No Good Deed star, Ray Romano, is one of the funniest artists in Hollywood. But believe it or not, he nearly gave up on comedy not once, but twice.
No Good Deed is a new Netflix comedy-thriller, set to release on December 12, 2024, on Netflix. And it was during the premiere of this show that Romano opened up about those tough early days.
His life felt more like a bad sitcom than a stand-up show. He struggled to get laughs in dingy little dives but eventually became a household name. Ray’s story is proof that perseverance pays off.
Let’s take a closer look into Romano’s journey, his advice to his kids, and his new show with Lisa Kudrow.
No Good Deed star Ray Romano’s early struggles and career
Ray Romano wasn’t always the confident, hilarious star we know today. Back in the day, Romano’s stand-up career faced a lot of hiccups. And he was almost about to quit.
Now, Ray Romano is the actor we all know and love as the hilarious Ray Barone on CBS's hit sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond.
Not only did he have us in little stomach aches out of laughter, but he also snagged three Primetime Emmy Awards. But Ray’s trophy shelf doesn’t stop there. He has racked up nominations for two Grammy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
Ray co-starred in the romantic comedy, The Big Sick. He charmed his fans as Hank Rizzoli, Sarah Braverman’s love interest, in NBC’s Parenthood. He has also voiced Manny in the Ice Age movies.
He created and starred in the critically acclaimed TNT dramedy, Men of a Certain Age, and also played mob lawyer, Bill Bufalino, in Martin Scorsese’s epic crime saga, The Irishman.
Ray Romano was featured in the documentary, The Romano Twins, made by his twin sons which was released in November. In the documentary, Ray Romano opened up about how he gave up on his dreams twice. He advises his youngest son not to be upset about failure and tells him not to take it personally. Romano shares:
“Stand-up takes a long time. That's all I told him was, 'Please don't get that way, because that's the way I was.' I gave it up twice. You know, I got beat down my first time. I gave it up, and I got beat down the second time again. But luckily, I tried a third time.”
It wasn’t just stage fright or nervousness. Romano genuinely felt like he wasn’t cut out for comedy. But he kept coming back.
Romano’s career has taken off. But family remains at the center of his universe. Married to his wife, Anna, in 1987, the couple have four children, Alexandra, Matthew, Gregory, and Joseph.
No Good Deed: Ray Romano and Lisa Kudrow
Romano’s big break came with Everybody Loves Raymond. It aired for nine seasons and turned him into a television icon. The show was a mix of humor and heart, much like Ray himself.
Lisa Kudrow is Romano’s co-star in the new Netflix series No Good Deed. According to her, she was a huge fan of Everybody Loves Raymond.
Romano and Kudrow worked just two stages apart back in their sitcom days. But they didn’t meet until No Good Deed. When they finally did, it was like two old friends reconnecting. Romano told Fox News Digital:
“I was a little worried. Like I always am, you know, she instantly made it comfortable. I was, you know, a fan of hers. She says she was a fan of mine. I'll take her word for it. We bonded over family and being neurotic and being insecure. And the chemistry was there. I mean, sometimes you get very lucky and it's easy. And this one was easy."
No Good Deed is Netflix’s new dark comedy created by Liz Feldman. It follows three families competing to buy the same house. Each of those families believes it will solve their problems. It is set to premiere on December 12, 2024.
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