Tracee Chimo Pallero (born 1979) is an American stage, television and film actress who became an arts critic favorite after her 2012 breakout role as Daphna Feygenbaum, the antagonist in Joshua Harmon’s hit dark comedy Bad Jews.
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 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). She splits her time between living in Los Angeles and New York City.
Career 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."Piepenburg, Erik (14 August 2010). "An Actress Wielding a Dancer’s Intuition". The New York Times, p. C1. 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."Vincentelli, Elisaeth (October 14, 2009). "‘Mirror’ reflects well on cast". New York Post
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."
In 2016, TBS premiered the TV comedy series People of Earth, on which Chimo plays Chelsea Healey.
Awards and nominations 2014 Lucille Lortel Win for "Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play" for Bad Jews
2013 Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress - Bad Jews
2013 Drama League Award nomination for "Distinguished Performance - Bad Jews
2013 Rising Star Award - Winner from the Salem State University Alumni Association
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
2011 Clarence Derwent Award on June 14 for "Most Promising Actress in New York City"
2011 Lucille Lortel Nomination for "Outstanding Lead Actress" in Bachelorette
2010 Drama Desk Award for "Outstanding Ensemble Performance" in Circle Mirror Transformation
2010 Obie Award for Circle Mirror Transformation
2010 Lucille Lortel Nomination for "Outstanding Featured Actress" in Circle Mirror Transformation
Filmography Film YearTitleRole2012Margaret2013He's Way More Famous Than YouTracee2013Gods Behaving BadlyRiver Styx2013ConcussionWoman #22013Side EffectsReceptionist2013Take CareRachel2014CyberSecretary2016SullyEvelyn May
Television YearTitleRole Notes2010Guiding LightJamie Collick2010LouieDog Pound VolunteerEpisode: "Dogpound"2011Inside the Actor’s Studio ApartmentActress2012First Dates with Toby HarrisMichelleEpisode: "Movies"2012I Just Want My Pants BackDylan2013–2019Orange Is the New BlackNeri Feldmanrecurring role2013The Good WifeChrissy QuinnEpisode: "Outside the Bubble"2014The MoneyJane Mulvaney Pilot2013Black BoxMackenzie Teller5 episodes2014Royal PainsLaurenEpisode: "Oh, M.G."2015High MaintenanceOrlyEpisode: "Esme"2015–2017Difficult PeopleGaby6 episodes2016–2017People of EarthChelsea Healey10 episodes2018–2019Madam SecretaryNina Cummings2018GeniusGertrude Stein2020The UndoingRebecca Harkness
Theatre Year Play Role Theatre Notes 2006 After Ashley Julie Bell Philadelphia Theatre Company, Regional 2007 Guilty Lindsey Acorn Theater, Off-Broadway2008 All Hail Hurricane Gordo India Actors Theatre of Louisville, Regional Vendetta Chrome Tallulah Clubbed Thumb, Off-Off-Broadway Irena’s VowFanka Silberman Rose Nagelberg Theatre, Off-Broadway2009 Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway Circle Mirror Transformation Lauren Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway 2010 Bachelorette Regan Second Stage Theatre, Off-BroadwayThe Break of NoonJenny/Gigi Lucille Lortel Theatre, Off-Broadway 2011 Geffen Playhouse, Regional2012 Harvey Myrtle Mae Simmons Studio 54, Broadway Bad JewsDaphna 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
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