Giovinazzo was born and raised in the Port Richmond neighborhood of Staten Island, New York, the son of Nancy and Dominick Giovinazzo, a retired NYPD police officer.[2] Growing up, Giovinazzo was an avid athlete. He played baseball for 4 years at Port Richmond High School where he was an Advance all-star as a senior, eventually graduating in 1991, and went on to attend Wagner College on a baseball scholarship.[3] He had hoped to become a professional baseball player, but a serious back injury dashed his career plans; with the support of his family, he turned to acting. He studied acting at Wagner College and HB Studios, and spent four years working mostly non-paying roles in the New York area.[4]
Giovinazzo was cast as forensic scientistDanny Messer on the hit TV series CSI: NY and is the first actor to appear in all three CSI series; his character was introduced in the CSI: Miami episode "MIA/NYC NonStop" (along with the other CSI: NY cast members), and he guest-starred in season three of the Las Vegas-based original series as street racer Thumpy G in the episode "Revenge is Best Served Cold" (though it is never specified that this guest spot was in any way related to his character on CSI: NY). Giovinazzo penned season six's vampire-themed episode "Sanguine Love",[5] joining series leads Melina Kanakaredes and Gary Sinise who have also written episodes for the series.
In 2014, Giovinazzo portrayed the recurring role of Sid Markham in season two of the USA television series Graceland. In this series, he reunited with his former CSI: NY co-star Vanessa Ferlito.
Personal life
Giovinazzo plays the guitar, and writes songs and poetry.[4] He is also a painter, mostly in oils, and one of his paintings appeared in the "Tri-Borough" episode of CSI: NY.[6] He is currently a lead vocalist in the band Ceesau, which released one album, Era of the Exposed (2008).[7] The song "Tear To Spare", from this album, was played in the CSI: NY sixth-season episode "Sanguine Love", which Giovinazzo wrote.
Giovinazzo married actress Vanessa Marcil on July 11, 2010, in a private ceremony in New York City.[9] Marcil filed for divorce in August 2012 on the basis of irreconcilable differences.[10] The divorce was finalized in March 2013.[11]