Vanessa Ferlito, born December 28, 1977, is an American actress from Brooklyn, New York. She is best known for her television roles in CSI: NY, Graceland, and NCIS: New Orleans.
Her career spans over two decades of film and television work, including a 2024 appearance alongside Sofia Vergara in Netflix’s Griselda.
Who is Vanessa Ferlito?
Vanessa Ferlito is an American actress of Italian descent, born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She began her entertainment career as a teenage model before transitioning to acting in 2001.
Her IMDb profile documents a career that includes major network dramas, feature films, and recent streaming series on Netflix and Max.
Ferlito played Detective Aiden Burn on CBS’s CSI: NY for its first two seasons starting in 2004.
She later starred as FBI Agent Charlie DeMarco in the USA Network series Graceland from 2013 to 2015. From 2016 to 2021, she played Special Agent Tammy Gregorio across all seven seasons of NCIS: New Orleans, opposite Scott Bakula.
She is also a single mother to her son Vince Ferlito, born in September 2007.
Early Life of Vanessa Ferlito
Vanessa Ferlito was born on December 28, 1977, in Brooklyn, New York, into an Italian-American family. Her father died of a heroin overdose when she was just two years old.
Her mother later remarried, and her mother and stepfather owned and operated a hair salon in Brooklyn. Vanessa spent much of her childhood helping her mother in the salon.
Her Brooklyn upbringing gave her a grounded, street-smart quality that later defined many of her on-screen characters.
Before pursuing acting, Ferlito worked as a model for Wilhelmina Models and became a well-known presence in the New York City club scene during the 1990s. Her original ambition was to become a professional singer, but she eventually turned her focus to acting.
Vanessa Ferlito Age
Vanessa Ferlito is 48 years old as of June 11, 2026, born on December 28, 1977.
Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
In 2024, she appeared in the Netflix miniseries Griselda alongside Sofia Vergara, one of her most high-profile roles in recent years.
Vanessa Ferlito Ethnicity and Nationality
Vanessa Ferlito holds American nationality, born in Brooklyn, New York.
Her ethnic background is Italian-American, a heritage she has referenced publicly across multiple interviews.
She grew up in Brooklyn, a borough with a strong Italian-American community, and her background directly influenced the resilient characters she has portrayed throughout her career.
Vanessa Ferlito Height and Weight
Vanessa Ferlito stands at 5 feet 6 inches, which equals 1.68 meters.
Her weight is reported at approximately 52 kg, which is around 115 lbs.
Her athletic build and commanding screen presence have made her well suited for physically demanding roles in crime dramas and thrillers throughout her career.
Vanessa Ferlito Education
Vanessa Ferlito attended a private high school in her hometown of Brooklyn. Specific details about higher education are not publicly confirmed.
Her real-world performing arts education began through modeling work at Wilhelmina Models during her teens. That foundation gave her early experience in front of cameras and in front of audiences.
She broke into the entertainment industry through a series of auditions and guest appearances rather than through a formal drama school.
Vanessa Ferlito Career
Breakthrough Role: Career Start
Vanessa Ferlito made her screen debut in 2001 with a guest appearance as Tina Francesco in a season-three episode of HBO’s The Sopranos. The following year, she appeared in Spike Lee’s drama 25th Hour (2002) alongside Edward Norton.
In 2003, she earned an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a TV movie for her role as Lizette Sanchez in the boxing drama Undefeated.
That same year, she joined FOX’s thriller series 24 as the recurring character Claudia Hernandez in season three.
Notable Films and Projects
Her big-screen profile grew with a supporting role in Spider-Man 2 (2004), one of the biggest films of that year. Also in 2004, she joined the cast of CBS’s CSI: NY as Detective Aiden Burn, a role she held through the first two seasons.
In 2007, she starred in Quentin Tarantino’s exploitation horror film Death Proof, playing Arlene. The film formed one half of the double feature Grindhouse.
She went on to appear in several films including Nothing Like the Holidays (2008), Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail (2009), Julie & Julia (2009) alongside Amy Adams and Meryl Streep, and Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) directed by Oliver Stone.
Graceland and NCIS: New Orleans
In 2013, Ferlito landed the series regular role of FBI Agent Catherine “Charlie” DeMarco on the USA Network crime drama Graceland. The show ran for three seasons, ending in 2015.
In 2016, she joined CBS’s NCIS: New Orleans as Special Agent Tammy Gregorio in season three. She remained with the show through its seventh and final season in 2021, appearing in all subsequent episodes alongside series lead Scott Bakula.
NCIS: New Orleans ran for seven seasons on CBS, making Ferlito one of the show’s longest-serving cast members.
Recent Work
In 2023, Ferlito joined the Max comedy series Bookie as a series regular, playing Lorraine Colavito. The show, created by Chuck Lorre and Nick Bakay, starred Sebastian Maniscalco. Max renewed Bookie for a second season in January 2024, which premiered in December 2024 before the series was canceled in February 2025.
In 2024, she appeared in the Netflix biographical crime drama miniseries Griselda opposite Sofia Vergara. Ferlito played Carmen Gutiérrez, a former associate of Colombian drug lord Griselda Blanco.
Griselda premiered on Netflix in January 2024 and became one of the platform’s most watched miniseries of that year.
Vanessa Ferlito Filmography
Selected film and television credits include:
- The Sopranos (2001) — guest role as Tina Francesco
- 25th Hour (2002) — Spike Lee film
- Undefeated (2003) — NAACP-nominated role as Lizette Sanchez
- 24 (2003) — recurring role as Claudia Hernandez
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) — supporting role
- CSI: NY (2004–2006) — Detective Aiden Burn
- Death Proof (2007) — Arlene
- Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)
- Julie & Julia (2009) — with Amy Adams
- Madea Goes to Jail (2009)
- Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010)
- Stand Up Guys (2012)
- Graceland (2013–2015) — FBI Agent Charlie DeMarco
- NCIS: New Orleans (2016–2021) — Special Agent Tammy Gregorio
- Bookie (2023–2025) — Lorraine Colavito
- Griselda (2024) — Carmen Gutiérrez
Vanessa Ferlito Awards and Recognition
In 2003, Ferlito received an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a TV movie for her performance in Undefeated. The nomination marked an early signal of her dramatic range.
Her role as Detective Aiden Burn in CSI: NY brought her widespread recognition among crime drama audiences.
Her sustained presence across major network series including 24, Graceland, and NCIS: New Orleans reflects consistent recognition from casting directors and showrunners across more than two decades.
Vanessa Ferlito Son
Vanessa Ferlito is a single mother to her son, Vince Ferlito, born on September 21, 2007. She has chosen not to publicly identify Vince’s father.
Ferlito has spoken openly about raising Vince on her own and has described him as a central part of her life. The two have appeared together in photos she has shared on social media over the years.
Vince is named in her IMDb biography, making him one of the few personal details she has confirmed publicly about her family life.
Vanessa Ferlito Net Worth
Vanessa Ferlito’s estimated net worth is $2.5 million as of 2026. Her income derives primarily from her long-running roles in network television, including seven seasons of NCIS: New Orleans and three seasons of Graceland.
Her earnings also include film roles, brand endorsements, and her modeling career at Wilhelmina Models earlier in her life.
Her recent streaming work on Max’s Bookie and Netflix’s Griselda has extended her earning profile into the streaming era of television.
Vanessa Ferlito Social Media
Vanessa Ferlito maintains a presence on social media, though she keeps her personal accounts relatively low-profile. Her fan community runs several dedicated pages tracking her projects and appearances.
She is active on Instagram, where her verified fan-tracked account posts updates about her shows and appearances. Her personal Instagram presence has been kept private in recent years.
Her career activity is most reliably tracked through her IMDb page and official project announcements from CBS, Netflix, and Max.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Vanessa Ferlito’s net worth?
Vanessa Ferlito’s estimated net worth is $2.5 million, built primarily through two decades of major television roles.
How old is Vanessa Ferlito?
Vanessa Ferlito is 48 years old as of June 11, 2026, born on December 28, 1977, in Brooklyn, New York.
Who is Vanessa Ferlito dating or married to?
Vanessa Ferlito is not married and her current relationship status is not publicly confirmed. She is a single mother to her son Vince.
What is Vanessa Ferlito’s height?
Vanessa Ferlito stands at 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 meters) tall.
What movies and projects has Vanessa Ferlito been in?
Her most recognized projects include CSI: NY, Graceland, NCIS: New Orleans, Death Proof (2007), and the 2024 Netflix miniseries Griselda opposite Sofia Vergara.
Where was Vanessa Ferlito born?
Vanessa Ferlito was born in Brooklyn, New York, and grew up there before moving to Los Angeles for her acting career.
The Bottom Line
Vanessa Ferlito joined CBS’s NCIS: New Orleans in 2016 as Special Agent Tammy Gregorio and stayed with the show through all seven seasons until 2021, becoming one of its most recognized faces.
She grew up in Brooklyn after losing her father at age two, an early hardship that shaped the resilient and intensely grounded characters she has portrayed across her career.
Her 2024 appearance in Netflix’s Griselda alongside Sofia Vergara introduced her to a new global streaming audience. Her career remains active more than two decades after her debut on The Sopranos in 2001.
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