Mira Sorvino facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mira Sorvino
Sorvino at a convention in Seattle in 2025.
Born	Mira Katherine Sorvino (1967-09-28) September 28, 1967 (age 57) 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)
Awards	Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

Mira Katherine Sorvino is an American actress. She became very famous for her role in the comedy film Mighty Aphrodite (1995). For this role, she won both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.

Sorvino has also starred in many other movies. These include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Mimic (1997), Summer of Sam (1999), and Sound of Freedom (2023). On television, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for playing Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996). .....

Early Life and Education

Mira Sorvino was born in New York City on September 28, 1967. Her mother, Lorraine Ruth Davis, was a drama therapist and former actress. Her father, Paul Sorvino, was a famous actor and film director. Mira has two siblings, Michael and Amanda. Her family comes from Italy on her father's side.

She grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. As a child, she loved to write and act in plays with her friend Hope Davis. She also performed in theater shows at her school, Dwight-Englewood School. Mira's mother taught her to care about social issues. Her mother even took part in the March on Washington, a big event for civil rights.

Mira was a very good student. She was accepted into Harvard University. During her studies, she spent a year in Beijing, China, as an exchange student. There, she learned to speak Mandarin Chinese very well. In 1989, she graduated from Harvard with a degree in East Asian studies. She earned "magna cum laude" honors, which means she graduated with great distinction. She also helped start the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, a singing group at Harvard, in 1985.

Acting Career

Mira Sorvino and Olivier Martinez at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

Mira Sorvino's first big role on screen was in the teen TV series Swans Crossing. She appeared in six episodes of the show. In 1993, she worked on the film Amongst Friends. She started as an assistant director and then became a casting director and assistant producer. Finally, she was offered a main acting role in the movie. People liked her performance, which led to more acting chances.

After taking on supporting roles in films like Robert Redford's Quiz Show and Whit Stillman's Barcelona, she was cast in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995). Her role in this film made her a star. She won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Even though the film brought her international fame, she found the filming very challenging.

Her other movie roles include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion with Lisa Kudrow. She also starred in At First Sight with Val Kilmer and Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. In 1996, she played Marilyn Monroe in the HBO film Norma Jean & Marilyn, earning a Golden Globe nomination. She also had the main role in Guillermo del Toro's horror film Mimic. In 1995, she appeared in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers. In 2000, she played Daisy Buchanan in the TV film The Great Gatsby.

Sorvino from Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 2001

In 2002, Sorvino starred in The Triumph of Love. That same year, she was in WiseGirls with Mariah Carey. ..... She also had a supporting role in the drama Reservation Road (2007).

In 2008, she was a guest star on the TV show House. She played a psychiatrist named Cate Milton.

Sorvino at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

She appeared in Attack on Leningrad (2009) and Multiple Sarcasms (2010). In 2012, she starred in Union Square, which was well-received at the Toronto International Film Festival. That same year, Sorvino played the mother in the movie Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, based on a popular children's book.

In 2014, she returned to the show Psych as Head Detective Betsy Brannigan. She also joined the cast of Falling Skies and Intruders. In 2016, she was in the Netflix series Lady Dynamite. In 2018, Sorvino played Amy in the movie Look Away.

In 2019, Sorvino was cast in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood. ..... In May 2025, Sorvino shared that a sequel to Romy and Michele's High School Reunion was being made.

Personal Life

Between 1996 and 1998, Mira Sorvino was in a relationship with director Quentin Tarantino. He was her date when she won her Academy Award for Mighty Aphrodite.

Sorvino met actor Christopher Backus in August 2003. They got married on June 11, 2004, in Santa Barbara, California. Later, they had another ceremony in Capri, Italy. They have four children, two daughters and two sons. They have also acted together in movies like Indiscretion and Mothers and Daughters.

A special compound found in a type of beetle was named mirasorvone. This was done to honor Mira Sorvino's role as an insect expert in the film Mimic.

In 2014, Sorvino talked about her education and life in China on The Nerdist Podcast. She is a Christian and lives with her family in Los Angeles, California.

In 2017, Sorvino spoke out about her experiences with producer Harvey Weinstein. She believes her career was affected after she turned down his advances. According to director Peter Jackson, Weinstein prevented Sorvino and Ashley Judd from being considered for roles in The Lord of the Rings films.

Activism and Causes

Mira Sorvino has worked with Amnesty International since 2004. In 2006, she received their Artist of Conscience Award. This award is given to people who have done a lot of good work for others. ..... She has also worked to help stop this practice in Darfur.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Awards and Nominations