- Alyssa Milano
caption =
birthname = Alyssa Jayne Milano
birthdate = birth date and age|1972|12|19
birthplace =Brooklyn ,New York , U.S.A.
yearsactive = 1984 - present
othername = Lyssa, Lyssie, Lyss, Ally
occupation = Actress, Singer, Producer
Genre = Pop,dance-pop , RnB
spouse =Cinjun Tate (1999) - divorced
website = http://www.alyssa.com/Alyssa Jayne Milano (born
December 19 ,1972 ) is an American actress and former singer. She is perhaps best known for her roles as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom "Who's the Boss? ",Phoebe Halliwell on the supernatural series "Charmed " or via her new female apparel clothing line "Touch". Recently, she has appeared in a recurring role on "My Name is Earl " as Billie Cunningham. She got her start in acting by starring in the Broadway show "Annie ".Early life and career
Milano was born in New York City, the daughter of Italian-American parents Lin, a former fashion designer and talent manager, and Thomas M. Milano, a film music editor and a well-known boating enthusiast.cite web|url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/43/Alyssa-Milano.html|title=Alyssa Milano Biography (1974-)|work=Filmreference.com|accessdate=2003-01-23] She has a younger brother, Cory (born in 1982), who is also an actor, but has more recently started a band, called Chloroform Days, in which he is the lead singer. Milano was born in Brooklyn but grew up in
Staten Island, New York and was raisedCatholic .cite web|url=http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/4616/us0699.html|title=WITCH ON HEELS|work=Geocities.com|accessdate=1999-05-14] She began her career at the age of eight when she won a part in an open audition for a national tour of "Annie". She appeared in television commercials and off-Broadway productions. At the age of eleven, she earned her first major role in the TV show "Who's the Boss? ", alongsideTony Danza ,Judith Light ,Danny Pintauro andKatherine Helmond . She starred as Samantha Micelli, the daughter of Danza's character, Tony Micelli. When Milano won the role, her family relocated from Staten Island toHollywood . She produced a teen workout video in 1988 called "Teen Steam". In 1985, Milano was in the film "Commando" as Jenny Matrix who wasJohn Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger )'s daughter. A few years later this film was shown in Japan prompting a producer to offer Alyssa a five album record deal.Later career
At the beginning of her career, Milano was known mainly for her role on "
Who's the Boss? " (1984-1992). She tried to shed her "nice girl" image by appearing in several films targeted at adults, such as ' (1992), "Embrace of the Vampire " (1994), "Confessions of a Sorority Girl " (1994), "Deadly Sins" (1995), and ' (1995), where she starred oppositeJohnathon Schaech andXander Berkeley . She gained more mainstream success in TV as Jennifer Mancini on "Melrose Place " (1997-1998), Meg Winston in "Spin City " and most notably asPhoebe Halliwell on "Charmed " (1998-2006). Both Milano and close friendHolly Marie Combs became producers for "Charmed " during the show's fifth season. She also played the role of Eva Savelot in MCI's1-800-COLLECT commercials. In 2007, Milano filmed a pilot for ABC entitled "Reinventing the Wheelers". The series was not picked up for the 2007-2008 season, but instead, Milano appeared in ten episodes of the show "My Name is Earl ". This reunited her withJaime Pressly who guest starred in the Season 5 premiere of "Charmed", "A Witch's Tail".cite web|url=http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Exclusive-Earl-Charmed/800021729?messageID=800252977&|title=Exclusive: "Earl" Charmed By Alyssa Milano|work=TVGuide.com|accessdate=2007-09-06] She is set to reappear in the fourth season of the Emmy winning show, reprising her role as Billie Cunningham. Not much is known about her storylines.On stage, she starred in "Tender Offer", a one-act play written by
Wendy Wasserstein , "All Night Long" by American playwright John O'Keefe, [cite web|url= http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=990CE1DB1E39F93AA15750C0A962948260|date= 1984-03-29|accessdate= 2008-02-10| title= "STAGE: 'All Night Long'" byFrank Rich |work=The New York Times ] and the first American musical adaptation of "Jane Eyre ". She returned to the theater in 1991, when she starred in and produced a Los Angeles production of "Butterflies Are Free ". Milano also appeared in the Josie music video byBlink-182 , and in 2007, Milano began appearing on television again in commercials forVeet and SheerCover.Milano was part of TBS' special coverage installment "Hot Corner" for the 2007
Major League Baseball playoffs. [ [http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/hotcorner/index.jsp The Official Site of Major League Baseball: TBS Hot Corner: TBS Hot Corner ] ] She reported atFenway Park during the ALDS between theBoston Red Sox and theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim . She also reported atChase Field during the NLCS between theArizona Diamondbacks andColorado Rockies .Milano was cast in a new comedic television show ("Single with Parents") for the 2008-2009 season.
Personal life
Outside of acting, her hobbies include photography, humanitarian work, and spending time with her three dogs and eight horses.
"I've stumbled over words while reading from
Teleprompter s. SirJohn Gielgud , whom I worked with on "The Canterville Ghost " years ago, gave me great advice. When I asked how he memorized his monologues, he said, 'I write them down.' I use that method to this day. It not only familiarizes me with the words, it makes them my own."Milano is a fan of tattoos, and has eight of them located in various areas of her body, including both wrists, both ankles, shoulder, neck, hip and lower back. Milano is also a fan of the
Los Angeles Dodgers . In 2007 she created her own signature "Touch" line of team apparel for female baseball fans, currently available onMajor League Baseball 's website, along with her own baseball blog.cite web|url=http://alyssa.mlblogs.com/|title="I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED AS A BALLPLAYER WHO GAVE ALL HE HAD TO GIVE" – ROBERTO CLEMENTE|work=Alyssa.mlblogs.com|accessdate=2007-09-06] . She also has an interest in theLos Angeles Kings , aNational Hockey League team and is involved with a related clothing line. Milano is also a vegetarian and appears in numerousPETA advertising campaigns for vegetarianism. In 2005, she was ranked #5 in the '50 Cutest Child Stars -All Grown Up'.Philanthropy
Milano was recently appointed Founding Ambassador for the
Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases to which she donated $250,000 of her own money. The Global Network is an alliance formed to advocate and mobilize resources in the fight to control neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Milano will work to raise awareness of NTDs by educating the mainstream media and general public of the plight faced by the one billion people who are afflicted by NTDs, and the importance in controlling and preventing this global health crisis.Milano is also a
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the United States. She traveled toIndia , as well asAngola , to work withUNICEF field officers there. In the fall of 2004, she launchedUNICEF 's "Trick or Treat" campaign as an official spokesperson. She raised approximately $50,000 forSouth Africa n women and children withAIDS by selling her own photo work and a school's photo work. Milano is also a strong supporter ofPETA and appeared in an advertisement for them wearing only fruit and vegetables, advocating vegetarianism.Filmography
Films
Discography
tudio albums
Footnotes:
*1 Non-album Single.
*2 Only released in France.Other recordings
*
Teen Steam Theme song from Alyssa Milano's Teen Steam Workout Video (1988)Awards and nominations
References
External links
* [http://www.alyssa.com/ Official Site]
*imdb name|id=0000192|name=Alyssa Milano
*tvtome person|id=1533|name=Alyssa Milano
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