Mira Katherine Sorvino (; born ) is an American actress. She rose to stardom with her performance as a sex worker in the comedy film Mighty Aphrodite (1995), which won her both an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
Sorvino 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), Gods and Generals (2003), Like Dandelion Dust (2009), and Sound of Freedom (2023). 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 nominated twice for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for her performance as Detective Kate Morozov and for her leading role in Human Trafficking (2005).
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,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." where she wrote and acted in backyard plays with her childhood friend Hope Davis, and in theater productions at Dwight-Englewood School.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." 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 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.Union Square at Tiff.net 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.Levine, Katie (September 12, 2014). "Episode 570: Nerdist Podcast: Mira Sorvino" . The Nerdist Podcast.
Sorvino was raised in her mother's Episcopalian faith and has publicly identified as a Christian. In 2023, she converted to Catholicism. She 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 YearTitleRoleNotes 1985 The Stuff Factory Worker Uncredited1993Amongst Friends LauraNew York Cop Maria1994 Quiz Show Sandra GoodwinBarcelona Marta Ferrer1995Sweet Nothing MonikaMighty Aphrodite Linda Ash Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressBlue in the Face Young Lady1996Beautiful Girls Sharon CassidyTales of Erotica Teresa Short; The Dutch MasterTarantella Diane1997Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Romy WhiteMimic Dr. Susan Tyler1998The Replacement Killers Meg CoburnLulu on the Bridge Celia BurnsToo Tired to Die Death / JeanFree Money Karen Polarski1999At First Sight Amy BenicSummer of Sam Dionna2001The Grey Zone DinaTriumph of Love The Princess2002WiseGirls Meg KennedySemana Santa Maria DelgadoBetween Strangers Natalia Bauer 2003Gods and Generals Fanny Chamberlain 2004The Final Cut Delila 2007Reservation Road Ruth2009Like Dandelion Dust Wendy PorterSweet Flame SheilaAttack on Leningrad Kate Davis2010Multiple Sarcasms CariThe Presence The Woman 2011Angels Crest Angie2012Union Square LucyThe Trouble with Cali The BalletmasterSmitty AmandaTrade of Innocents Claire Becker 2013Space Warriors Sally Hawkins2014Perfect Sisters LindaFrozen in Time Carol Purtle Direct to video 2015Quitters May RaymanDo You Believe? SamanthaChloe and Theo Monica2016Exposed Janine CullenMothers and Daughters GeorginaThe Red Maple Leaf Marianna Palermo 20176 Below: Miracle on the Mountain Susan LeMarque2018Waterlily Jaguar HelenLook Away Amy Brennan2019 Beneath the Leaves Detective Erica ShotwellStuber Captain Angie McHenry Badland Sarah CookeDrowning Mary2020Butter MarianMost Guys Are Losers Amy 2021The Girl Who Believes in Miracles Bonnie HopkinsEast of the Mountains Renee GivensHero Mode Kate MayfieldCrime Story Nick Wallace After We Fell Carol Young 2022After Ever Happy Carol Young Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend Annita 2023Sound of Freedom Katherine Ballard 2024The Image of You Alexia 2025Signing Tony Raymond Sandra Henderson 2027Romy and Michele 2 Romy White Filming
Television