Talia Shire


Talia Rose Shire is an American actress and member of the Coppola family. She is best known for her roles as Connie Corleone in The Godfather trilogy and Adrian Pennino Balboa in the Rocky series. For her work in The Godfather Part II and Rocky, Shire was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress, respectively, and for the Golden Globe [Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama|Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama] for her role in Rocky.

Early life and family

Shire was born Talia Rose Coppola in the Woodside section of Queens, New York, in 1946. Her paternal grandparents came to the United States from Bernalda, Basilicata. Her maternal grandfather, popular Italian composer Francesco Pennino, emigrated from Naples, Italy.
Shire is the only daughter of Italia and arranger/composer Carmine Coppola. She is the sister of director/producer Francis Ford Coppola and academic August Coppola, the aunt of actor Nicolas Cage and director Sofia Coppola, and the niece of composer and conductor Anton Coppola.
Her family moved to Lake Success, Long Island, New York, where she lived during her high school years.
She has three children. Her son Matthew Orlando Shire, an accomplished TV writer and film producer, is from her first marriage, to composer David Shire. Her other sons, actors/musicians Jason and Robert, are from her second marriage, to film producer Jack Schwartzman.

Career

Shire portrayed Connie Corleone in The Godfather and its sequels and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in The Godfather Part II. For her portrayal of Adrianna Pennino, the love interest of Rocky Balboa in Rocky, she won the New York Film [Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress], the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, and was nominated for both the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama and the Academy Award for Best Actress. In addition to reprising her Adrianna Pennino role in four Rocky sequels, Shire has appeared in such films as Kiss the Bride, I Heart Huckabees, and Homo Erectus.

Filmography

YearTitleRoleNotes
1968The Wild Racers1st GirlfriendAs Talia Coppola
1970The Dunwich HorrorNurse CoraCredited as Talia Coppola
1970The ButchersSandyCredited as Talia Coppola
1971Gas-s-s-sCoraleeCredited as Talia Coppola
1971The Christian Licorice StoreLast Party GuestCredited as Talia Coppola
1972The GodfatherConnie Corleone
1972The Outside ManMake-Up Girl
1974The Godfather Part IIConnie Corleone
1976RockyAdrianna "Adrian" Pennino
1979Old BoyfriendsDianne Cruise
1979ProphecyMaggie Verne
1979Rocky IIAdrianna "Adrian" Pennino
1980WindowsEmily Hollander
1982Rocky IIIAdrianna "Adrian" Balboa
1985Rocky IVAdrianna "Adrian" Balboa
1986RadMrs. Jones
1986Hyper Sapien: People from Another StarDr. Tedra Rosen
1989New York StoriesCharlotteSegment: Life Without Zoe
1990Rocky VAdrianna "Adrian" Balboa
1990The Godfather Part IIIConnie Corleone
1991Cold HeavenSister Martha
1992Bed & BreakfastClaire
1993DeadfallSam
1997A River Made to Drown InJaime's Mother
1997She's So LovelyRestaurant OwnerUncredited
1998Divorce: A Contemporary WesternLacey
1998Can I Play?RobertShort film
1998Caminho dos SonhosIda Stern
1998The LandladyMelanie Leroy
1999Lured InnocenceMartha Chambers
1999Palmer's Pick UpMr. Price
1999The Black and the WhiteTulip Clayton
2000The VisitParole Board Member Marilyn
2001The Whole ShebangCountess Bazinni
2002Kiss the BrideIrena Sposato
2003Family TreePatriciaShort film
2003DunsmoreMildred Green
2004I Heart HuckabeesMrs. Silver
2005PomegranateAunt Sophia
2006Rocky BalboaAdrianna "Adrian" BalboaArchival footage
2007Homo ErectusIshbo's Mother
2008Looking for PalladinRosario
2008Dim Sum FuneralViola Gruber
2008My Father's Willaka My Secret Billionaire
2009The DeportedDina
2010MinkowCarole Minkow
2010Scratching the SurfaceMrs. Shifman
2011The Return of Joe RichGloria Neiderman
2013Palo AltoMrs. Ganem
2016DreamlandVictoria
2019Working ManIola Parkes
2024MegalopolisConstance Crassus Catilina
2025NonnasTeresa
TBAThat's Amore! Post-production

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResult
1974Academy AwardBest Supporting ActressThe Godfather Part IINomitated
1976Academy AwardBest ActressRockyNomitated
1976Golden Globe AwardBest Actress - Motion Picture DramaRockyNomitated
1976New York Film Critics CircleBest Supporting ActressRockyWon
1976National Society of Film CriticsBest Supporting ActressRocky
1976National Board of ReviewBest Supporting ActressRockyWon-