A magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University, Sorvino majored in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, living in Beijing for eight months and writing a Hoopes Prize-winning thesis on racial conflict in China. A bimbo she ain't.

The daughter of veteran actor Paul Sorvino (Law & Order, Goodfellas, Nixon), Mira brought tears to her dad's eyes when she accepted her Aphrodite Oscar. "When you give me this award, you honor my father, who has taught me everything there is to know about acting," she declared. "I love you very much, Dad." The elder Sorvino broke into tears, instantly creating a Classic Oscar Moment.

Sorvino was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, far from the limelight of Hollywood. Her father discouraged all three of his children from pursuing careers in acting, because he feared what might happen to them later in life if they experienced stardom too young. As a result, Mira became a bookworm, studying hard enough to earn a place in the Ivy League. That's not to say she didn't try her hand at acting – she performed in local productions throughout high school or college – but academics were her priority. Once she had graduated, though, she moved to New York and gave The Biz a try. For three years, she waitressed and auditioned and occasionally PA-d for Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Productions. Finally, in 1992, she was given the responsibility of third director (glorified PA, basically) on Amongst Friends. Within days, she was promoted to casting director, then to associate producer and eventually, Sorvino was cast as the female lead. Although the film was mostly seen in art-houses and at film festivals, word got around that a hot new actress was on the scene.

With a succession of low-profile roles, in Whit Stillman's Barcelona and Robert Redford's Quiz Show, which brought Mira to the attention of Woody Allen. Initially, Sorvino wasn't allowed to audition for Mighty Aphrodite, because she was seen as too cerebral to play a ditz. Guess she showed them.

In addition to an Oscar, Sorvino's breakthrough performance earned her Best Supporting Actress Awards from the New York Film Critics, the National Board of Review, a National Broadcasting Film Critics and a Golden Globe.

On television Mira earned a 1996 Best Actress Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her starring role as Marilyn Monroe in HBO's Norma Jean & Marilyn. The same year, she played Julie, the young dead wife of Alan Alda, in the CBS Hallmark presentation of Neil Simon's Jake's Women.

On stage, Mira premiered Joyce Carol Oates' Greensleeves at the John Drew Theater and Best of Schools at UBU Rep.

Since the infamous Oscar Moment, Sorvino has kept busy on screen as well. In addition to some lower-budget films, like Lulu on the Bridge and Free Money, she recently co-starred with Val Kilmer in At First Sight and portrayed a woman symbolic of a generation in Spike Lee's Summer of Sam.