Trivia

Received a B.A. in English Literature from Yale University, Class of 1994.

His paternal grandfather was Italian sculptor Costantino Nivola, and his paternal grandmother, Ruth Guggenheim, was a German Jewish refugee. His mother is of British Isles ancestry.

Attended Phillips Exeter Academy high school.

He and actress Embeth Davidtz played brother and sister in Mansfield Park (1999) and husband and wife in Junebug (2005).

His father, Pietro, is a senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.

Son, Sam Nivola (Samuel John Nivola) (born September 26, 2003) and daughter, May Nivola (May Nivola) (born January 15, 2010) with Emily Mortimer.

Also a fine football (soccer for Americans) player and represented the "Rest of the World" in a charity match against England. The charity Unicef was the beneficiary. Other players included celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, sprinter Ben Johnson, Patrick Keilty, Brian McFadden and ex Formula 1 driver Eddie Irvine (all RotW) and Robbie Williams, Jonathan Wilkes, David Grey, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Angus Deaton (England).

Played in bands all through high school and college.

Son-in-law of writer John Mortimer.

Is a huge soccer fan.

Older brother of Adrian Nivola, who also went to Yale.