Aida Turturro, born on September 25, 1962, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Janice Soprano on the critically acclaimed HBO series "The Sopranos." She was raised in Manhattan’s Lower East Side by a Sicilian mother and an Italian-American father who was an artist. Turturro comes from a family connected to the arts, including her cousins John Turturro and Nicholas Turturro, both actors.

After graduating from high school, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She began her acting career with small but memorable roles in films such as "True Love," "What About Bob?," and "Illuminata," and appeared in television shows and films steadily for over a decade before landing her breakout role on "The Sopranos."

Her role as Janice Soprano, Tony Soprano’s complex and often volatile sister, spanned from 2000 to 2007, earning her two nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Beyond "The Sopranos," she has guest-starred in numerous television series including "Medium," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Nurse Jackie," "Blue Bloods," and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

She also had recurring roles on "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" and "The Blacklist." Diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2001, she has been active in raising awareness about rheumatoid arthritis.