Real Name : Mira Katherine Sorvino
Birth : 28 September 1967, Tenafly, New Jersey, USA
Height : 5' 10"
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Mira Sorvino was born in Tenafly, an affluent northern New Jersey suburb, in 1967. She is the daughter of veteran character actor 'Paul Sorvino' (qv), who discouraged her from becoming an actor, as he knew how the industry often chews up young stars. The young Sorvino was intelligent, an avid reader and an exceptional scholar. She attended Harvard, majoring in Chinese, graduating magna cum laude in 1989, largely on the strength of her thesis, a Hoopes Prize-winning thesis on racial conflict in China, written and researched during the year spent in Beijing, which helped her fluency in Mandarin Chinese. However, she showed interest in a career in acting from an early age, and moved to New York City to try her hand in the City's film industry, waitressing, auditioning and working at the Tribeca production company of 'Robert De Niro' (qv). She succeeded in getting a little TV work in the early 90s, but got her first film job in the independent gangster movie _Amongst Friends (1993)_ (qv), on which she worked her way up the ladder behind the camera to eventually associate-produce the film, and, more importantly, was eventually cast as the female lead. The movie was forgettable, but Sorvino's performance was not, and attracted enough buzz to get her cast in two more movies, one a more prominent indie, _Barcelona (1994)_ (qv), the other her first Hollywood feature, _Quiz Show (1994)_ (qv), and her skillful performances brought her yet more attention. An exceptionally poised and articulate young woman, she may have seemed inappropriate to play a loopy hooker, but 'Woody Allen' (qv) took the chance, and her magnificent performance as the female lead in his _Mighty Aphrodite (1995)_ (qv) proved her range as a performer and earned her an Oscar (at the tender age of 29) for best supporting actress. Since winning the Oscar, Sorvino has continued to take a wide range of roles, including another stretch as 'Marilyn Monroe' (qv) in _Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) (TV)_ (qv), co-starring with another very intelligent and skilled young actress, 'Ashley Judd' (qv). Forays into action and horror, such as 1997's _Mimic (1997)_ (qv) and 1998's _The Replacement Killers (1998)_ (qv) show that Sorvino is not above being playful in the film roles she chooses. However, what forever cemented her role in popular culture was her performance as charmingly dopey California beach girl Romy in _Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997)_ (qv), in which she and co-star 'Lisa Kudrow' (qv) utter one hilarious absurdity after another. Sorvino married 'Christopher Backus' (qv) in June 2004. The couple have three children.
Biography written by: Larry-115
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- 1997 MTV Movie Awards (1997) (TV) [Herself - Presenter]
- 2nd Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards (1996) (TV)
- Amongst Friends (1993) [Laura] <19>
- Artists of Hell's Kitchen (2000) (V) [Herself]
- At First Sight (1999) [Amy Benic] <2>
- Bamboozled (2000) [Herself] <36>
- Barcelona (1994) [Marta Ferrer] <4>
- Beautiful Girls (1996) [Sharon Cassidy] <11>
- Behind the Scenes of 'Wisegirls' (2002) (V) [Herself/Meg Kennedy] <1>
- Between Strangers (2002) [Natalia Bauer] <2>
- Blue in the Face (1995) [Young Lady] <16>
- Cannes: Through the Eyes of the Hunter (2001) [Herself]
- Chow Yun-Fat Goes Hollywood (2001) (V) [Herself]
- CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute (2007) (TV) [Herself - Presenter]
- Emporio Armani: A Private Party (1996) (TV) [Herself]
- Everybody Just Stay Calm (1994)
- Everybody's Movie (2006) (V) [Herself]
- F. Scott Fitzgerald's 'The Great Gatsby': The Making of a Classic (2000) (TV) [Herself] <1>
- Famous (2000) [Herself] <13>
- Film Trix 2002 (2002) [Herself]
- Free Money (1998) [Agent Karen Polarski] <5>
- Gods and Generals (2003) [Frances Caroline 'Fanny' Chamberlain] <85>
- Gods and Generals: Journey to the Past (2003) (V) [Herself/Fanny Chamberlain]
- Human Trafficking (2005) (TV) [Kate Morozov] <31>
- Instant Karma (2005/I) {{SUSPENDED}}
- Jake's Women (1996) (TV) [Julie] <5>
- Journey to Sundance (2009) [Herself]
- Leningrad (2009) [Kate Davis] <2>
- Like Dandelion Dust (2009) [Wendy Porter] <1>
- Lulu on the Bridge (1998) [Celia Burns] <5>
- Massive Attack: Eleven Promos (2001) (V) [Black Haired Femme Fatale]
- Mighty Aphrodite (1995) [Linda Ash] <8>
- Mimic (1997) [Dr. Susan Tyler] <1>
- Multiple Sarcasms (2010) [Cari] <2>
- Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) (TV) [Marilyn Monroe] <2>
- Nyû Yôku no koppu (1993) [Maria] <3>
- Parallel Lives (1994) (TV) [Matty Derosa] <11>
- Premio Donostia a Willem Dafoe (2005) (TV) (archive footage) (uncredited) [Celia Burns]
- Quiz Show (1994) [Sandra Goodwin] <11>
- Reservation Road (2007) [Ruth Wheldon] <12>
- Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) [Romy White] <1>
- Semana Santa (2002) [Maria Delgado] <1>
- Smitty (2010) [Amanda]
- Summer of Sam (1999) [Dionna] <3>
- Sweet Nothing (1995) [Monika] <2>
- Tales of Erotica (1996) [Teresa (segment "Dutch Master, The (1995)")] <7>
- Tarantella (1995) [Diane] <1>
- The 68th Annual Academy Awards (1996) (TV) [Herself - Winner: Best Actress in a Supporting Role]
- The 69th Annual Academy Awards (1997) (TV) [Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role]
- The 70th Annual Academy Awards (1998) (TV) [Herself - Presenter: Best Actor in a Supporting Role/Past Winner]
- The 75th Annual Academy Awards (2003) (TV) [Herself - Presenter: Best Costume Design/Past Winner]
- The Dutch Master (1994) [Teresa] <1>
- The Final Cut (2004) [Delila] <2>
- The Great Gatsby (2000) (TV) [Daisy Buchanan] <1>
- The Grey Zone (2001) [Dina] <15>
- The Last Templar (2009) (TV) [Tess Chaykin] <1>
- The Obit Writer (1993) <2>
- The Presence (2010) [The Woman] <1>
- The Replacement Killers (1998) [Meg Coburn] <2>
- The Second Greatest Story Ever Told (1994) (TV) [Mary Weinstein] <1>
- The Stuff (1985) (uncredited) (unconfirmed) [Factory Worker]
- The Triumph of Love (2001) [The Princess] <1>
- The Trouble with Cali (2010) [The Balletmaster]
- Too Tired to Die (1998) [Death/Jean] <2>
- TV Land Awards: A Celebration of Classic TV (2003) (TV) [Presenter]
- Waska (2010)
- Welcome to Hollywood (1998) [Herself]
- WiseGirls (2002) [Meg Kennedy] <1>
- "Celebrities Uncensored" (2003) {(#2.3)} (archive footage) [Herself]
- "Cinema mil" (2005) {(#1.2)} (archive footage) [Herself]
- "Close-Up" (2006) {Mira Sorvino (#3.22)} [Herself]
- "Corazón de..." (1997) {(2006-01-31)} [Herself]
- "Corazón, corazón" (1993) {(1996-02-25)} [Herself]
- "Covert One: The Hades Factor" (2006) [Rachel Russel] <2>
- "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) {(2007-12-03)} [Herself]
- "Entertainment Tonight" (1981) {(2009-01-07)} [Herself]
- "HBO First Look" (1992) {The Replacement Killers (#5.2)} [Herself]
- "House M.D." (2004) {Frozen (#4.11)} [Dr. Cate Milton] <11>
- "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (2003) {(2007-10-23)} [Herself]
- "Last Call with Carson Daly" (2002) {(2010-05-07)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(1997-08-22)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(1999-01-15)} [Herself]
- "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" (1993) {(2000-04-22)} [Herself]
- "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" (1989) {(2009-01-22)} [Herself] <3>
- "Lo + plus" (1995) {(1998-10-27)} [Herself]
- "Seitenblicke" (1987) {(2002-07-08)} [Herself]
- "Showbiz Today" (1984) {(1997-08-23)}
- "Sidewalks Entertainment" (1988) {Carly, Mira and Jamie (#18.2)} [Herself]
- "Sidewalks Entertainment" (1988) {Christmas 2007 (#18.12)} [Herself - Guest]
- "Silenci?" (2002) {(#6.4)} (archive footage) [Dr. Susan Tyler]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.10)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.11)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.18)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.26)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.3)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "Swans Crossing" (1992) {(#1.7)} [Sophia Eva McCormick Decastro]
- "The Bonnie Hunt Show" (2008) {(2010-05-07)} [Herself]
- "The Buccaneers" (1995) {Ambush (#1.3)} [Conchita Closson] <5>
- "The Buccaneers" (1995) {Capture (#1.4)} [Conchita Closson] <3>
- "The Buccaneers" (1995) {Conquest (#1.2)} [Conchita Closson] <5>
- "The Buccaneers" (1995) {Invasion (#1.1)} [Conchita Closson] <2>
- "The Buccaneers" (1995) {Plunder (#1.5)} [Conchita Closson] <25>
- "The Guiding Light" (1952) [Julie Camalletti (1991) (temporary replacement)] <4>
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (2005) {(#2.122)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(1999-07-08)} [Herself]
- "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" (1999) {(2001-10-05)} [Herself]
- "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" (1996) {(1999-01-08)} [Herself]
- "The Rosie O'Donnell Show" (1996) {(2002-04-16)} [Herself]
- "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992) {(2002-04-10)} [Herself]
- "Will & Grace" (1998) {Last Ex to Brooklyn (#6.2)} [Diane] <5>
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- 'Christopher Backus' (qv) (11 June 2004 - present); 3 children
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- _At First Sight (1999)_ (qv) -> $3,000,000
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- "TV Guide" (USA), 24 October 2005, Vol. 53, Iss. 43, pg. 73, by: Ileane Rudolph, "Q&A:Mira Sorvino"
- "Fashion" (Canada), October 2002, pg. 120-121, by: Ian Corson, "Mira Mira"
- "Out" (USA), May 2002, pg. 40, by: Michael Musto, "Mira Sorvino"
- "Reader's Digest" (Canada), April 2000, pg. 12-13, by: Dotson Rader, "Twist of Fate"
- "In Style" (USA), April 2000, Vol. 7, Iss. 4, pg. 462-463, by: Mark Morrison, "Home, Sweet Oscar"
- "Evening Standard Hot Tickets" (UK), 14 January 2000, pg. 8+9, "Mira Sorvino on...Summer of Sam"
- "Cinema" (Hungary), November 1999, Iss. 96, pg. 65, by: Christine Mortag, "Parányi kis kezek"
- "Cinema" (Hungary), July 1999, Iss. 92, pg. 75, by: Scott Orlin, "Rémálmok minden éjjel"
- "Point of View (P.O.V.)" (USA), February 1999, by: Edward Sussman, "Mira Bella"
- "Parade" (USA), 11 October 1998, pg. 4-6, by: Dotson Rader, "What I Love the Most"
- "Empire" (UK), July 1998, Iss. 109, pg. 56-57, by: David Eimer, "The Smart Blonde"
- "Diário de Notícias" (Portugal), 12 June 1998, pg. 39, by: Manuela Paixão, "A Frankenstein das baratas"
- "Evening Standard Hot Tickets" (UK), 21 May 1998, pg. 2-3, by: Marianne Gray, "Mira Reflects"
- "Starlog" (USA), October 1997, Iss. 243, by: Dan Yakir & Ian Spelling, "Call Her Exterminator"
- "Washington (DC) Times" (USA), 1 August 1997, Vol. 16, Iss. 213, pg. C12-C13, by: Cindy Pearson, "Mira Sorvino's about face in new film"
- "The Advocate" (USA), 26 April 1996, Iss. 704, pg. 58-60, by: Gerry Kroll, "The Oscars '96: Mira Sorvino"
- "TV Filmes" (Portugal), 1996, Iss. 1, pg. 19-21
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- "TV Guide" (USA), 19 January 2009, Vol. 57, Iss. 3, pg. 50, by: Megan Walsh-Boyle, "Mira, Mira!"
- "The Star Ledger" (USA), 14 October 2007, pg. 2, by: Stephen Whitty, "From sudden starlet to working mom and more, Mira Sorvino is back"
- "Parade" (USA), 3 November 2002, pg. 26, by: James Brady, "In Step With: Mira Sorvino"
- "Movieline" (USA), October 2002, Vol. 14, Iss. 1, pg. 56-59, by: Stephen Rebello, "The Mira has two faces"
- "Movieline" (USA), October 2002, Vol. 13, Iss. 11, pg. 56-59, by: Stephen Rebello, "The Mira Has Two Faces"
- "Playboy" (USA), June 2002, Vol. 49, Iss. 6, pg. 34, by: Leonard Maltin, "Scene Stealer: Mira Sorvino"
- "People Weekly" (USA), 8 April 2002, pg. 118, "One Year Later...From Winner to Presenter"
- "Us" (USA), July 1999, pg. 60-62, by: Tom Conroy, "Shatterproof of Mira"
- "A Capital" (Portugal), 22 August 1997, pg. 68
- "Gentlemen's Quarterly" (USA), August 1997, Vol. 67, Iss. 8, pg. 142-147+200+202, by: Andrew Corsello, "Flighty Aphrodite"
- "Cinema" (Germany), 1996, Iss. 6, pg. 10-11, by: Karl-Heinz Schaefer
- "Playboy" (USA), December 1995, Vol. 42, Iss. 12, pg. 32, by: Bruce Williamson, "Off Camera: Mira Sorvino"
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- "Playboy" (USA), November 2007, Vol. 54, Iss. 11, pg. 28, by: n/a, "Tease Frame: Mira Sorvino"
- "Celebrity Skin" (USA), November 2001, Vol. 23, Iss. 100, pg. 21, "100 Sexiest Celebrities Of All Time Nude! #71 : Mighty As Marilyn"
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 1998, Vol. 11, Iss. 9, pg. 80-81, by: staff, "Anatomy Awards: Mighty Aphrodite"
- "Cinema" (Hungary), June 1997, Iss. 67, pg. 78-79, by: Gernot Gricksch, "Sorvino veritas"
- "Playboy" (USA), December 1996, Vol. 43, Iss. 12, pg. 161, by: Gretchen Edgren, "Sex Stars 1996"
- "High Society" (USA), December 1996, Vol. 21, Iss. 12, pg. 26-28, by: staff, "Hollywood's Rising Stars Strip On Screen"
- "Playboy" (USA), November 1996, Vol. 43, Iss. 11, pg. 170, by: Marcel Thomas, "Grapevine: Mira, Mira on the Ball"
- "Cinema" (Hungary), August 1996, Iss. 57, pg. 4-5, by: Karl-Heinz Schaefer, "Szõkék elõnyben"
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 1996, Vol. 10, Iss. 2, pg. 20-23, by: staff, "Anatomy Awards: Mighty Aphrodite"
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- "PDTV" (USA), 23 October 2005
- "Fashion" (Canada), October 2002
- "Mirabella" (USA), August 1999
- "American Cinematographer" (USA), June 1999, Vol. 80, Iss. 6
- "Point of View (P.O.V.)" (USA), February 1999
- "Mademoiselle" (USA), November 1998
- "Parade" (USA), 11 October 1998
- "Evening Standard Hot Tickets" (UK), 21 May 1998
- "Video Magazin" (Hungary), April 1998, Vol. 14, Iss. 4
- "Gentlemen's Quarterly" (USA), August 1997, Vol. 67, Iss. 8
- "GQ" (USA), August 1997
- "Redbook" (USA), June 1997
- "Elle" (USA), April 1997, Vol. 12, Iss. 140
- "GQ" (UK), May 1996, Iss. 83
- "Celebrity Sleuth" (USA), 1996, Vol. 10, Iss. 2
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- (March 30 - April 30, 2000) Played Ersilia Drei in the play "Naked". (Classic Stage Company, New York City)
- TV commercial (voice) for Nivea Lotion.
- Harvard thesis: "Anti-Africanism in China: An Investigation into Chinese Attitudes towards Black Students in the PRC"
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- "There's a side of my personality that goes completely against the East Coast educated person and wants to be a pin-up girl in garages across America...there's a side that wants to wear the pink angora bikini!"
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- Graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1989, with a BA in Chinese (East Asian Languages and Civilizations). Her honors thesis: "Anti-Africanism in the People's Republic of China" about the Nanjing Anti-African protests, which won the Harvard Hoopes Prize for writing.
- (1999-2002) Dated 'Olivier Martinez (I)' (qv).
- (1996 - February 1998) Dated 'Quentin Tarantino' (qv).
- (1996) Chosen by People (USA) magazine as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world
- Speaks fluent Mandarin Chinese.
- Attended Dwight Englewood High School in Englewood, New Jersey.
- Is fluent in French.
- She has a beautiful singing voice. While an undergraduate at Harvard, she appeared as Dulcinea in a 1986 student production of "Man of La Mancha" at the Loeb Experimental Theatre. The show was directed by 'Peter Sagal' (qv). Unfortunately, she came down with a cold during the one week the show ran, and performed with a mug of tea in hand.
- Parents are 'Lorraine Davis (I)' (qv) and 'Paul Sorvino' (qv).
- Has a younger brother named 'Michael Sorvino' (qv) and a younger sister named 'Amanda Sorvino' (qv).
- Childhood friend of 'Hope Davis (I)' (qv); they performed plays for the neighbors.
- (1985) Was a founding member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, Harvard's premier co-ed a cappella group.
- Married actor 'Christopher Backus' (qv) on June 11th 2004 in a civil service in Santa Monica and then had their formal ceremony on the island of Capri in Italy since Mira is Italian and this was to honor her Italian roots. She wore a gown designed by 'Giorgio Armani' (qv).
- (Spring 2003) Met her husband at a Charades party held by stylist Samantha McMillen.
- Gave birth to daughter Mattea Angel, with husband 'Christopher Backus' (qv), on November 3, 2004 in Los Angeles.
- Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1997.
- Second child, son Johnny Christopher King, born 29 May 2006 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and was 21 inches long.
- She and her husband, 'Christopher Backus' (qv), have both guest-starred on the TV-show _"Will & Grace" (1998)_ (qv), though not in the same episode.
- Made her acting debut on an episode of _"Law & Order" (1990)_ (qv) (which at that time starred her father, 'Paul Sorvino' (qv)). Although her scene was cut, she still earned a Screen Actors Guild Card for her trouble.
- According to 'Larry Cohen (I)' (qv) on the DVD commentary for _The Stuff (1985)_ (qv), Mira Sorvino came to the set of the film to visit her father, 'Paul Sorvino' (qv), and was given a small part in the film. She plays one of the yellow suited "stuffies" at the plant her father's character attacks. Larry Cohen had forgotten Sorvino appeared in the film until he was talking with her and 'Quentin Tarantino' (qv), whom she was dating, and mentioned that he had directed her father in the film. Mira then reminded Cohen that she actually appeared in the film.
- Auditioned for the role of Dorothy Boyd in _Jerry Maguire (1996)_ (qv).
- Mentioned in theme song in _The Adventures of George the Projectionist (2006)_ (qv).
- Gave birth to her third child, a son named Holden Paul Terry Backus on June 22, 2009 in Los Angeles, weighing in at 8 lbs., 12 oz.
- Niece of 'Bill Sorvino' (qv).
- Did not return to work until five months after giving birth to her son Holden in order to begin filming _Waska (2010)_ (qv).
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