Drea de Matteo, Television

Forget Brando’s “Stella!” or Mike Myers’s “Yeah, baby!” The catchphrase I can’t get out of my head is Drea de Matteo’s impatient whine “Christa-fuh!” whenever her boyfriend drives her to distraction on The Sopranos. She perfectly embodies that irresistible New York archetype: the tough-but-vulnerable city chick. She’s a mainstay of New York life, an essential component of the New York mix. She’s the forthright and flirty girl you meet in a bar—usually Italian or Jewish—whose nasty wit obliges you to think faster, do a little work for a change. She may not have an Ivy education, but she knows a lot of stuff that you don’t. She’s not the prettiest one there, but she’s sexy. Usually she’s got a reputation for being bitchy or difficult, but on the second date, she’s the one who jumps out of bed at 2 a.m. to make a perfect plate of spaghetti carbonara, because you said you were hungry. The other Sopranos women are great, but only Adriana reminds me of home. She’s the girl that dumb guys are afraid of, and smart guys marry. -- MARK HOROWITZ