Mira Sorvino

Early life

Sorvino was born on September 28, 1967, in Manhattan, New York City, to Lorraine Ruth Davis, a drama therapist for Alzheimer's disease patients and former actress, and Paul Sorvino, an actor and film director. She has two siblings, Michael Sorvino and Amanda. She is of Italian descent on her father's side.

She was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, where she wrote and acted in backyard plays with her childhood friend Hope Davis, and in theater productions at Dwight-Englewood School. As a child, she was strongly influenced to pursue social causes by her mother, who participated in the 1963 March on Washington.

Sorvino excelled in high school and was accepted into Harvard University. She studied for one year as an exchange student with CIEE in Nanjing, China, where she studied Mandarin Chinese. In 1989, she graduated from Harvard magna cum laude with a degree in East Asian studies. She also helped found the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, one of Harvard's co-ed a cappella groups, in 1985.

Career

Sorvino's first major screen appearance was in the teen television series Swans Crossing, where she appeared in six episodes. When the 1993 film Amongst Friends entered preproduction, she was hired as third assistant director, then promoted to casting director, then to assistant producer, and finally offered a lead role. The positive reviews she received led to more acting opportunities.

After supporting roles in Robert Redford's Quiz Show and Whit Stillman's Barcelona, she was cast in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995). Her portrayal of a happy-go-lucky prostitute made her a star, winning her an Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Although the film brought her international recognition, she described its shooting as extremely stressful: "I was absolutely neurotic doing Mighty Aphrodite," she recalled. "Every night brought a new nervous breakdown. I'd cry and talk to God, I was so nervous. Then the next day, I'd show up and do my scenes."

Her other credits include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion with Lisa Kudrow, At First Sight with Val Kilmer, and Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. She portrayed Marilyn Monroe for the 1996 HBO film Norma Jean & Marilyn, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe; and had the lead role in Guillermo del Toro's horror film Mimic. In 1995, she portrayed Conchita Closson in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers, based on Edith Wharton's last novel. She starred as Daisy Buchanan in the 2000 television film The Great Gatsby.

In 2002, Sorvino appeared as the lead in The Triumph of Love, an adaptation of the 1732 Marivaux play. That year she also starred in WiseGirls alongside Mariah Carey and Melora Walters. In 2006, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her role as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the Lifetime film Human Trafficking. She had a supporting role in the drama Reservation Road (2007) with Mark Ruffalo.

In February 2008, she guest-starred as psychiatrist Cate Milton in the "Frozen" episode of the medical television drama House. Plans to make hers a recurring character were interrupted by the writers' strike.

She starred in Attack on Leningrad (2009), Multiple Sarcasms (2010) with Timothy Hutton and Stockard Channing, and Nancy Savoca's Union Square (2012), with Patti Lupone and Tammy Blanchard. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to good reviews. 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.

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. 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 actor working on a sitcom pilot named White Trash. In 2018, Sorvino played the role of Amy in the psychological thriller Look Away, alongside Jason Isaacs and India Eisley.

In 2019, Sorvino was cast in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood as an actor whose career stalled out after a relationship with a studio head.

In 2022, she played a supporting role in Sound of Freedom, a film about human trafficking in South America.

In May 2025, Sorvino revealed that a sequel to Romy and Michele's High School Reunion was in the works at 20th Century Studios. Sorvino made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in September 2025 at the Ambassador Theatre.

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.

Sorvino met actor Christopher Backus 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. They have four children: two daughters and two sons. They have also starred in films together, including Indiscretion and Mothers and Daughters.

In honor of Sorvino's role as Susan Tyler, an entomologist who investigated deadly insect mutations in the film Mimic, a compound that is excreted as a defense mechanism by the sunburst diving beetle was named mirasorvone by the entomologist Thomas Eisner who discovered it.

In September 2014, Sorvino gave a wide-ranging interview on The Nerdist Podcast, where she discussed her education, living in China, and her varied interests. She is a Christian and resides with her family in Los Angeles, California.

In 2017, Sorvino came out publicly about the sexual harassment she endured from producer Harvey Weinstein and believes her career was damaged after she rebuffed Weinstein's advances. According to Peter Jackson, Weinstein blocked Sorvino and Ashley Judd (her co-star from Norma Jean and Marilyn), another of his alleged victims, from being considered for parts in The Lord of the Rings films. In 2019, she also made public that she was a date rape victim.

Activism

Sorvino has been affiliated with Amnesty International since 2004. In 2006 she was honored with their Artist of Conscience Award, given to those who have made longstanding philanthropic and humanist efforts. From 2009 to 2012 she was a United Nations Goodwill ambassador for combatting human trafficking, and has lobbied Congress to help abolish the practice in Darfur.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theatre

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Mira Sorvino

Works and publications

References

References

1. "Mira Sorvino".
2. Laurino, Maria. (August 28, 1994). "The Many Screen Ethnicities of Mira Sorvino". The New York Times.
3. O'Neal, Sean. (November 23, 2011). "Mira Sorvino Random Roles". A.V. Club.
4. Seal, Mark. [https://hub.aa.com/en/aw/barcelona-mira-sorvino-actress-paul-sorvino "Mira Sorvino's Barcelona"] {{Webarchive. link. (February 1, 2015 , ''[[American Way (magazine)). 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."
5. Ervolino, Bill. [https://www.northjersey.com/story/entertainment/2017/10/10/tenaflys-mira-sorvino-says-she-weinstein-victim/751450001/ "Tenafly's Mira Sorvino says she was a Weinstein victim"] {{Webarchive. link. (November 29, 2018 , ''[[The Record (Bergen County)]]'', October 10, 2017. Accessed June 14, 2018. "Sorvino, who was raised in Tenafly and took part in theater productions at the Dwight-Englewood School when she was a youngster, told a local news outlet in Los Angeles that Weinstein lured her into his hotel room in 1995 when they were in Canada promoting the Woody Allen film ''Mighty Aphrodite'', the film which earned Sorvino her best-supporting actress award.")
6. "Mira Sorvino". [[The Biography Channel]].
7. Brennan, Sandra. "Mira Sorvino". Allmovie.
8. "Notable Graduates". Harvard University.
9. "The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones". Harvard University.
10. Berardinelli, James. (1993). "Review: Amongst Friends".
11. Hinson, Hal. (August 13, 1993). "Amongst Friends". [[The Washington Post]].
12. (1996). "The 68th Academy Awards".
13. "Mira Sorvino".
14. Musto, Michael. (May 2002). "Mira Sorvino". [[Out (magazine).
15. (15 January 2002). "Wisegirls".
16. Vosmikova, Isabella. (January 24, 2008). "TV Addict Interview: Mira Sorvino Guest Stars on HOUSE".
17. [http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/tiff/2011/unionsquare Union Square] {{webarchive. link. (2011-09-11 at Tiff.net)
18. Scott, A. O.. (July 12, 2012). "'Union Square,' by Nancy Savoca, With Mira Sorvino". The New York Times.
19. Goldstein, Gary. (July 13, 2012). "Review: 'Union Square' is a compelling family drama". Los Angeles Times.
20. "Reviews – Page 47040 – Film Threat".
21. Cornet, Roth. (21 October 2013). "Mira Sorvino Joins the Cast of TNT's Falling Skies".
22. Petski, Denise. (September 2, 2015). "Sarah Silverman, Jenny Slate, Mira Sorvino & More Join Netflix's 'Lady Dynamite'".
23. "Look Away (2018) – Movie".
24. Miller, Julie. (November 9, 2021). "Mira Sorvino Is Ready for Her Next Act".
25. (2023-07-12). "Mira Sorvino Talks About Rescuing Kids as 'Sound of Freedom' Box Office Success Builds".
26. Eclarinal, Aeron Mer. (2023-07-13). "Sound of Freedom Cast: All 12 Main Actors Who Appear In Movie".
27. "'Romy and Michele' Sequel Is Officially in the Works with Lisa Kudrow and Mira Sorvino: 'We're Pretty Excited'".
28. "Oscar Winner Mira Sorvino Will Make Broadway Debut in Chicago".
29. Ryan, Joal. (March 5, 1998). "Quentin and Mira Call It Quits". eonline.com.
30. . (November 4, 2012). ["Mira Sorvino Gives Birth to a Girl"](http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,768257,00.html). *People*.
31. Archuleta, Paul. (May 4, 2012). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Daughter Lucia". People.
32. Gee, Allison. (May 30, 2006). "Mira Sorvino Has a Boy". People.
33. Symons, Matt. (July 13, 2009). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Son Holden Paul Terry".
34. Meinwald, Jerrold. (March 17, 1998). "Mirasorvone: A masked 20-ketopregnane from the defensive secretion of a diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus)". National Academy of Sciences.
35. "Naming a new molecule after a famous actress".
36. Levine, Katie (September 12, 2014). [http://www.nerdist.com/pepisode/nerdist-podcast-mira-sorvino/ "Episode 570: Nerdist Podcast: Mira Sorvino"] {{Webarchive. link. (2014-09-14 . ''[[The Nerdist Podcast]]''.)
37. Moring, Mark. (October 3, 2012). "Mira Sorvino: Saving Sex Slaves".
38. Goodwyn, Hannah. "Mira Sorvino on Faith and Like Dandelion Dust". Christian Broadcasting Network.
39. Morgan, Laura. (July 21, 2016). "Mira Sorvino on Selfies, Growing Up in New Jersey, and Vintage Furniture". Architectural Digest.
40. Sorvino, Mira. (October 11, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: Why I Spoke Out Against Harvey Weinstein".
41. Desta, Yohana. (January 5, 2018). "How Actresses Allegedly Blacklisted by Harvey Weinstein Are Making Big Comebacks".
42. Sorvino, Mira. (December 8, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: The Vindication and Aftermath of My Weinstein Story (Guest Column)".
43. (May 3, 2018). "Weinstein Threatened to Take 'Lord of the Rings' Away From Peter Jackson and Have Quentin Tarantino Direct".
44. (June 13, 2019). "Mira Sorvino says she was date raped and calls for 'justice' for survivors".
45. (16 June 2019). "Actress Mira Sorvino Says She Survived Date Rape".
46. (June 12, 2019). "Mira Sorvino says she is a 'survivor of date rape'". AP News.
47. (March 10, 2004). "Mira Sorvino aiding Amnesty International". [[USA Today]].
48. (August 10, 2011). "Spotlight on Human Trafficking with Mira Sorvino". National Conference of State Legislatures.
49. O'Neal, Sean. (November 23, 2011). "Random Roles: Mira Sorvino". [[The A.V. Club]].
50. DeFore, John. (2 April 2020). "'Butter': Film Review". [[The Hollywood Reporter]].
51. Kate Stanhope. (2017-04-03). "Mira Sorvino to Star in Audience Network's 'Three Days of the Condor' Remake".