When talking to people about the nicest actors and filmmakers in the business a few names recur in every conversation. Alyssa Milano is one of them. She is one of the most cherished actresses who have emerged from American television. Her natural beauty and amiable personality has helped propelling the shows she took part in to a longstanding success. Many people in the industry often indicate Alyssa’s presence as the main reason to keep watching a show. It was certainly true for the world wide popular Charmed.
It’s easy to see where her allure originates from: Milano features a mixture of sensual appeal and girl next door vibe. She was born in Brooklyn to a very traditional Italian American family. Both her mum Lin, a fashion designer and talent manager, and her father Thomas, a film-music editor, are of Italian heritage.
Alyssa grew up in Staten Island after the family decided to move due to crime rate ascending in Brooklyn. She often described her childhood as happy and normal, growing up in a “loving, true family,” even if she became famous at a very young age. In fact when she was only eleven years old she made a splash on the sit-com Who’s the boss? where she played the daughter of Tony Danza, another famed Italian American actor. Her family was pivotal in helping her avoid the pitfalls that many at such young age experience.
Growing up into a beautiful young woman she became very proud and protective of her heritage. It shouldn’t come to a surprise that when a show like Jersey Shore, really a disgrace to Italian culture, started gaining popularity, Alyssa strongly stated her disapproval. While for those kids it probably was one way like any other to reach fame, it did perpetuate stereotypes that made any true Italian like Milano very upset.
Being faithful to traditions means also eating good food. Alyssa turned vegetarian after 9/11 (the smell of barbecue associated to burnt flesh influenced her decision), nevertheless she enjoyed healthy food throughout her two pregnancies, which resulted in giving birth to two fat healthy children.
Food is a family matter. She reunites with her parents every Sunday for a traditional Italian dinner; on Christmas eve Alyssa helps her mum making a traditional Italian meal, a fish based main course accompanied by arancini, mozzarella cheese and fresh vegetables that Alyssa picks up from her own garden every day. The essence of her family’s Sunday dinners was later recreated at her wedding reception, where she married CAA agent David Bugliari.
Alyssa is definitely seen as every man’s dream woman not just for her looks but also because she is an avid sports fan. Baseball is her favorite sport. She grew up a New York Yankees fan when she lived in Brooklyn, and then became a Los Angeles Dodgers supporter when she moved to the city of Angels. So strong is her passion that she created a whole baseball clothing line for women, called Touch.
The new business venture, born from a mere desire to share her passion with other women, has proven so successful that it was expanded to other sports, partnering with virtually every professional sports league, including MLB, NFL and Nascar. She has also shown to have a favorite in Italian soccer as well. She proudly wore an Inter Milan Jersey to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, when the Italian team played a friendly game vs. Chelsea FC.
She’s usually more active on the small screen; her last feature film was New Year’s Eve, which came out in 2011. Nowadays she’s the lead of the ABC show Mistresses, which of course helps cementing that familiarity with audiences who watch her from the comfort of their homes. She was also appointed UNICEF ambassador in 2003 and her humanitarian travels have since taken her to India, Kosovo, the African nation of Angola. The focus on helping kids in other countries never left any time to a pleasure visit. She tenderly confesses of never having been to Italy for example. It all speaks volumes on knowing her priorities and her commitment to political causes.
She’s adored by fans and respected by fellow filmmakers. Many may have noticed how in the recent box office hit Guardians of the Galaxy the spaceship was named The Milano. A tribute to her sweet, lovable and fun personality that everybody can’t help but fall in love with.
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