"I was just really shy, and there was one part of my brain saying, 'You should go be an actor' and the other part of my brain going, 'You're really nuts because I can't even stand in the lunch line in school because I'm afraid of people,'" he recalls.
But his artistic side overtook his practical one. He ended up studying theater at New York University and now not only stars in the white-hot "Twilight" movie series, but has also won acclaim for his supporting role as Dr. Fitch Cooper in Showtime's "Nurse Jackie."
The dark comedy, which saw its second season premiere last week, was the most-watched new series in Showtime's history when it debuted last year. It airs Mondays at 10 p.m. EDT.
"I'm a fan of the show. I love watching these characters and how they all interact ... and to see how they react off of each other, and how they get along and don't get along," Facinelli said.
Edie Falco stars as Nurse Jackie Peyton, a drug addict who is both unethical on the job and in her marriage. Facinelli's character, a young, Ivy League-educated "know-it-all," is somewhat smitten over his co-worker.
"He's kind of like the kid in third grade who has a crush on somebody, but it's not being reciprocated, so he's constantly pulling on her pigtails trying to get a reaction out of her," he said.
