James Russo

Russo was born in New York City, New York, to an Italian father and German mother. A graduate of the High School of Art and Design and New York University (NYU), he wrote and starred in the prize-winning short film The Candy Store. Before his first break in acting, he drove for a cab company, worked as a construction worker and a gravedigger. He was raised in Flushing, New York and spent his formative years on 156th Street.Russo's first role in his acting career was in the 1981 made-for-television film Chicago Story. He then went on to star in many hit films of the 1980s.

His big break came in the form of a small role in the 1982 comedy film Fast Times at Ridgemont High, as a convenience store robber. In 1984, he appeared in Beverly Hills Cop as Mikey Tandino, a friend of Axel Foley who is murdered. That same year he starred in The Cotton Club and played small-time hood Bugsy in Sergio Leone's Once Upon a Time in America. Another major role was as a brutal rapist in the 1986 drama Extremities, opposite Farrah Fawcett. He starred in the 1988 drama-suspense-thriller film Freeway.

Russo's film roles in the 1990s include State of Grace (1990), A Kiss Before Dying (1991), and My Own Private Idaho (1991). Russo was a co-lead in Abel Ferrara's Dangerous Game (1993) alongside Madonna and Harvey Keitel. He also had roles in the 1994 Western Bad Girls, the 1997 films The Postman, and Donnie Brasco. In 2009 he had a small role in Michael Mann's Public Enemies as a member of John Dillinger's gang.

In 2003, Russo was reunited with his co-star from The Postman, Kevin Costner, in the Western film Open Range. He made guest appearances in many TV dramas and films, including The Equalizer, Miami Vice, CSI, CSI: Miami, and Las Vegas.

In the summer of 2009, Russo starred in the psychological thriller 7E with Brendan Sexton III, John Savage and Natasha Lyonne. The film was released on December 10, 2013. Russo had a supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's 2012 film Django Unchained.

In 2011, Russo provided video game voice talent for Rage and provided additional voice work for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

He appeared on Bastille's music video for "Of the Night".

In 2024, he appeared in frequent collaborator Kevin Costner’s latest project, Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1 as store owner Abel Naughton.