PHOTOSThe 17 Best Staten Island References in Pop Culture
It may be known as the "forgotten borough" of New York City, but Staten Island has had a major influence on pop culture. Lots of movies and TV shows have been set there over the years, and in honor of TVGN's new reality show Mother of All Talent, it's time to celebrate the little island!
TVGN's new reality show Mother of All Talent is the story of a mother-daughter talent agency on Staten Island that tries to find gifted kids (and then has to deal with their crazy parents!). Catch it Tuesdays at 8 and 8:30 PM ET/PT.
The ladies of Sex and the City spent an episode traveling back and forth to Staten Island on that unmistakable orange ferry.
The classic mob movie Goodfellas filmed all over New York City, including some key scenes in Staten Island.
Robert DeNiro and Billy Crystal were on the top of their game in Analyze This, about a mob guy and his psychiatrist.
Karen Gravano, the daughter of an underboss in the Gambino family, starred on Mob Wives and wrote a book about her experience with the mafia, Mob Daughter: The Mafia, Sammy "The Bull" Gravano, and Me!.
The movie Big Daddy ends memorably on Adam Sandler's surprise birthday party at a Hooters in Staten Island.
Vinny Guadagnino set his Jersey Shore spin-off talk show, The Show with Vinny in his childhood house in Staten Island.
The memorable opening of Working Girl shows Staten Island gal Tess (played by Melanie Griffith) riding the ferry to work on Wall Street.
Staten Island gave us Big Ang of Mob Wives, and for that we are very thankful. She owns a bar on the island, the Drunken Monkey.
The critically acclaimed film Scent of a Woman is filmed throughout New York and New Jersey, including on the south shore of Staten Island.
The famous wedding scene in The Godfather takes place at the mansion home of the Corleone family, which still stands as a family estate in Staten Island.
Part of the rough-and-tumble charm of Dr. Danny Castellano on The Mindy Project comes from his working class childhood on Staten Island.
The little 2009 crime drama Staten Island was the story of a mob boss, a septic tank cleaner, and a deli worker—so pretty much the most stereotypically SI gang you can have.
Tracy DiMarco of Jerseylicious gave up her NJ hometown to settle in Staten Island.
The unfortunate introduction to Staten Island for many young MTV viewers was the hilarious True Life: I'm Getting Married episode, which featured a couple who threatened murder on vendors who wronged them.
Another True Life gem focused on three girls as they struggled to escape the borough and live their dreams. One aspiring actress memorably fought to eliminate her SI accent with help from a vocal coach.
There's more excitement in Staten Island's future: New York just approved a plan to build the tallest ferris wheel on SI, which will feature amazing views of the NYC skyline and Statue of Liberty.
