Peter Facinelli Biography, Age, Wife, Children, Career and Net Worth

Peter Facinelli is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter best known for playing Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight film franchise and Dr. Fitch Cooper in the television comedy-drama Nurse Jackie. With a career spanning more than three decades, he has worked across independent films, major Hollywood productions, television dramas, and comedy series.

Born in Queens, New York, Facinelli developed an interest in acting at a young age and pursued professional training before making his screen debut in the mid-1990s. His performances in Can’t Hardly Wait, The Scorpion King, Fastlane, and Damages helped establish his career before Twilight introduced him to a much wider international audience.

Beyond acting, Facinelli has expanded into writing, directing, and producing through his production company. His personal life has also attracted public interest, particularly his former marriage to actress Jennie Garth, with whom he shares three daughters, and his relationship with actress Lily Anne Harrison, with whom he has a son.

Early Life and Background

Peter Facinelli was born on November 26, 1973, in Queens, New York City, United States. He grew up in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens in a family with Italian roots. His parents, Bruna Facinelli, whose maiden name was Reich, and Pierino Facinelli, were Italian immigrants originally from the Trentino region of northern Italy.

His father worked as a waiter, and his parents raised their family in a Catholic household. Facinelli is the youngest of four children and has three sisters.

Growing up in New York exposed him to a diverse cultural environment and gave him access to the city’s performing arts community. Although acting was not his family’s primary profession, he developed an interest in performance and eventually decided to pursue it professionally.

His Italian-American background and Catholic upbringing have been mentioned in biographical profiles. Facinelli later obtained Italian citizenship through his family heritage, adding another connection to his parents’ country of origin.

Rather than following a conventional career path, he committed himself to acting training and auditions. His early determination helped him secure film and television roles soon after completing his initial studies.

Education and Early Interests

Facinelli attended St. Francis Preparatory School in Fresh Meadows, Queens. After high school, he enrolled at St. John’s University in New York but left after approximately one year to focus on acting.

He continued his training at the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School in New York City, where he studied under experienced performers and teachers, including William H. Macy, Felicity Huffman, Giancarlo Esposito, and Camryn Manheim, according to his biographical profile on IMDb.

His official biography also identifies training at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Available biographies differ in how they describe his educational path, so the precise sequence and extent of his university attendance should be treated carefully.

The Atlantic Theater Company provided a practical foundation in acting, helping him develop his understanding of character, dialogue, and performance. His training prepared him for the range of emotionally demanding and physically varied roles that followed.

Facinelli’s decision to prioritize professional acting over a traditional university degree proved significant. Within a few years, he had begun appearing in television films and independent features, establishing the foundation for a sustained entertainment career.

Acting Career and Breakthrough

Facinelli began his screen career in 1995 with appearances in Angela, directed by Rebecca Miller, and the television film The Price of Love. These early projects gave him opportunities to work with established performers and demonstrate his ability to handle dramatic material.

In 1996, he appeared in An Unfinished Affair, a television movie in which he met actress Jennie Garth, who later became his first wife. He continued to take on varied roles in independent films and television productions, including After Jimmy and Calm at Sunset.

One of his early feature-film successes came with the 1998 teen comedy Can’t Hardly Wait. He played Mike Dexter, a popular high school student whose romantic and social plans become complicated during a graduation party. The film developed a lasting following and helped raise Facinelli’s profile among younger audiences.

He followed that performance with roles in films such as The Big Kahuna (1999), Supernova (2000), and Riding in Cars with Boys (2001). In The Big Kahuna, he appeared alongside Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito, while Riding in Cars with Boys featured Drew Barrymore.

In 2002, Facinelli played Donovan “Van” Ray in the Fox action-crime series Fastlane. The show followed two unconventional police officers working undercover, and Facinelli’s role gave him a prominent position in a network television production. Although the series ended after one season, it expanded his experience as a television lead.

He later appeared in HBO’s Six Feet Under and FX’s legal drama Damages. His performance in Damages as Gregory Malina, a consultant caught up in a corporate legal scandal, demonstrated his ability to play complex characters in serious television dramas.

Facinelli reached a new level of international recognition in 2008 when he was cast as Dr. Carlisle Cullen in Twilight. Carlisle is the compassionate patriarch of the Cullen vampire family and a doctor who tries to maintain his humanity despite his supernatural existence.

Facinelli reprised the role in The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009), Eclipse (2010), Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011), and Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012). The franchise attracted a large global audience and became one of the defining projects of his career.

Following the success of Twilight, he continued to work in television. He played Dr. Fitch Cooper in Showtime’s Nurse Jackie from 2009 to 2015. The character was a talented but often immature physician whose behavior provided both comedy and conflict within the hospital setting.

His subsequent television credits included American Odyssey, Supergirl, Glee, and S.W.A.T. He has also continued to work in films, demonstrating that his career extends beyond the vampire franchise for which many viewers recognize him.

Notable Movies and Television Shows

Peter Facinelli has appeared in a broad selection of films and television productions. His best-known credits include the following:

• Angela (1995): An early feature-film role that marked the beginning of his screen career.
• The Price of Love (1995): A television film that helped introduce him to audiences.
• An Unfinished Affair (1996): A television drama in which he met Jennie Garth.
• Foxfire (1996): An independent film featuring Angelina Jolie.
• Can’t Hardly Wait (1998): The teen comedy in which he played Mike Dexter.
• The Big Kahuna (1999): A drama featuring Kevin Spacey and Danny DeVito.
• Supernova (2000): A science-fiction film featuring James Spader and Angela Bassett.
• Riding in Cars with Boys (2001): A drama-comedy starring Drew Barrymore.
• The Scorpion King (2002): An action-adventure film starring Dwayne Johnson.
• Fastlane (2002–2003): A crime-action television series in which he played Donovan “Van” Ray.
• Six Feet Under (2004–2005): The HBO drama in which he had a recurring role.
• Damages (2007–2009): A legal thriller in which he played Gregory Malina.
• Twilight (2008): The film that introduced him to a worldwide audience as Carlisle Cullen.
• Nurse Jackie (2009–2015): The Showtime comedy-drama in which he played Dr. Fitch Cooper.
• Loosies (2011): A film he wrote and starred in as a New York pickpocket.
• The Vanished (2020): A thriller in which he served as an actor, writer, director, and producer.
• The Unbreakable Boy (2025): A feature film among his more recent screen credits.

These projects demonstrate his ability to move between comedy, action, drama, and suspense. His work behind the camera has also allowed him to participate in the creative process beyond acting.

Awards and Career Achievements

Facinelli’s career has included significant commercial success and industry recognition. One notable achievement was his participation in the cast of Six Feet Under, which received a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2005.

His portrayal of Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight franchise remains his most widely recognized film role. The films became major commercial successes and established him as a familiar face to audiences worldwide.

He also earned attention for his role in Nurse Jackie, a series that received strong industry recognition during its run. His character, Dr. Fitch Cooper, allowed him to explore comic performance while remaining part of a dramatic ensemble.

In addition to acting, Facinelli has developed experience as a screenwriter, producer, and director. He wrote and starred in Loosies, which was released in 2011, and has worked on other projects through his production company.

He also co-wrote the young adult novel After the Red Rain with Barry Lyga and Robert DeFranco. His graphic novel project Protocol: Orphans expanded his work into comic-book storytelling.

A comprehensive list of personal acting awards and nominations should be checked against current industry records. No major individual acting award win is established in the sources used for this biography.

Age, Date of Birth, and Nationality

Peter Facinelli was born on November 26, 1973, in Queens, New York City, United States. As of October 27, 2026, he is 52 years old. He will turn 53 on November 26, 2026.

He is American and has Italian family heritage. Biographical profiles report that he obtained Italian citizenship through his parents.

His career began in 1995 and has continued for more than 30 years. Over that period, he has worked in feature films, television series, television movies, writing, directing, and production.

Wife, Relationships, and Children

Peter Facinelli’s first marriage was to actress Jennie Garth, whom he met while working on An Unfinished Affair in 1995. Their relationship developed over the following years, and they married on January 20, 2001.

The couple had three daughters: Luca Bella, born in 1997; Lola Ray, born in 2002; and Fiona Eve, born in 2006. Their marriage ended after Facinelli filed for divorce in March 2012. The divorce was finalized in June 2013.

Following the separation, both actors continued their careers and shared parenting responsibilities. They have spoken publicly over the years about their family and the importance of maintaining a relationship as co-parents.

Facinelli later began a relationship with actress Lily Anne Harrison. The couple became engaged in 2020. Harrison is known for her acting work, including television films and other screen productions.

In 2022, the couple welcomed a son named Jack. Facinelli has therefore become a father of four, with three daughters from his marriage to Garth and a son with Harrison.

As of the latest biographical and entertainment coverage consulted for this article, Facinelli and Harrison are reported to be engaged. A legally confirmed wedding date or marriage announcement is not publicly confirmed in the sources used here, so Harrison is best described as his fiancée rather than definitively identified as his wife.

Net Worth and Sources of Income

Peter Facinelli’s income has come from acting, film and television production, screenwriting, directing, and other entertainment projects. His role in the Twilight franchise brought substantial international visibility, while his long-running work on Nurse Jackie and appearances in other television series added to his professional earnings.

He has also expanded into independent filmmaking. His work on Loosies and The Vanished included responsibilities beyond acting, allowing him to participate in writing, production, and directing.

Facinelli has been associated with production companies, including A7SLE Films, through which he has developed projects across different genres. His writing has also extended into books and graphic novels.

Celebrity Net Worth estimates his net worth at approximately US$8 million. This is a third-party estimate rather than a verified financial statement. Facinelli has not publicly released a comprehensive accounting of his assets, investments, property holdings, or liabilities.

His actual net worth in 2026 is therefore not publicly confirmed. The US$8 million figure can be mentioned as a published estimate, but it should not be treated as an established or independently audited value.

Current Activities and Life Away From Acting

Facinelli has continued to pursue acting and filmmaking, with recent screen credits extending into 2026. IMDb lists projects including The Copycat Killer and Viper among his recent work, while other projects are listed as upcoming or in development. Release status and availability can vary by territory and platform.

His professional interests now encompass more than acting. He has written screenplays, directed films, produced independent projects, and worked on literary projects. This broad involvement gives him opportunities to shape stories from development through production.

Facinelli also maintains a public profile through interviews, entertainment events, and social media. His family life remains an important part of his personal story, particularly his role as a father to four children.

Although his work on Twilight remains a defining part of his public identity, his continuing activity in television and film shows that he has maintained a career across multiple phases of the entertainment industry.

Legacy and Influence

Peter Facinelli’s career reflects the range of opportunities available to actors who move between independent films, network television, cable dramas, and major film franchises. He began with smaller roles in the 1990s, developed a following through Can’t Hardly Wait and Fastlane, and became internationally recognized through Twilight.

His performance as Carlisle Cullen helped establish a memorable screen interpretation of a character who combines medical professionalism with compassion and restraint. The role connected him with a global audience and remains a central part of his legacy.

His work as Dr. Fitch Cooper in Nurse Jackie demonstrated a different side of his abilities, mixing humor with a character whose flaws frequently complicated his professional relationships. His appearances in Six Feet Under and Damages also demonstrated his experience in ensemble dramas.

Beyond acting, Facinelli has built experience as a writer, director, and producer. His projects in film and publishing illustrate an interest in storytelling across different formats.

As his career continues, his legacy is defined not by one role alone but by his sustained presence in film and television and his willingness to take on creative responsibilities beyond performance.

Conclusion

Peter Facinelli is an American actor and filmmaker whose career has developed from early independent films to internationally successful franchises and acclaimed television productions. His roles in Twilight, Nurse Jackie, Fastlane, and Damages have helped him build a lasting place in popular entertainment.

His personal life includes his former marriage to Jennie Garth, their three daughters, and his engagement to Lily Anne Harrison, with whom he has a son. His work as a writer, producer, and director further demonstrates his interest in creating stories as well as performing in them.

Although his precise net worth is not publicly confirmed, a third-party estimate places it at approximately US$8 million. His broader professional record shows a career sustained by versatility, creative ambition, and continued involvement in film and television.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Peter Facinelli? | Peter Facinelli is an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter known for Twilight, Nurse Jackie, Fastlane, and Damages.

How old is Peter Facinelli? | He is 52 years old as of October 27, 2026, and was born on November 26, 1973.

Who is Peter Facinelli’s wife? | He was previously married to Jennie Garth. He is currently reported to be engaged to actress Lily Anne Harrison; a confirmed marriage to Harrison is not publicly established in the sources consulted.

How many children does Peter Facinelli have? | He has four children: daughters Luca Bella, Lola Ray, and Fiona Eve with Jennie Garth, and son Jack with Lily Anne Harrison.

What is Peter Facinelli famous for? | He is best known for playing Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the Twilight films and Dr. Fitch Cooper in Nurse Jackie.

What is Peter Facinelli’s net worth? | His net worth is not publicly confirmed. Celebrity Net Worth estimates it at approximately US$8 million, but the figure is not independently verified.

What movies has Peter Facinelli appeared in? | His film credits include Can’t Hardly Wait, The Scorpion King, the Twilight films, Loosies, and The Unbreakable Boy.

Is Peter Facinelli still acting? | Yes. Recent film and television listings indicate that he continues to work in entertainment, including acting and filmmaking projects.