Mira Sorvino, the American actress raised in New York and daughter of actor Paul Sorvino, was one of the stars of the Spanish contingent at San Diego Comic-Con Málaga. There, she received the Biznaga de Honor award from the Málaga Film Festival and participated in a panel discussion in the Play One Series section, where she reviewed the highlights of a career that blends drama, comedy, thriller, and science fiction.
Her speech wasn't limited to the awards: she also spoke about her beginnings, her time at Harvard and in China, her Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite , her estrangement from Woody Allen, the veto she attributes to Harvey Weinstein, and her return to Romy in the sequel to Romy and Michele. All of this with an eye on an industry that, according to her, has changed completely.
An award in Malaga during Comic-Con
The director of the Málaga Film Festival, Juan Antonio Vigar, presented her with the Biznaga de Honor award at San Diego Comic-Con Málaga. The award recognizes more than three decades of work by an actress who has won an Oscar and a Golden Globe and who has moved with ease between very different genres.
The activity was part of the Play One Series, one of the collaborative initiatives between the Malaga Film Festival and the pop culture event. As a result of this agreement, which both entities have maintained since 2025, cross-promotions for the public and shared content are planned between the two events, both seeking to reinforce Malaga's role as an audiovisual hub.
Her filmography includes titles such as Guillermo del Toro's Mimic; Romy and Michele, which has become a cult classic over time; Spike Lee's Summer of Sam; and Crossroads, in addition to numerous series and miniseries. This variety has allowed her to connect with several generations and remain a recognizable face in Hollywood.
From Harvard and China to the first film shoots
Before turning to film, Sorvino already wanted to be an actress, but she ended up studying at Harvard. There, she participated in five plays, sang, and was part of an a cappella group. She then spent eight months in China, where she continued acting and singing jazz in Chinese-European bands before returning to the United States.
Her father, Paul Sorvino, didn't approve of her wanting to be an actress. She told him it was the only thing she wanted to do, and he eventually gave her his blessing. As she recalled, that support was crucial in helping her endure rejections and believe in herself when she didn't yet have any roles.
The beginnings weren't easy. She could go to a hundred auditions without getting anything, and during her first year, she didn't land a single role. In the meantime, she worked as a model, did photoshoots for money, gave Chinese lessons, and waited tables. She even lived in a tiny, impractical apartment with the bathroom outside the unit.
The situation changed when she quit other jobs and focused on acting classes. First came a short film, then another, and then her first feature film, Amongst Friends. Later came Barcelona, ​​by Whit Stillman, and Quiz Show, directed by Robert Redford, a shoot that marked a turning point in her career.
She filmed Mimic, her first American film, with Guillermo del Toro. She recalled that her contract stipulated she wasn't to touch live insects and that the giant creatures were physical creations combined with digital effects. Her father warned her against making a film about giant insects, but she replied that Jennifer Lopez had already made one with a snake. Although insects generally repel her, she finds snakes very interesting animals.
During the filming of Quiz Show, she experienced a moment of insecurity. Redford kept repeating takes and angles, and she interpreted this insistence as a sign that he didn't like her work. She called her father in tears, and he advised her to take a risk, to do something brave, and not to be afraid of being fired. Ultimately, she wasn't fired, and that film became a key stepping stone in her career.
The Oscar, Woody Allen and the blacklist
The big break came with Mighty Aphrodite, the Woody Allen film that earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Sorvino remembers it as a magnificent professional experience, although she maintains a complicated relationship with the director. She says she believes Dylan Farrow and that, for her, Allen is a good filmmaker but a bad person.
To create her character—a vulgar, naive, and somewhat pathetic woman—she experimented with different voices and accents. She sought a high-pitched yet raspy tone, almost falsetto, that would be funny even when reading the ingredients on a cereal box. The result was a ludicrous figure who, at the same time, evoked pity.
The actress also explained that her career suffered a prolonged setback. According to her testimony, Harvey Weinstein blacklisted her after she reported his abuse. Between 1998 and 2018, she didn't participate in any major studio releases and only appeared in small or limited-distribution productions. For a while, she thought it was just bad luck or fate.
When she needed to support her family, she began working in television, a field she had long avoided. There she discovered she wasn't the only actress who had found a second career in television series. This move allowed her to remain active while waiting for new opportunities in film.
She also reflected on the media pressure young actresses face. She criticized the way their bodies are judged based on weight gain, weight loss, whether or not they undergo surgery, or how they change their clothes. For her, it's important to assert their right to be treated as people, not as objects of public debate.
Regarding social media, he described it as both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it allows him to be closer to his fans and see that his work resonates with them; on the other, he admitted that everyone is glued to their phones. As for Hollywood, he laments the disappearance of mid-budget films , those that don't depend on a franchise or a big concept.
Romy and Michele and the new Hollywood
One of the most anticipated projects of her return is the sequel to Romy and Michele, in which she reprises her role as Romy alongside Lisa Kudrow. The idea gained momentum after the two appeared at an awards ceremony in tuxedos, one in pink and the other in blue, and the images went viral. From there, as she has explained, the sequel began to take shape.
Robin Schiff, creator of the characters and screenwriter of the first film, is back to write the script. Sorvino explained that the new installment retains the theme of the intense friendship between two women who have known each other since high school, but also explores their search for love, how that drives them apart, and how they find each other again, as well as once again placing them before a wedding. The characters remain quirky, funny, and eccentric.
Becoming a producer has given her more of a say in the project. As an actress, she says, you contribute a piece, but other people decide how it fits into the whole; as a producer, you can influence the overall shape. That experience also reflects the changes in an industry where streaming has altered the landscape and the way fiction is paid for and produced.
Her choice of projects has always been driven by a desire to try something new and to work with directors who trust actors. She prefers those who allow room for contributing ideas, even if they don't ultimately use those suggestions, to those who impose their will without listening. This pursuit of risk has guided a career that, despite its ups and downs, remains open to new challenges.
Sorvino's presence in Málaga served as an opportunity to reflect on a life intertwined with film and television, from her studies and early jobs to her Oscar win, the veto she attributes to Weinstein, and her return to a beloved character. Her testimony reveals a blend of talent, resilience, and criticism of abuses of power, as well as confirming that Romy returns to the screen alongside Michele in a sequel that looks to both Hollywood's past and present.