Anecdotes

Gained a world record 70 pounds (30 kilos) for his role in Full Metal Jacket (1987).

"I want you to be big -- Lon Chaney big," Stanley Kubrick informed D'Onofrio during the filming of Full Metal Jacket (1987).

Daughter: Leila George, born March 20, 1992. Her mother is actress Greta Scacchi.

One of the founders of the River Run Film Festival (Winston-Salem, North Carolina), along with his sister, Elizabeth D'Onofrio, and their father, Gene D'Onofrio.

Despite playing his character's nemesis in Full Metal Jacket (1987) D'Onofrio was in fact very respected in real life by the late R. Lee Ermey who played Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. Ermey said D'Onofrio's performance of Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence was the best performance in the entire film.

Renée Zellweger thanked him in her Oscar acceptance speech when she won 'Best Actress in a Supporting Role' for Retour à Cold Mountain (2003).

Gained 45 pounds (20 kilos) for his role in Salton Sea (2002).

Unhappy with his impression of Orson Welles, director Tim Burton had D'Onofrio's voice dubbed, in the film Ed Wood (1994). The near perfect Orson Welles impression was supplied by voice-over artist Maurice LaMarche.

Ex father-in-law of Sean Penn.

Last name is pronounced Don-off-ree-o.

Played the character of "Bill Newman" in both JFK (1991) and Malcolm X (1992).

Lives in New York to be with his family and for the filming of New York - Section criminelle (2001). (2002)

He is one of a few actors to have worked with both Stanley Kubrick and Robert Altman - along with Matthew Modine, Sydney Pollack, and Malcolm McDowell.

Vincent's sister, actress Elizabeth D'Onofrio, teaches acting in Asheville, North Carolina.

Has played Orson Welles in two different, unrelated productions: Ed Wood (1994) and Five Minutes, Mr. Welles (2005).

Sons: Elias Gene D'Onofrio, born in December 1999. Luka D'Onofrio, born on February 14, 2008. Their mother is Carin van der Donk.

He bleached his hair blond for his part in Nuit de folie (1987).

Coincidentally, he played Moriarty in the TV movie Sherlock (2002) while he starred as Robert Goren in New York - Section criminelle (2001), whose character is based on Sherlock Holmes.

Was considered for the role of Knuckles in Space Commando (1991).

Uncle of Hawk D'Onofrio. Hawk is the son of Vincent's older sister, Elizabeth D'Onofrio.

Was the first choice for the role of Martin Brundle in La Mouche 2 (1989) and was nearly cast for the part but his screen tests didn't go well. He was born the same year that Le Retour de la mouche (1959) was released and he has the same first name as Vincent Price who appeared in La Mouche noire (1958).