page_title: Alyssa Milano
section_title: 1980–1996
hierarchical_section_title: Alyssa Milano / Career / 1980–1996
caption_attribution_description: English: Nancy Reagan with Alyssa Milano and Representatives of International Council of Shopping Centers in Diplomatic Reception Room, 4/9/1987
context_page_description: Alyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress, producer and political activist. She is known for her roles as Samantha Micelli in Who's the Boss?, Jennifer Mancini in Melrose Place, Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed, Billie Cunningham in My Name is Earl, Savannah "Savi" Davis in Mistresses, Renata Murphy in Wet Hot American Summer: 10 Years Later and Coralee Armstrong in Insatiable.
context_section_description: Milano began her career at age 7, when her babysitter, without notifying Milano's parents, took her to an audition for one of the four principal parts in a national touring company of Annie. Milano was one of four selected from more than 1,500 girls. During the course of her work in the play, Milano and her mother were on the road for 18 months. After returning to New York, Milano appeared in television commercials and performed several roles in off-Broadway productions, including the first American musical adaptation of Jane Eyre. When accompanying a friend from the Annie production to the office of a New York agent, Milano was introduced to the agent, who began representing her. She does not feel that growing up in front of the camera harmed her childhood and has said: "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."
  In August 1984, Milano made her film debut in the coming-of-age drama Old Enough, which she recalled as a "great" way for "starting out". The film was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won First Prize.
  Milano auditioned as Tony Danza's daughter on the sitcom Who's the Boss? After winning the part, she and her family moved to Los Angeles, where the show was produced. It premiered on ABC on September 20, 1984. Throughout Who's the Boss?, Milano developed a close relationship with co-star Danza. Commenting on their early years together, Danza observed: "She was just the sweetest little girl of all time ... She became much like my daughter." The series established Milano as a teen idol, and provided her opportunities for other roles. Her education was split between school and an on-set tutor with whom Milano would work for three hours a day.
  At age 12, Milano co-starred in Commando as Jenny Matrix, the daughter of John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger).
  On stage, she starred in Tender Offer, a one-act play written by Wendy Wasserstein, All Night Long by American playwright John O'Keefe, and the first American musical adaptation of Jane Eyre. She returned to the theater in 1991, producing and starring in a Los Angeles production of Butterflies Are Free from December 26, 1991, to January 19, 1992.
  A few years later this film was shown in Japan, prompting a producer to offer Milano a five-album record deal. Milano's albums, which she described as "bubblegum pop", scored platinum in the country, though she later criticised their musical quality. Subsequently, she starred in the children's film The Canterville Ghost, which did not achieve much praise or attention and Variety magazine noted in its review: "Milano as the catalyzing daughter Jennifer adapts to the ghostly Sir Simon without a qualm; that, of course, is the true charm of the story, but Milano doesn't exhibit enough presence to match the droll, charming Gielgud".
  Milano starred in two 1988 television films, Crash Course and Dance 'til Dawn. Both projects allowed her to work alongside close personal friend Brian Bloom who worked with his brother Scott with her in episodes of Who's the Boss; this working camaraderie would later expand in 1993 when Milano made a cameo appearance in Bloom's film The Webbers. She produced a teen workout video, Teen Steam, and achieved some fame outside the US with her music career, which lasted until the early 1990s. Even though she scored platinum in Japan, Milano had no interest to pursue a music career in the United States: "I'm not interested in crossing over. I'd much rather have it released where it's appreciated than laughed at." Simultaneously, she wrote a weekly column called "From Alyssa, with love" for the teen magazine Teen Machine.
  Milano played a teenage prostitute in the 1992 independent film Where the Day Takes You. The film, which focuses on a group of young runaway and homeless teenagers, was shot on and around Hollywood Boulevard. and was met with positive critical reception. It was nominated for the Critics Award at the Deauville Film Festival, and won the Golden Space Needle Award at the Seattle 
caption: Milano with Nancy Reagan and Representatives of International Council of Shopping Centers in Diplomatic Reception Room, 1987
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