Actor and longtime Park Slope resident Steve Buscemi gets ‘key to the city’

From brooklyneagle.com

Brooklyn-born actor Steve Buscemi is the latest celebrity to have gotten the “key to the city” from Mayor Bill de Blasio. 

Buscemi, who has lived in Park Slope for decades, is probably best known for his role in television’s “Boardwalk Empire” of Nucky Thompson, corrupt political boss of Prohibition-era Atlantic City. The character is based on Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who served as sheriff of the town while rubbing shoulders with bootleggers and big-time mobsters.

He also started in “Reservoir Dogs” as well as six films by the Coen Brothers: “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski” and “Paris, Je T’aime.” Other television shows he appeared in include “The Sopranos,” “30 Rock” and “Portlandia.”DAILY TOP BROOKLYN NEWSNews for those who live, work and play in Brooklyn and beyond

Buscemi, who was a firefighter before starting his acting career, has at times been active in the Park Slope community.  In 2011, he joined rallies protesting the planned closure of either Brooklyn firehouses during the Bloomberg administration. And this past Halloween, he handed out candy to young trick-or-treaters from the steps of a Park Slope brownstone while dressed as his own “30 Rock” character.

“This is such an incredible honor,” Buscemi was quoted as saying. “I never could have imagined in a million years that I would receive this honor and one day I would count the mayor of the city of New York as a friend.”

Among the many others whom de Blasio has given the largely symbolic “key to the city” honor are U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, former U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, baseball player Dwight “Doc” Gooden, members of the 1969 “Miracle Mets” World Championship team, philanthropist Laurie Tisch and filmmaker Spike Lee.

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