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Mira Sorvino

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Mira Sorvino
Sorvino at the 2013 Vienna Opera Ball
Born
Mira Katherine Sorvino

(1967-09-28) September 28, 1967 (age 57)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma materHarvard University (AB)
OccupationActress
Years active1985–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2004)​
Children4[1]
FatherPaul Sorvino
RelativesMichael Sorvino (brother)
AwardsAcademy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture

Mira Katherine Sorvino (/ˈmiːrə sɔːrˈviːnoʊ/; born (1967-09-28)September 28, 1967) is an American actress. She won the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995).

She also starred in the films Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Mimic (1997), Lulu on the Bridge (1998), The Replacement Killers (1998), Summer of Sam (1999), Gods and Generals (2003), Like Dandelion Dust (2009), and Sound of Freedom (2023). For her work in television, she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in Norma Jean & Marilyn (1996) and nominated twice for a Golden Globe for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film for her performance as Detective Kate Morozov and for her leading role in Human Trafficking (2005).

Early life

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Sorvino was born on September 28, 1967, in Manhattan, New York City,[2] to Lorraine Ruth Davis, a drama therapist for Alzheimer's disease patients and former actress, and Paul Sorvino, an actor and film director.[3] She has two siblings, Michael Sorvino and Amanda. She is of Italian descent on her father's side.[4]

She was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey,[5] where she wrote and acted in backyard plays with her childhood friend Hope Davis, and in theater productions at Dwight-Englewood School.[6] As a child, she was strongly influenced to pursue social causes by her mother, who participated in the March on Washington.[7] Sorvino excelled in high school and was accepted into Harvard University. She studied for one year as an exchange student with CIEE in Nanjing, China, where she studied Mandarin Chinese.[8] In 1989, she graduated from Harvard magna cum laude with a degree in East Asian studies.[9] She also helped found the Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones, one of Harvard's co-ed a cappella groups, in 1985.[10]

Career

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Mira Sorvino and Olivier Martinez at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival

Sorvino's first major screen appearance was in the teen television series Swans Crossing, where she appeared in six episodes.[7] When the 1993 film Amongst Friends entered preproduction, she was hired as third assistant director, then promoted to casting director, then to assistant producer, and finally offered a lead role. The positive reviews she received[11][12] led to more acting opportunities.

After supporting roles in Robert Redford's Quiz Show and Whit Stillman's Barcelona, she was cast in Woody Allen's Mighty Aphrodite (1995). Her portrayal of a happy-go-lucky prostitute made her a star, winning her an Academy Award[13] and Golden Globe[14] for Best Supporting Actress. Although the film brought her international recognition, she described its shooting as extremely stressful: "I was absolutely neurotic doing Mighty Aphrodite," she recalled. "Every night brought a new nervous breakdown. I'd cry and talk to God, I was so nervous. Then the next day, I'd show up and do my scenes."[7]

Her other credits include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion with Lisa Kudrow, At First Sight with Val Kilmer, and Spike Lee's Summer of Sam. She portrayed Marilyn Monroe for the 1996 HBO film Norma Jean & Marilyn, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe;[14] and had the lead role in Guillermo del Toro's horror film Mimic. In 1995, she portrayed Conchita Closson in the BBC miniseries The Buccaneers, based on Edith Wharton's last novel. She starred as Daisy Buchanan in the 2000 television film The Great Gatsby.

While filming Norma Jean & Marilyn, Sorvino acquired a small dog whom she named Deer, after its uncanny resemblance to a deer. She adored the dog, and kept it in her trailer while filming, so it would be there waiting for her between shots. Once, while filming at the International School of Los Angeles, in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, a crew member inadvertently let the dog escape while cleaning Sorvino's trailer as she was on-set filming a shot. The school was located on a small hill, and Deer apparently bolted down the hill, and into the residential neighborhood below. Sorvino was inconsolable, and returned to the location nightly, cruising slowly through the area, calling out for her lost pet, and posting reward notices. Security Officers who worked overnight shifts on the set were advised of the situation, and were told to be alert to the possibility of Sorvino's presence, and to keep an eye out for the dog, who may return to the location. Several of the officers and other crew members even began bringing collars, leashes, dog carriers and treats with them to work, hoping to capture it, but the crew moved on to the next filming location, and it is believed that Deer was never found.

Sorvino from Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. 2001

In 2002, Sorvino appeared as the lead in The Triumph of Love, an adaptation of the 1732 Marivaux play.[15] That year she also starred in WiseGirls alongside Mariah Carey and Melora Walters.[16] In 2006, she received a Golden Globe nomination for her role as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the Lifetime film Human Trafficking.[14] She had a supporting role in the drama Reservation Road (2007) with Mark Ruffalo.

In February 2008, she guest-starred as psychiatrist Cate Milton in the "Frozen" episode of the medical television drama House. Plans to make hers a recurring character were interrupted by the writers' strike.[17]

Sorvino at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival

She starred in Attack on Leningrad (2009), Multiple Sarcasms (2010) with Timothy Hutton and Stockard Channing, and Nancy Savoca's Union Square (2012), with Patti Lupone and Tammy Blanchard.[18] The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival[18] to good reviews.[19][20] In the same year, Sorvino played the mother of the lead in the film adaptation of Wendy Mass's popular children's book Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life.[21]

In 2014, she reappeared as Head Detective Betsy Brannigan on the final season of Psych, and on the fourth season of Falling Skies as John Pope's love interest, Sara.[22] Sorvino also joined the cast of the television series Intruders, playing the role of Amy Whelan. In 2016, she appeared in the Netflix series Lady Dynamite as an actor working on a sitcom pilot named White Trash.[23] In 2018, Sorvino played the role of Amy in the psychological thriller Look Away, alongside Jason Isaacs and India Eisley.[24]

In 2019, Sorvino was cast in the Netflix miniseries Hollywood as an actor whose career stalled out after a relationship with a studio head.[25]

In 2022, she played a supporting role in Sound of Freedom, a film about human trafficking in South America.[26][27]

Personal life

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Between 1996 and 1998, Mira Sorvino was romantically involved with director Quentin Tarantino, who was her escort to the Academy Awards ceremony where she won Best Supporting Actress for Mighty Aphrodite.[28]

Sorvino at the Anti-Human Trafficking Symposium in Washington, D.C., January 30, 2013

Sorvino met actor Christopher Backus at a friend's charades party in August 2003. On June 11, 2004, they married in a private civil ceremony at the Santa Barbara, California, courthouse, then later had a hilltop ceremony in Capri, Italy. They have four children: two daughters and two sons. They have also starred in films together such as Indiscretion and Mothers and Daughters.[29][1][30][31]

In honor of Sorvino's role as Susan Tyler, an entomologist who investigated deadly insect mutations in the film Mimic, a compound that is excreted as a defense mechanism by the sunburst diving beetle was named mirasorvone by the entomologist Thomas Eisner who discovered it.[32][33]

In September 2014, Sorvino gave a wide-ranging interview on The Nerdist Podcast, where she discussed her education, living in China, and her varied interests.[34] She is a Christian[35][36] and resides with her family in Los Angeles, California.[37]

In 2017, Sorvino came out publicly about the sexual harassment she endured from producer Harvey Weinstein[38] and believes her career was damaged after she rebuffed Weinstein's advances.[39][40] According to Peter Jackson, Weinstein blocked Sorvino and Ashley Judd, another of his alleged victims, from being considered for parts in The Lord of the Rings films.[41] In 2019 she also made public that she was a date rape victim.[42][43][44]

Activism

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Sorvino has been affiliated with Amnesty International since 2004.[45] In 2006 she was honored with their Artist of Conscience Award, given to those who have made longstanding philanthropic and humanist efforts. From 2009 to 2012 she was a United Nations Goodwill ambassador for combatting human trafficking, and has lobbied Congress to help abolish the practice in Darfur.[46]

Filmography

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Film

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Film work by Mira Sorvino
Year Title Role Notes
1985 The Stuff Factory Worker Uncredited[47]
1993 Amongst Friends Laura
New York Cop Maria
1994 Quiz Show Sandra Goodwin
Barcelona Marta Ferrer
1995 Sweet Nothing Monika
Mighty Aphrodite Linda Ash Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Blue in the Face Young Lady
1996 Beautiful Girls Sharon Cassidy
Tales of Erotica Teresa Short film The Dutch Master
Tarantella Diane
1997 Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Romy White
Mimic Dr. Susan Tyler
1998 The Replacement Killers Meg Coburn
Lulu on the Bridge Celia Burns
Too Tired to Die Death / Jean
Free Money Karen Polarski
1999 At First Sight Amy Benic
Summer of Sam Dionna
2001 The Grey Zone Dina
The Triumph of Love The Princess
2002 WiseGirls Meg Kennedy
Semana Santa Maria Delgado
Between Strangers Natalia Bauer
2003 Gods and Generals Fanny Chamberlain
2004 The Final Cut Delila
2007 Reservation Road Ruth
2009 Like Dandelion Dust Wendy Porter
2009 Sweet Flame Sheila
Attack on Leningrad Kate Davis
2010 Multiple Sarcasms Cari
The Presence The Woman
2011 Angels Crest Angie
2012 Union Square Lucy
The Trouble with Cali The Balletmaster
Smitty Amanda
Trade of Innocents Claire Becker
2013 Space Warriors Sally Hawkins
2014 Perfect Sisters Linda
Frozen in Time Carol Purtle Direct-to-video film
2015 Quitters May Rayman
Do You Believe? Samantha
Chloe and Theo Monica
2016 Exposed Janine Cullen
Mothers and Daughters Georgina
The Red Maple Leaf Marianna Palermo
2017 6 Below: Miracle on the Mountain Susan LeMarque
2018 Waterlily Jaguar Helen
Look Away Amy Brennan
2019 Beneath the Leaves Detective Erica Shotwell
Stuber Captain Angie McHenry
Badland Sarah Cooke
Drowning Mary
2020 Butter Marian[48]
Most Guys Are Losers Amy
2021 The Girl Who Believes in Miracles Bonnie Hopkins
East of the Mountains Renee Givens
Hero Mode Kate Mayfield
Crime Story Nick Wallace
After We Fell Carol Young
2022 After Ever Happy Carol Young
Lamborghini: The Man Behind the Legend Annita
2023 Sound of Freedom Katherine Ballard
2024 The Image of You Alexia

Television

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Television work by Mira Sorvino
Year Title Role Notes
1991–1992 Guiding Light Julie Camaletti Temporary replacement for Jocelyn Seagrave
1992 Swans Crossing Sophia Eva McCormick De Castro 6 episodes
1994 Parallel Lives Matty Derosa Movie
1995 The Buccaneers Conchita Closson 5 episodes
1996 Norma Jean & Marilyn Marilyn Monroe Movie
2000 The Great Gatsby Daisy Buchanan Movie
2003 Will & Grace Diane Episode: "Last Ex to Brooklyn"
2005 Human Trafficking Kate Morozov Miniseries
2006 Covert One: The Hades Factor Randi Russell Movie
2008 House Dr. Cate Milton Episode: "Frozen"
2009 The Last Templar Tess Chaykin Movie
2012 Finding Mrs. Claus Mrs. Claus Movie
2014 Psych Head Detective Betsy Brannigan 3 episodes
2014–2015 Falling Skies Sara Recurring role (seasons 4–5)
2014 Intruders Amy Whelan Main role, 8 episodes
2015 Stalker Vicki Gregg Recurring role
2016 Indiscretion Veronica Lewis Movie
2016 A Christmas to Remember Jennifer Wade / Maggie Hallmark Movie
2016–2017 Lady Dynamite Herself / Millicent Pratt / Jennipher Nickels / Ranlith the Hive Queen 2 episodes
2018 Condor Marty Ross Recurring role[49]
2018 No One Would Tell Judge Elizabeth Hanover Movie
2018 StartUp Rebecca Stroud Recurring role (season 3)
2018 Modern Family Nicole Rosemary Page Recurring role (season 9)
2018 Spy Kids: Mission Critical Ingrid Cortez (voice) 7 episodes
2020 Hollywood Jeanne Crandall Miniseries, recurring role
2021 Impeachment: American Crime Story Marcia Lewis 6 episodes
2022–2023 Shining Vale Rosemary Wellingham / Ruth Levin / Nellie Bly Main role, 16 episodes
2023 Dancing with the Stars Herself / Contestant Season 32
2023–2024 Celebrity Jeopardy! Herself / Contestant 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Mira Sorvino

Works and publications

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  • Sorvino, Mira (1989). Anti-Africanism in China: An Investigation into Chinese Attitudes Towards Black Students in the PRC (Thesis/dissertation). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University. OCLC 36014182.
  • Sorvino, Mira (October 9, 2012). "In the Pursuit of Justice". HuffPost.
  • Sorvino, Mira (October 11, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: Why I Spoke Out Against Harvey Weinstein". Time.

References

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  1. ^ a b Archuleta, Paul (May 4, 2012). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Daughter Lucia". People. Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  2. ^ "Mira Sorvino". Encyclopedia Britannica. Archived from the original on March 31, 2022. Retrieved March 18, 2022.
  3. ^ Laurino, Maria (August 28, 1994). "The Many Screen Ethnicities of Mira Sorvino". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  4. ^ O'Neal, Sean (November 23, 2011). "Mira Sorvino Random Roles". A.V. Club. Archived from the original on May 11, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  5. ^ Seal, Mark. "Mira Sorvino's Barcelona" Archived February 1, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, American Way, January 1, 2001. Accessed December 18, 2013. "When Mira Sorvino arrived in Barcelona in 1994 to film a movie called Barcelona, she had a past in academia and a future in acting. Raised in Tenafly, New Jersey, she was the daughter of tough-guy character actor Paul Sorvino, who raised his kids to strive for an education instead of childhood acting careers."
  6. ^ Ervolino, Bill. "Tenafly's Mira Sorvino says she was a Weinstein victim" Archived November 29, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, The Record (Bergen County), October 10, 2017. Accessed June 14, 2018. "Sorvino, who was raised in Tenafly and took part in theater productions at the Dwight-Englewood School when she was a youngster, told a local news outlet in Los Angeles that Weinstein lured her into his hotel room in 1995 when they were in Canada promoting the Woody Allen film Mighty Aphrodite, the film which earned Sorvino her best-supporting actress award."
  7. ^ a b c "Mira Sorvino". Biography.com. The Biography Channel. Archived from the original on December 22, 2016. Retrieved December 28, 2016.
  8. ^ Brennan, Sandra. "Mira Sorvino". Allmovie. Archived from the original on December 20, 2013. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  9. ^ "Notable Graduates". Harvard University. Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  10. ^ "The Harvard-Radcliffe Veritones". Harvard University. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  11. ^ Berardinelli, James (1993). "Review: Amongst Friends". Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved July 10, 2017.
  12. ^ Hinson, Hal (August 13, 1993). "Amongst Friends". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2017.
  13. ^ "The 68th Academy Awards". 1996. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  14. ^ a b c "Mira Sorvino". www.goldenglobes.com. Archived from the original on April 16, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  15. ^ Musto, Michael (May 2002). "Mira Sorvino". Out: 40. Retrieved October 27, 2020 – via Google Books. Open access icon
  16. ^ "Wisegirls". Variety. January 15, 2002. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  17. ^ Vosmikova, Isabella (January 24, 2008). "TV Addict Interview: Mira Sorvino Guest Stars on HOUSE". Archived from the original on December 3, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2008.
  18. ^ a b Union Square Archived 2011-09-11 at the Wayback Machine at Tiff.net
  19. ^ Scott, A. O. (July 12, 2012). "'Union Square,' by Nancy Savoca, With Mira Sorvino". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  20. ^ Goldstein, Gary (July 13, 2012). "Review: 'Union Square' is a compelling family drama". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on November 29, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  21. ^ "Reviews – Page 47040 – Film Threat". www.filmthreat.com. Archived from the original on February 23, 2012. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  22. ^ Cornet, Roth (October 21, 2013). "Mira Sorvino Joins the Cast of TNT's Falling Skies". IGN. Archived from the original on November 5, 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2014.
  23. ^ Petski, Denise (September 2, 2015). "Sarah Silverman, Jenny Slate, Mira Sorvino & More Join Netflix's 'Lady Dynamite'". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 25, 2018. Retrieved October 16, 2017.
  24. ^ "Look Away (2018) – Movie". www.moviefone.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 2018. Retrieved October 9, 2018.
  25. ^ Miller, Julie (November 9, 2021). "Mira Sorvino Is Ready for Her Next Act". VanityFair.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021. In 2019, Ryan Murphy cast the actor in her highest-profile project in two decades. Netflix Hollywood featured the Oscar winner as an actor whose career stalled out after a relationship with a studio head. In one poignant scene, she's rescued from B-movie hell when she's suddenly offered her the chance to work—really work again—in a dramatic role she can sink her teeth into.
  26. ^ "Mira Sorvino Talks About Rescuing Kids as 'Sound of Freedom' Box Office Success Builds". CBN. July 12, 2023. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  27. ^ Eclarinal, Aeron Mer (July 13, 2023). "Sound of Freedom Cast: All 12 Main Actors Who Appear In Movie". The Direct. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2023.
  28. ^ Ryan, Joal (March 5, 1998). "Quentin and Mira Call It Quits". eonline.com. Archived from the original on November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  29. ^ "Mira Sorvino Gives Birth to a Girl". People. November 4, 2012. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  30. ^ Gee, Allison (May 30, 2006). "Mira Sorvino Has a Boy". People. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  31. ^ Symons, Matt (July 13, 2009). "Mira Sorvino Welcomes Son Holden Paul Terry". Archived from the original on January 25, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2011.
  32. ^ Meinwald, Jerrold; et al. (March 17, 1998). "Mirasorvone: A masked 20-ketopregnane from the defensive secretion of a diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus)". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 95 (6). Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences: 2733–2737. Bibcode:1998PNAS...95.2733M. doi:10.1073/pnas.95.6.2733. OCLC 1607201. PMC 19637. PMID 9501158.
  33. ^ "Naming a new molecule after a famous actress". Archived from the original on September 28, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  34. ^ Levine, Katie (September 12, 2014). "Episode 570: Nerdist Podcast: Mira Sorvino" Archived 2014-09-14 at the Wayback Machine. The Nerdist Podcast.
  35. ^ Moring, Mark (October 3, 2012). "Mira Sorvino: Saving Sex Slaves". Christianity Today. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  36. ^ Goodwyn, Hannah. "Mira Sorvino on Faith and Like Dandelion Dust". Christian Broadcasting Network. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved April 21, 2014.
  37. ^ Morgan, Laura (July 21, 2016). "Mira Sorvino on Selfies, Growing Up in New Jersey, and Vintage Furniture". Architectural Digest. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved April 18, 2017.
  38. ^ Sorvino, Mira (October 11, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: Why I Spoke Out Against Harvey Weinstein". Time. Archived from the original on October 11, 2017. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
  39. ^ Desta, Yohana (January 5, 2018). "How Actresses Allegedly Blacklisted by Harvey Weinstein Are Making Big Comebacks". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on January 7, 2018. Retrieved March 19, 2018.
  40. ^ Sorvino, Mira (December 8, 2017). "Mira Sorvino: The Vindication and Aftermath of My Weinstein Story (Guest Column)". The Hollywood Reporter. Los Angeles, California. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  41. ^ Sharf, Zack (May 3, 2018). "Weinstein Threatened to Take 'Lord of the Rings' Away From Peter Jackson and Have Quentin Tarantino Direct". Archived from the original on August 31, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  42. ^ "Mira Sorvino says she was date raped and calls for 'justice' for survivors". The Guardian. June 13, 2019. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  43. ^ Herreria, Carla (June 16, 2019). "Actress Mira Sorvino Says She Survived Date Rape". Huffpost. Archived from the original on October 8, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  44. ^ "Mira Sorvino says she is a 'survivor of date rape'". AP News. June 12, 2019. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  45. ^ "Mira Sorvino aiding Amnesty International". USA Today. March 10, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2013. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  46. ^ "Spotlight on Human Trafficking with Mira Sorvino". National Conference of State Legislatures. August 10, 2011. Archived from the original on June 9, 2012. Retrieved May 7, 2012.
  47. ^ O'Neal, Sean (November 23, 2011). "Random Roles: Mira Sorvino". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 24, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
  48. ^ DeFore, John (April 2, 2020). "'Butter': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
  49. ^ Kate Stanhope (April 3, 2017). "Mira Sorvino to Star in Audience Network's 'Three Days of the Condor' Remake". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 12, 2018. Retrieved June 2, 2017. Titled simply Condor, the drama follows Joe Turner (Max Irons), a young CIA analyst whose idealism is tested when he stumbles onto a terrible but brilliant plan that threatens the lives of millions. Sorvino will play Marty Frost, an investigator who has come out of retirement to take over after an attack at Turner's office.
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