Biography
Tracee Chimo Pallero was born Tracee Ann Chimo to parents Deborah and Bruce Chimo, in a small town just north of Boston, Massachusetts called Saugus. She has Albanian, Irish, and Italian ancestry. Kevin Chimo is her younger brother.
Due to audience and critical acclaim in three dynamic and wonderfully diverse roles on the New York stage, the last several years have brought this young and extremely inspired actress much success.
Tracee first came on the scene in 2009 when she originated the role of a shy, lovable, 16 year old, mousy nerd named Lauren in Annie Baker's 'circle mirror transformation'. Her "Chaplin-like" physical comedy, mixed with her ability to break your heart, garnered her much praise in the industry and she quickly became the show's breakout star with the NY Times calling her, "a master of the comic-silent reaction."
After a much extended run at Playwrights Horizons, she went on to stun audiences and critics once again in Leslye Headland's dark comedy, 'Bachelorette'. Almost unrecognizable to audiences, Chimo transformed herself into the character, Reagan. A vicious, conniving, manipulative, drug addict who prowled the stage like a lioness about to pounce her prey.
From there she shot her first film, Judd Apatow's The Five-Year Engagement (2012), and spent some time living and working in Los Angeles, CA.
She wasn't there long. Shortly after making the move from NY to LA, she was called to star opposite Jim Parsons and Jessica Hecht in Roundabout Theatre Company's 2012 production of 'Harvey' on Broadway at Studio 54. Tracee was once again playing against type and very well received as the buoyantly love hungry Myrtle Mae Simmons.
However the role that would soon change her career came immediately after 'Harvey' closed it's doors. She was cast as Daphna Feygenbaum, the antagonist in Roundabout's wildly dark and funny new play 'Bad Jews'. After her 4 month starring turn as this unapologetic and shockingly loyal traditionalist, she's since gone on to shoot more films, and had a major role on Netflix's hit show 'Orange is the New Black' in which she recurred as the earthy-crunchy, Neri Feldman.
She wrapped filming on 'The Good Wife' and starred in the remount of 'Bad Jews' which, due to its incredibly successful first run, was transferred to the beautiful Laura Pels Theatre in New York City.
Tracee Chimo the recent recipient of the 2013 Rising Star Award, and was nominated for Outer Critic's Circle and Drama League Awards for her performance in 'Bad Jews'. Other awards include the 2011 Clarence Derwent Award for 'Most Promising Actress in New York', a 2010 Drama Desk Award, OBIE Award, and two Lucille Lortel nominations in the 'Best Actress' category for her exquisitely unique work.
