Parodied in his short film Applebox.
- Self-Deprecation: In the short Applebox he plays an actor sensitive about his height and requires a Scully Box to stand on in his scenes. What's more is that he directed the film. Also once joked "everyone's taller than me."
- Shirtless Scene: In a few of his roles. He went a full step further in Love Lies Bleeding and had a nude scene.
- Tiny Schoolboy: Played this role early in his career.
