Beautiful Women of the World - Alyssa Milano of Who's the Boss Fame
Channel: Beautiful Women of The World
Date: 2015-07-20

Alyssa Jayne Milano (born December 19, 1972) is an American actress, producer and former singer. She is known for starring in several television shows, such as the ABC sitcom Who's the Boss? (1984–92), the Fox soap opera Melrose Place (1997–98), the WB series Charmed (1998–2006) and the ABC drama Mistresses (2013–14).

Milano is the daughter of fashion designer and talent manager Lin Milano and film-music editor Thomas M. Milano.[1] She is of Italian ancestry.[2] She was born in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, and lived there until a neighborhood shooting prompted the family to relocate to Staten Island.[3] Her younger brother Cory (b. 1982) is also an actor. In a 2003 interview, Milano recalled having had a good childhood, having grown up in a "loving, true family."[4] She does not feel that growing up in front of the camera jeopardized her childhood:[5] "I love my family very much—they've really backed my career. I consider myself to be normal: I've got to clean my room, and help in the kitchen.

Milano began her career after she won a role in an open audition for a national tour of Annie, she was one of four selected at an audition from more than 1,500 girls.[7] She appeared in off-Broadway productions and television commercials.[8] After her stage career, Milano made her film debut Old Enough, which she recalled as a "great" way for "starting out".[3]

At age 11, she starred in her television debut Who's the Boss?, as Tony Micelli's daughter, Samantha. After she won the role, she and her father relocated from Staten Island to Hollywood; the rest of the family followed the next year, because her mother was initially unwilling to give up her home life "for a show that wasn't a guarantee."[9] Although born and raised in Brooklyn, Milano had trouble getting this accent right because she had worked to lose it to land more roles in the theater, including in a stage adaption of Jane Eyre.[7] Throughout Who's the Boss?, Milano felt a strong connection with co-star Danza.[10] At age 12, Milano co-starred in Commando as Jenny Matrix, the daughter of John (Arnold Schwarzenegger). In a 2003 interview, she admits that she was sometimes "freaked out" by the weapons on set.