Bankruptcy a lesson in financial independence for 'Sopranos' star

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

In 1999, the debut of "The Sopranos" placed Lorraine Bracco, the actress who plays Tony Soprano's psychiatrist, on a trajectory that has made her a household name. That was also the year she filed for personal bankruptcy, an experience that she says was the nadir of her life.

"I went to go lease a car and it became a trauma," she said, recalling a humiliation that still lingers in her memory. "I said to the rental car people: 'This is a done deal.' And they said: 'We are sorry. We are great fans, but we are not going to lease you the car.' "

Bracco, 51, was a highly regarded film actress well before "The Sopranos" started on HBO. In 1991, she was nominated for an Oscar as best supporting actress for her role in the film "Goodfellas," but she had never accumulated much capital. "I was never big enough for that," she said.

Dr.Melfi.