Castorini

Castorini is a fictional surname used for the central family in the 1987 American romantic comedy Moonstruck, directed by Norman Jewison. The name identifies a working-class Italian-American family living in Brooklyn, New York, and is most closely associated with the film’s protagonists.

The Castorini family in Moonstruck centers on Loretta Castorini, played by Cher, and her parents, Cosmo Castorini (Vincent Gardenia) and Rose Castorini (Olympia Dukakis). Loretta becomes engaged to Johnny Cammareri (Danny Aiello), but soon encounters a complicating romance with Johnny’s brother, Ronny Cammareri (Nicolas Cage). The plot explores themes of love, loyalty, family obligation, and cultural identity as the characters navigate heartfelt and comic conflicts within the household and broader Italian-American community.

Moonstruck received critical acclaim and achieved significant commercial success. It won three Academy Awards: Best Original Screenplay for John Patrick Shanley, Best Actress for Cher, and Best Supporting Actress for Olympia Dukakis. The film is frequently cited as a defining portrayal of Italian-American family life in late 20th-century American cinema, and the surname Castorini remains best known as the fictional family name at the heart of the story. Beyond its film context, the name Castorini is not widely attested as a real-world surname outside the Moonstruck universe.