Mira Sorvino
| Mira Sorvino | |
|---|---|
 Sorvino at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival | |
| Born |
Mira Katherine Sorvino September 28, 1967 New York, New York, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouse(s) | Christopher Backus (m. 2004) |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) |
Paul Sorvino Lorraine Ruth Davis |
| Website | Mira Sorvino on Twitter |
Mira Katherine Sorvino (born September 28, 1967) is an American actress. She came to prominence after winning the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as a hooker with a heart of gold in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995). She is also known for starring in the films Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Mimic (1997), The Replacement Killers (1998), Summer of Sam (1999), and Like Dandelion Dust (2009). She received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations for her role in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996), and a Golden Globe nomination for her role in Human Trafficking (2005).
Early life
Sorvino was born in New York City.[1] Her mother, Lorraine Ruth Davis, is a drama therapist for Alzheimer's disease patients and a former actress; her father, Paul Sorvino, is a character actor and film director.[2][3] She has two siblings, Michael and Amanda. Sorvino is of Italian descent on her father's side.[4]
Sorvino was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,[5] where she wrote and acted in backyard plays with her childhood friend Hope Davis and in theater productions at Dwight-Englewood School. Sorvino was accepted into Harvard University, and studied for one year as an exchange student with CIEE in Beijing, China, where she became fluent in Mandarin Chinese.[6] In 1989, she graduated from Harvard magna cum laude with a degree in East Asian Studies.[7] She also helped found the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, one of Harvard's co-ed a cappella groups in 1985.[8]
Career
When the 1993 film Amongst Friends entered pre-production, she was hired as third assistant director, then was promoted to casting director, then to assistant producer, and was finally offered a lead role. Positive reviews[9][10] opened doors for her.
After small roles in Robert Redford's Quiz Show and Whit Stillman's Barcelona, she was cast in the 1995 Woody Allen film Mighty Aphrodite. Her portrayal of a happy-go-lucky prostitute made her a star, winning her an Academy Award[11] and Golden Globe[12] for Best Supporting Actress. Other credits include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion alongside Lisa Kudrow, At First Sight with Val Kilmer, and Summer of Sam from Spike Lee. She portrayed Marilyn Monroe for the 1996 HBO film Norma Jean & Marilyn, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe,[12] and the lead role in the 1997 horror movie Mimic from Guillermo del Toro. In 1995, she portrayed Conchita Closson in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers based on Edith Wharton's last novel.
In recent years, Sorvino has starred in lower-budget and independent films. In 2006, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her role as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the Lifetime film Human Trafficking.[12]
In February 2008, she guest-starred in the "Frozen" episode of the medical television drama House. There was talk of making her character, psychiatrist Cate Milton, a recurring character; however, the writers strike put a freeze on such discussions.[13]
She starred in Attack on Leningrad (2009), Multiple Sarcasms (2010) alongside Timothy Hutton and Stockard Channing, and Nancy Savoca's Union Square (release date, July 2012), with Patti Lupone and Tammy Blanchard.[14]
She was considered for the role of video game heroine Jill Valentine in Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004) before the role was played by British actress Sienna Guillory.
In 2012, she starred in the feature film Union Square by Nancy Savoca. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival[14] to good reviews.[15][16]
In the same year, Sorvino played the mother of the lead in the film adaptation of Wendy Mass’s popular children’s book Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.[17]
In 2014, she reappeared as Head Detective Betsy Brannigan on the final season of Psych, and on the fourth season of Falling Skies as John Pope's love interest, Sara.[18] Sorvino also joined the cast of the television series Intruders, playing the role of Amy Whelan.
In 2016, she appeared in the Netflix series Lady Dynamite as an actress working for a sitcom pilot named White Trash.
Personal life
Between 1996 and 1998, Mira Sorvino was romantically involved with director Quentin Tarantino, who was her escort to the Academy Awards ceremony where she won Best Supporting Actress for Mighty Aphrodite.[19]
Sorvino met actor Christopher Backus, 14 years her junior, at a friend's charades party in August 2003. On June 11, 2004, they married in a private civil ceremony at the Santa Barbara, California, courthouse, then later had a hilltop ceremony in Capri, Italy. The couple have four children: daughters Mattea Angel (born 2004)[20] and Lucia (born 2012)[21] and sons Johnny Christopher King (born 2006)[22] and Holden Paul Terry Backus (born 2009).[23]
She has been affiliated with Amnesty International since 2004,[24] and, in 2006, was honored with Amnesty International’s Artist of Conscience Award given to those who have displayed longstanding philanthropic and humanist efforts. Sorvino has been a U.N. Goodwill Ambassador to Combat Human Trafficking, since 2009 through 2012, and has lobbied Congress to abolish human trafficking in Darfur.[25]
In honor of Sorvino's role as Dr. Susan Tyler, an entomologist who was investigating deadly insect mutations in the feature film Mimic, a compound excreted by the sunburst diving beetle as a defensive mechanism was named "mirasorvone" by Thomas Eisner.[26],[27]
In September 2014, Sorvino gave a wide-ranging interview on the The Nerdist Podcast in which she discusses her education and her life in China, and many of her varied interests.[28]
Sorvino is a devout Christian.[29][30]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | The Stuff | Factory Worker | Uncredited[31] |
| 1993 | Obit Writer, TheThe Obit Writer | Short film | |
| 1993 | Amongst Friends | Laura | |
| 1993 | Nyû Yôku no koppu | Maria | |
| 1994 | Quiz Show | Sandra Goodwin | |
| 1994 | Barcelona | Marta Ferrer | |
| 1995 | Sweet Nothing | Monika | |
| 1995 | Mighty Aphrodite | Linda Ash | Academy Award Winner - Best Supporting Actress |
| 1995 | Blue in the Face | Young Lady | |
| 1996 | Beautiful Girls | Sharon Cassidy | |
| 1996 | Tales of Erotica | Teresa | Short film The Dutch Master |
| 1996 | Tarantella | Diane | |
| 1997 | Romy and Michele's High School Reunion | Romy White | |
| 1997 | Mimic | Dr. Susan Tyler | |
| 1998 | Replacement Killers, TheThe Replacement Killers | Meg Coburn | |
| 1998 | Lulu on the Bridge | Celia Burns | |
| 1998 | Too Tired to Die | Death/Jean | Limited release |
| 1998 | Free Money | Agent Karen Polarski | |
| 1999 | At First Sight | Amy Benic | |
| 1999 | Summer of Sam | Dionna | |
| 2001 | Grey Zone, TheThe Grey Zone | Dina | |
| 2001 | Triumph of Love, TheThe Triumph of Love | The Princess | Limited release |
| 2002 | WiseGirls | Meg Kennedy | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Semana santa | Maria Delgado | Limited release |
| 2002 | Between Strangers | Natalia Bauer | Limited release |
| 2003 | Gods and Generals | Fanny Chamberlain | |
| 2004 | Final Cut, TheThe Final Cut | Delila | |
| 2006 | Covert One: The Hades Factor | Randi Russell | Television film |
| 2007 | Reservation Road | Ruth | |
| 2008 | The Last Templar | Tess | Television miniseries |
| 2009 | Multiple Sarcasms | Cari | Limited release |
| 2009 | Like Dandelion Dust | Wendy Porter | Limited release |
| 2009 | Trouble with Cali, TheThe Trouble with Cali | The Balletmaster | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Sweet Flame | Sheila | Direct-to-video |
| 2009 | Attack on Leningrad | Kate Davis | Direct-to-video |
| 2010 | Presence, TheThe Presence | The Woman | Limited release |
| 2011 | Angels Crest | Angie | Limited release |
| 2012 | Union Square | Lucy | Limited release |
| 2012 | Perfect Sisters | Linda | Limited release |
| 2012 | Smitty | Amanda | Direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Trade of Innocents | Claire Becker | Limited release |
| 2013 | Space Warriors | Sally Hawkins | Direct-to-video |
| 2015 | Quitters | May Rayman | Limited release |
| 2015 | Do You Believe? | Samantha | |
| 2015 | Chloe and Theo | Monica | Direct-to-video |
| 2016 | Exposed | Janine Cullen | Direct-to-video |
| 2016 | Indiscretion | Veronica | Television film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Swans Crossing | Sophia Eva McCormick De Castro | 6 episodes |
| 1994 | Parallel Lives | Matty Derosa | Movie |
| 1995 | Buccaneers, TheThe Buccaneers | Conchita Closson | 5 episodes |
| 1996 | Norma Jean & Marilyn | Marilyn Monroe | Movie |
| 2000 | Great Gatsby, TheThe Great Gatsby | Daisy Buchanan | Movie |
| 2003 | Will & Grace | Diane | Episode "Last Ex to Brooklyn" |
| 2005 | Human Trafficking | Kate Morozov | Miniseries |
| 2008 | House | Dr. Cate Milton | Episode "Frozen" |
| 2009 | Last Templar, TheThe Last Templar | Tess Chaykin | Movie |
| 2012 | Finding Mrs. Claus | Mrs. Claus | Movie |
| 2014 | Psych | Head Detective Betsy Brannigan | 3 episodes |
| 2014–15 | Falling Skies | Sara | Recurring role (seasons 4–5) |
| 2014 | Intruders | Amy Whelan | Main role, 8 episodes |
| 2015 | Stalker | Vicki Gregg | Recurring role |
| 2016 | Lady Dynamite | Herself/Millicent Pratt/ Jennipher Nickels | 1 episode ("White Trash") |
Awards and nominations
References
- ↑ Bialas, Michael (July 10, 2012). "Mira Sorvino on Family Values, Reunions and Her Juiciest Role Yet". The Huffington Post. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino". Film Reference. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ↑ Laurino, Maria (August 28, 1994). "The Many Screen Ethnicities of Mira Sorvino". The New York Times. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ↑ O'Neal, Sean (November 23, 2011). "Mira Sorvino Random Roles". A.V. Club. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ Seal, Mark. "Mira Sorvino's Barcelona", American Way, January 1, 2001. Accessed December 18, 2013. "When Mira Sorvino arrived in Barcelona in 1994 to film a movie called Barcelona, she had a past in academia and a future in acting. Raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, she was the daughter of tough-guy character actor Paul Sorvino, who raised his kids to strive for an education instead of childhood acting careers."
- ↑ Brennan, Sandra. "Mira Sorvino". Allmovie. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
- ↑ "Notable Graduates". Harvard University. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ "The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones". Harvard University. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ James Berardinelli (1993). "Review: Amongst Friends".
- ↑ Hal Hinson (August 13, 1993). "Amongst Friends". Washington Post.
- ↑ "The 68th Academy Awards". 1996.
- 1 2 3 "Mira Sorvino at the HPFA".
- ↑ Isabella Vosmikova (2008-01-24). "TV Addict Interview: Mira Sorvino Guest Stars on HOUSE".
- 1 2 Union Square at Tiff.net
- ↑ Scott, A. O. (July 12, 2012). "'Union Square,' by Nancy Savoca, With Mira Sorvino". The New York Times.
- ↑ Goldstein, Gary (July 13, 2012). "Review: 'Union Square' is a compelling family drama". Los Angeles Times.
- ↑ filmthreat.com
- ↑ Cornet, Roth. "Mira Sorvino Joins the Cast of TNT's Falling Skies". IGN. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
- ↑ Ryan, Joal (March 5, 1998). "Quentin and Mira Call It Quits". eonline.com.
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino Gives Birth to a Girl".
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Daughter Lucia".
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino Has a Boy".
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Son Holden Paul Terry". July 13, 2009. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
- ↑ "Mira Sorvino aiding Amnesty International". USA Today. March 10, 2004. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ "Spotlight on Human Trafficking with Mira Sorvino". National Conference of State Legislatures. August 10, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
- ↑ Jerrold Meinwald; et al. (March 17, 1998). "Mirasorvone: A masked 20-ketopregnane from the defensive secretion of a diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences. 95 (6): 2733–2737. doi:10.1073/pnas.95.6.2733. OCLC 1607201. PMC 19637
. PMID 9501158. - ↑ "Naming a new molecule after a famous actress".
- ↑ Levine, Katie (September 12, 2014). "Episode 570: Nerdist Podcast: Mira Sorvino". The Nerdist Podcast.
- ↑ Moring, Mark (October 3, 2012). "Mira Sorvino: Saving Sex Slaves". Christianity Today. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- ↑ Goodwyn, Hannah. "Mira Sorvino on Faith and Like Dandelion Dust". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
- ↑ O'Neal, Sean (November 23, 2011). "Random Roles: Mira Sorvino". avclub.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mira Sorvino. |
- Mira Sorvino at the Internet Movie Database
- Mira Sorvino on Twitter
- Honolulu Advertiser Interview (October 24, 2005)