While others struggled to avoid the child actor cliché, Tina Majorino of Alice in Wonderland fame went on a voluntary sabbatical away from the screen to return with an even bigger one she left. Although the move seemed risky for her career at the time, it now bears huge dividends and has become an actress you can’t get enough screen time with.
The hugely talented American film and television actress has starred in several cult classic films since her comeback in 2004, including Veronica Mars, Napoleon Dynamite, and The Deep End That Had Us Screaming Wow!. Learn all about her here.
Biography of Tina Majorino
She was born on February 7, 1985, in Westlake, Los Angeles, California, to Sarah (née Black) and real estate agent Robert “Bob” Majorino. Her birth name, Tina Marie Majorine, is a nod to her mixed ethnicity. She is Italian, Cuban and French on her father’s side, while her mother gave her English, Scottish, German and Filipino ancestry. Tina grew up with an older brother, Kevin, with whom she formed a rock band, The AM Project.
Although neither of his parents were in the business growing up in Tinseltown did enough to expose the childhood industry. The child prodigy started singing before she could say her first word and was soon to appear in her first screen job.
Around the same time she began to perform, at the age of 7 she began her training as an opera singer and would perform several songs from the album Alice in Wonderland (1999). Apart from acting and singing, she has also explored other fields such as athletics. Tina Majorina has a black belt in the martial art of Tang Soo Do and also enjoys surfing and running.
She started her acting career in 1992 playing the lead role in the sitcom, Camp Wilder as Sophie. Before that, however, she appeared in national television commercials. Two years later, Tina Majorino made her big screen debut with the 1994 feature film When A Man Loves A Woman starring Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. Next, she starred in lead roles in the family films Corrina, Corrina and André which were both released in 1994. She then joined the cast of Water World (1995) as Enola.
Between 1996 and 1997 she appeared in several TV movies including Real Women and Before Women Had Wings, before taking the lead role in the 1999 film Alice in Wonderland which in turn announced her hiatus from the stage. Most of the films she appeared in during her early on-screen phase were set in time periods other than the present.
From 1999 to 2004, Tina Majorino took a leave from the company to finish her studies and according to her, burnout was a major reason for her decision. Additionally, she wanted to have a normal childhood and spend time with her friends and family, while taking the time to make sure acting was what she really wanted. She graduated from high school at age 15.
At five, Tinseltown Studios made her realize that acting was not just a job for her, but also her ambition and dream. So, fortunately for her die-hard fans and lovers of a quality TV show, she returned to play memorable roles on cult classics such as Veronica Mars and Big Love
The starlet made her comeback with the 2004 cult film, Napoleon Dynamite as Deb, a shy girl who runs various small businesses to raise money for college. Her role in the film was much different than when she was a child, usually as children in the middle of an upsetting event.
After which, she took on the role of computer expert Mac in Veronica Mars (2004-2007). The series creator created the role with her in mind and true to her beliefs, Majorina nailed it effortlessly. While starring on the show, she also began having a recurring role on HBO’s television series Big Love. She was then featured in a music video by rock band Lifehouse for their song Blind in 2005.
Much to her fans’ surprise, she moved from the HBO series after 26 episodes to a new ABC series The Deep End. She played Addie Fisher, a brilliant first-year associate at a prestigious law firm. The show was however short-lived and aired for only six episodes.
Since then, Tina Majorino has recorded many impressive performances both in film and on television. Other screen credits include the 2012 animated version of Napoleon Dynamite, the 2014 Veronica Mars film, Bones (2011-2012), True Blood (2012), Grey’s Anatomy (2012-2013), Legends (2014 ) and Scorpio. (2017-2018).
She starred in the music video for Fuckin’ Perfect by Pink. Additionally, she wants to advance her career in producing, directing, writing, and designing.
Net value
No doubt, Tina Majorina does what she loves and enjoys. Rather than seeing it as a birthright, she considers it a privilege and is grateful for every penny she earns from her career. Her net worth has been estimated at $1.5 million which will definitely increase as she takes on more projects.
Family life of the actress
La Corina, actress Corina feels beyond blessed to be a member of her family that includes her parents and older brother. When she had a five-year hiatus from acting, one of her reasons was to spend more time with her family. When she returned, she thanked them for helping her make one of the most important decisions of her life and for supporting her.
