Mira Sorvino

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Not to be confused with Mena Suvari.
Mira Sorvino
MiraSorvino07TIFF.jpg
Sorvino at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival
Born September 28, 1967 (age 54)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma mater Harvard University (AB)
Occupation Actress
Years active 1985–present
Spouse(s) Christopher Backus (m. 2004)
Children 4
Parent(s)
Paul Sorvino (father)
Relatives Michael Sorvino (brother)
Mira Katherine Sorvino (/ˈmiːrə sɔːrˈviːnoʊ/; born September 28, 1967) is an
American actress. She won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting
Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995).

She also starred in the films Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Mimic
(1997), Lulu on the Bridge (1998), The Replacement Killers (1998), Summer of Sam
(1999), and Like Dandelion Dust (2009). For her work in television, she was
nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited
Series or Movie for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996),
and twice nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television
Film, again for her performance as Marilyn Monroe and for her leading role in Human
Trafficking (2005).

Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Personal life
3.1 Political activism
4 Filmography
4.1 Film
4.2 Television
5 Awards and nominations
6 Works and publications
7 References
8 External links
Early life
Sorvino was born[1] 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.[2] She has two siblings, Michael Sorvino and Amanda. She
is of Italian descent on her father's side.[3]

She was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,[4] where she wrote and acted in backyard
plays with her childhood friend Hope Davis, and in theater productions at Dwight-
Englewood School.[5] As a child, she was strongly influenced to pursue social
causes by her mother, who participated in the March on Washington.[6] Sorvino
excelled in high school and was accepted into Harvard University. She studied for
one year as an exchange student with CIEE in Beijing, China, where she became
fluent in Mandarin Chinese.[7] In 1989, she graduated from Harvard magna cum laude
with a degree in East Asian studies.[8] She also helped found the Harvard-Radcliffe
Veritones, one of Harvard's co-ed a cappella groups, in 1985.[9]
Career
Sorvino's first major screen appearance was in the teen television series Swans
Crossing, where she appeared in six episodes.[6] 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[10][11] led to more acting opportunities.

After small 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[12] and Golden
Globe[13] 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."[6]

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;[13] 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.[14] That year she also starred in WiseGirls alongside Mariah
Carey and Melora Walters.[15] In 2006, she received a Golden Globe nomination for
her role as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the Lifetime film Human
Trafficking.[13] 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.[16]

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.[17] The film premiered at the Toronto International
Film Festival[17] to good reviews.[18][19] 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.[20]

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.[21] 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.[22] In 2018, Sorvino
played the role of Amy in the psychological thriller Look Away, alongside Jason
Isaacs and India Eisley.[23]

In 2019, Sorvino was cast in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood, as an actor whose
career stalled out after a relationship with a studio head.[24]

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.[25]
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: daughters born in 2004 and 2012,[26][27] and sons born in 2006 and
2009.[28][29]

In honor of Sorvino's role as Susan Tyler, an entomologist who investigated deadly

insect mutations in the film Mimic, the discovery of a compound excreted as a
defense mechanism by the sunburst diving beetle was named mirasorvone by
entomologist Thomas Eisner.[30][31]

Sorvino at the Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium in Washington, D.C., January 30,

2013
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.[32]
She is a Christian[33][34] and resides with her family in Los Angeles, California.
[35]

In 2017, Sorvino came out publicly about the sexual harassment she endured from
producer Harvey Weinstein[36] and believes her career was damaged after she
rebuffed Weinstein's advances.[37][38] According to Peter Jackson, Weinstein
blocked Sorvino and Ashley Judd, another of his alleged victims, from being
considered for parts in The Lord of the Rings films.[39] In 2019 she also made
public that she was a date rape victim.[40][41][42]

Political activism
Sorvino has been affiliated with Amnesty International since 2004.[43] 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 abolish the practice in Darfur.[44]

Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Stuff Factory Worker Uncredited[45]
1993 The Obit Writer Short film
1993 Amongst Friends Laura
1993 New York Cop (Nyū Yōku no koppu) Maria
1994 Quiz Show Sandra Goodwin
1994 Barcelona Marta Ferrer
1995 Sweet Nothing Monika
1995 Mighty Aphrodite Linda Ash Oscar for 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 The Replacement Killers Meg Coburn
1998 Lulu on the Bridge Celia Burns
1998 Too Tired to Die Death/Jean
1998 Free Money Karen Polarski
1999 At First Sight Amy Benic
1999 Summer of Sam Dionna
2001 The Grey Zone Dina
2001 The Triumph of Love The Princess
2002 WiseGirls Meg Kennedy
2002 Semana santa Maria Delgado
2002 Between Strangers Natalia Bauer
2003 Gods and Generals Fanny Chamberlain
2004 The Final Cut Delila
2007 Reservation Road Ruth
2009 Like Dandelion Dust Wendy Porter
2009 Sweet Flame Sheila
2009 Attack on Leningrad Kate Davis
2010 Multiple Sarcasms Cari
2010 The Presence The Woman
2011 Angels Crest Angie
2012 Union Square Lucy
2012 The Trouble with Cali The Balletmaster
2012 Smitty Amanda
2012 Trade of Innocents Claire Becker
2013 Space Warriors Sally Hawkins
2014 Perfect Sisters Linda
2014 Frozen in Time Carol Purtle Direct-to-video film
2015 Quitters May Rayman
2015 Do You Believe? Samantha
2015 Chloe and Theo Monica
2016 Exposed Janine Cullen
2016 Mothers and Daughters Georgina
2016 The Red Maple Leaf Marianna Palermo
2017 6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain Susan LeMarque
2018 Waterlily Jaguar Helen
2018 Look Away Amy originally titled Behind the Glass[46]
2019 Beneath the Leaves Detective Erica Shotwell
2019 Stuber Captain Angie McHenry
2019 Badland Sarah Cooke
2019 Drowning Mary
2020 Butter Marian[47]
2020 Most Guys Are Losers Amy
2021 The Girl Who Believes in Miracles Bonnie Hopkins
2021 East of the Mountains Renee Givens
2021 Hero Mode Kate Mayfield
2021 Crime Story Nick Wallace
2021 After We Fell Carol
TBA Sound of Freedom Katherine Ballard Completed
TBA Lamborghini Annita Filming
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1992 Swans Crossing Sophia Eva McCormick De Castro 6 episodes
1994 Parallel Lives Matty Derosa Movie
1995 The Buccaneers Conchita Closson 5 episodes
1996 Norma Jean & Marilyn Marilyn Monroe Movie
2000 The Great Gatsby Daisy Buchanan Movie
2003 Will & Grace Diane Episode "Last Ex to Brooklyn"
2005 Human Trafficking Kate Morozov Miniseries
2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Randi Russell Movie
2008 House Dr. Cate Milton Episode "Frozen"
2009 The 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 Indiscretion Veronica Lewis Movie
2016 A Christmas to Remember Jennifer Wade / Maggie Movie
2016–17 Lady Dynamite Herself/Millicent Pratt/Jennipher Nickels/ Ranlith
the Hive Queen 2 episodes
2018 Condor Marty Ross Recurring role[48]
2018 No One Would Tell Judge Elizabeth Hanover Movie
2018 StartUp Rebecca Stroud Recurring role (season 3)
2018 Modern Family Nicole Rosemary Page Recurring role (season 9)
2018 Spy Kids: Mission Critical Ingrid Cortez (voice) 7 episodes
2020 Hollywood Jeanne Crandall Recurring role
2021 Impeachment: American Crime Story Marcia Lewis 6 episodes
2022 Shining Vale Rosemary Wellingham Main role, 8 episodes
Awards and nominations
Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Mira Sorvino
Works and publications
Sorvino, Mira (1989). Anti-Africanism in China: An Investigation into Chinese
Attitudes Towards Black Students in the PRC (Thesis/dissertation). Cambridge, MA:
Harvard University. OCLC 36014182.
Sorvino, Mira (October 9, 2012). "In the Pursuit of Justice". HuffPost.
Sorvino, Mira (October 11, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: Why I Spoke Out Against Harvey
Weinstein". Time.
References
"Mira Sorvino". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
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."
Ervolino, Bill. "Tenafly's Mira Sorvino says she was a Weinstein victim", 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."
"Mira Sorvino". Biography.com. The Biography Channel. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
Brennan, Sandra. "Mira Sorvino". Allmovie. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
"Notable Graduates". Harvard University. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
"The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones". Harvard University. Archived from the original
on April 14, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
Berardinelli, James (1993). "Review: Amongst Friends".
Hinson, Hal (August 13, 1993). "Amongst Friends". The Washington Post.
"The 68th Academy Awards". 1996.
"Mira Sorvino". www.goldenglobes.com. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
Musto, Michael (May 2002). "Mira Sorvino". Out: 40 – via Google Books. open access
"Wisegirls". Variety. January 15, 2002. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
Vosmikova, Isabella (January 24, 2008). "TV Addict Interview: Mira Sorvino Guest
Stars on HOUSE".
Union Square Archived 2011-09-11 at the Wayback Machine 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.
"Reviews – Page 47040 – Film Threat". www.filmthreat.com.
Cornet, Roth (October 21, 2013). "Mira Sorvino Joins the Cast of TNT's Falling
Skies". IGN. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
 Petski, Denise (September 2, 2015). "Sarah Silverman, Jenny Slate, Mira Sorvino &
More Join Netflix's 'Lady Dynamite'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 16,
2017.
"Look Away (2018) – Movie". www.moviefone.com. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
Miller, Julie (November 9, 2021). "Mira Sorvino Is Ready for Her Next Act".
VanityFair.com. Retrieved November 15, 2021. In 2019, Ryan Murphy cast the actor in
her highest-profile project in two decades. Netflix Hollywood featured the Oscar
winner as an actor whose career stalled out after a relationship with a studio
head. In one poignant scene, she's rescued from B-movie hell when she's suddenly
offered her the chance to work—really work again—in a dramatic role she can sink
her teeth into.
Ryan, Joal (March 5, 1998). "Quentin, and Mira Call It Quits". eonline.com.
"Mira Sorvino Gives Birth to a Girl". People. November 4, 2012. Retrieved April
18, 2017.
Archuleta, Paul (May 4, 2012). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Daughter Lucia". People.
Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
Gee, Allison (May 30, 2006). "Mira Sorvino Has a Boy". People. Retrieved April 18,
2017.
Symons, Matt (July 13, 2009). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Son Holden Paul Terry".
Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
Meinwald, Jerrold; 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.
Bibcode:1998PNAS...95.2733M. doi:10.1073/pnas.95.6.2733. OCLC 1607201. PMC 19637.
PMID 9501158.
"Naming a new molecule after a famous actress". Archived from the original on
September 28, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
Levine, Katie (September 12, 2014). "Episode 570: Nerdist Podcast: Mira Sorvino"
Archived 2014-09-14 at the Wayback Machine. 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.
Morgan, Laura (July 21, 2016). "Mira Sorvino on Selfies, Growing Up in New Jersey,
and Vintage Furniture". Architectural Digest. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
Sorvino, Mira (October 11, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: Why I Spoke Out Against Harvey
Weinstein". Time.
Desta, Yohana (January 5, 2018). "How Actresses Allegedly Blacklisted by Harvey
Weinstein Are Making Big Comebacks". Vanity Fair.
Sorvino, Mira (December 8, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: The Vindication and Aftermath of
My Weinstein Story (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles,
California. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
Sharf, Zack (May 3, 2018). "Weinstein Threatened to Take 'Lord of the Rings' Away
From Peter Jackson and Have Quentin Tarantino Direct". Retrieved July 27, 2019.
"Mira Sorvino says she was date raped and calls for 'justice' for survivors". The
Guardian. June 13, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
Herreria, Carla (June 16, 2019). "Actress Mira Sorvino Says She Survived Date
Rape". Huffpost. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
"Mira Sorvino says she is a 'survivor of date rape'". AP News. June 12, 2019.
Retrieved October 10, 2019.
"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.
O'Neal, Sean (November 23, 2011). "Random Roles: Mira Sorvino". avclub.com.
Retrieved October 20, 2012.
Tartaglione, Nancy (April 27, 2018). "Goldcrest Boards India Eisley Thriller 'Look
Away' From Assaf Bernstein – Cannes". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
 DeFore, John (April 2, 2020). "'Butter': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter.
Retrieved February 19, 2021.
Kate Stanhope (April 3, 2017). "Mira Sorvino to Star in Audience Network's 'Three
Days of the Condor' Remake". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 2, 2017. Titled
simply Condor, the drama follows Joe Turner (Max Irons), a young CIA analyst whose
idealism is tested when he stumbles onto a terrible but brilliant plan that
threatens the lives of millions. Sorvino will play Marty Frost, an investigator who
has come out of retirement to take over after an attack at Turner's office.
External links
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alumniHarvard University alumniPeople from ManhattanPeople from Tenafly, New Jersey
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