Milla Jovovich. Milla Jovovich, born as Milica Natasha Jovovich, is an Ukrainian-born actress, an American supermodel, musician, and fashion designer. Over her career, she has appeared in a number of science fiction and action themed films, for which music channel VH1 has referred to her as the 'reigning queen of kick-butt'.
Contents.Life and career Early life and family (1975–1984) Milica Bogdanovna Jovovich was born on December 17, 1975, in, the daughter of ( Loginova), a Soviet Russian actress, and Bogdan Jovovich, a doctor of descent. Her maternal ancestors were from the Russian city of. Her paternal ancestors are from the clan; and they also lived in. Her great-grandfather was a member of. She spent most of her early childhood in, her mother's native city, and says she was born in Ukraine 'pretty much by accident'.In 1980, when Jovovich was five years old, her family left the and immigrated to.
They subsequently immigrated to, settling in seven months later. Milla's parents divorced soon after their arrival in Los Angeles. In 1988, her father had a relationship with an woman, and they had a son, Marco Jovovich. Due to her parents' divorce years before, Jovovich saw little of her half brother.In Los Angeles, her mother tried to get acting jobs, but found little success because of language barriers, and eventually resorted to cleaning houses to earn money. Both parents served as cooks and housekeepers for director. Her father was convicted and imprisoned for participating in the largest health insurance fraud ever investigated; he was given a 20-year sentence in 1994, but was released in 1999 after serving five years. According to Jovovich, 'Prison was good for him.
He's become a much better person. It gave him a chance to stop and think.'
Jovovich attended public schools in Los Angeles, becoming fluent in English in three months. In school, she was teased by classmates for coming from the Soviet Union: 'I was called a and a Russian spy. I was never accepted into the crowd.' At age 12, Jovovich left seventh grade to focus on modeling, which she had started at age nine.
She has said she was rebellious during her early teens, engaging in drug use, shopping mall vandalism, and credit-card fraud. In 1994, she became a at the age of 19. Beginnings (1985–1993) Jovovich's mother had 'raised her to be a movie star.'
In 1985, Galina Loginova enrolled Jovovich at the age of 10 in acting classes, and when her acting jobs picked up, she started attending school for young actors rather than regular school. In 1988, Jovovich appeared in her first professional role as Lily McLeod in the made-for-television film.
Later that year, she made her debut in a feature film as Samantha Delongpre in the romantic thriller. She had several roles in television series, including (1988), (1989) and (1990).At age 15, she was cast as the lead in (1991), opposite. Given her age and beauty, she was often compared to, another -turned-actress, who had starred in (1980). The role was controversial as, like Shields, Jovovich appeared nude in the film.
Jovovich was nominated for 'Best Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture' at the 1991, and 'Worst New Star' at the 1991. In 1992, Milla Jovovich co-starred with in the comedy.
Later that year, she portrayed in the biographical film. In 1993 she acted in 's film. She played Michelle Burroughs, on-screen girlfriend to Pickford (played by her then-boyfriend ). Strongly featured in promotions for the film, Jovovich was upset to find her role much reduced in the released film. Discouraged, she took a hiatus from acting roles, moving to Europe.Breakthrough (1997–2001). Jovovich at theJovovich returned to acting in 1997 with a lead role in the French science fiction action film, alongside. This was written and directed.
She portrayed Leeloo, an alien who helps to save the planet. Jovovich said she 'worked like hell: no band practice, no clubs, no pot, nothing' to acquire the role and impress Besson. Jovovich co-created and mastered an alien of over 400 words for her role. She wore a costume that came to be known as the 'ACE-bandage' costume; the body suit designed by was made of medical bandages. The Fifth Element was selected as the opening film for the 1997 and its worldwide gross was over 263 million, more than three times its budget of $80 million. The Fifth Element was often praised for its visual style; critic James Berardinelli wrote, 'Jovovich makes an impression, although her effectiveness has little to do with acting and less to do with dialogue'.
Jovovich was nominated for 'Favorite Female Newcomer' at the and 'Best Fight' at the. The film inspired a and a planned Leeloo action figure, but the figure was never released due to licensing problems. In a 2003 interview, Jovovich said Leeloo was her favorite role.In 1998, Jovovich appeared in 's drama, as abused prostitute Dakota Burns; she acted with. In 1999, she appeared in the music video for the song '. That year she returned to the action genre playing the in, under direction of Luc Besson. She cut her hair short and wore armor in several extensive battle scenes. Jovovich received generally good reviews for her performance, although she also received a nomination for 'Worst Actress'.
The historical drama did moderately well at the box office, gaining $66 million worldwide. In 2000, Jovovich appeared as the troubled Eloise in, a film based on a concept story by of the band and Nicholas Klein. Directed by, Jovovich starred alongside and; she provided vocals on the film's soundtrack. That year she also played bar owner Lucia, in the British film (2000). This was followed by a supporting role as the evil Katinka in the comedy (2001).International success (2002–2009).
Jovovich at theIn 2002, Jovovich starred in the horror-action film, released in the United States on March 15, 2002 and based on the video game series of the. She portrayed, the film's heroine, who fights a legion of created by the. Jovovich had accepted the role because she and her brother Marco had been fans of the video game franchise.
Jovovich had performed all the stunts required in the film, except for a scene that would involve her jumping to a cement platform, which her management deemed too dangerous, and had trained in, and combat-training. The film was commercially successful, grossing US$17 million on its opening weekend; it eventually made US$40 million domestically and US$102 million worldwide. Later, she portrayed the manipulative gang wife Erin in (2002), Nadine in the romantic comedy (2002), punk rocker Fangora ('Fanny') in (2003), and provided a guest voice on the television series. The role of Fangora in Dummy allowed Jovovich to act in film with -winning, who was a friend prior to filming.
Jovovich found it easy to identify with this role because she felt Fangora possessed similar qualities to the actress' own life.In 2004, Jovovich reprised the role of Alice in the sequel to Resident Evil,. The role required her to do fight training for three hours a day, in addition to the three months prior to filming in which she had 'gun training, martial arts, everything'.
Apocalypse received even more negative reactions from the critics than the first film, but it was an even greater commercial success, ranking number one at the box office unlike the first film. Following the release of the film, Jovovich was unhappy with the critical results and director 's effort. She noted during an interview that year that her large action films take care of the commercial part of her career, while she acts in 'independent little films that never come out' to appease her artistic side, and 'It's a good balance'. The following year, she was featured in 's faux trailer remake of, as.
In 2006, Jovovich's film, the /action thriller, was released on March 3. She played the title role of Violet Song jat Shariff, a role that also involved heavily choreographed fight sequences. It was not screened for critics, but when reviewed, it was critically panned, grossing US$31 million worldwide. Also in 2006, Jovovich also starred in, as Kat, the revenge driven girlfriend of an illegal gun and drug dealer with Scottish actor and DJ Angus Macfadyen.In 2007, Jovovich reprised her role as Alice in, the third of the Resident Evil series. The film grossed an estimated US$24 million on its opening weekend, topping the box office gross for that week.
In 2009, Jovovich starred in 's with,. The film is a thriller about a newlywed couple (Milla and Zahn) on their honeymoon in Hawaii. Reviews for the film were mostly positive; while felt that Jovovich gave a 'fairly subtle performance', The Globe and Mail noted that she and '¨.Kiele Sanchez manage to bring some dramatic tension to the frightened-girlfriend moments'.
A Perfect Getaway garnered modest box office returns. Jovovich starred in the science-fiction thriller, as a psychologist in Alaska who uses hypnosis to uncover memories from her patients of alien abduction. While the film was largely panned by critics, it made US$47.71 million in cinemas worldwide. Recent works (2010–present) In 2010, Jovovich returned as in the fourth movie of the, which was directed by her husband, and portrayed the mother of a promiscuous and troubled high school student in the independent coming-of-age dramedy, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, opposite,. In its review for the latter film, The Hollywood Reporter found Jovovich to be 'terrific' in what it described as a 'sweet and sassy period comedy with a Juno sensibility and the soul of a Little Miss Sunshine'. Jovovich played the wife of a jailed arsonist in, a psychological thriller co-starring. Filming began in May 2009 at the recently closed Southern Michigan Correctional Facility in Jackson, Michigan.
The film was released in late 2010, to a mixed response. Nevertheless, The A.V.
Club noted that Jovovich was 'particularly good as a breathy femme fatale who seduces De Niro with a mere change in inflection'. Jovovich atJovovich starred in 's romantic action adventure film, as, in 2011, alongside,.
After the lackluster response for Musketeers, Jovovich criticised for not 'promoting the film properly' as a 'family film' in the United States. Reported that Summit responded: 'She doesn't know what she's talking about and we don't know where she's coming from.' She would next headline the little-seen psychological thriller, which was written and directed by Julien Magnat; in it, she plays the survivor of a serial killer’s attack that leaves her suffering from a condition called, which renders her unable to recognize faces. Sight and Sound remarked that the film suffered from 'a central performance not quite strong enough to win Jovovich recognition as a dramatic actress'.Also in 2011, Jovovich appeared as an Ukrainian con artist in 's directorial debut film, alongside, and starred in the romantic comedy, which was her film debut in Russian language.Jovovich returned to her role as Alice in the fifth installment of Resident Evil for, which was released in 2012. She played an ambitious woman and the second wife of the leader of a motorcycle club in 2014's, a film version of the eponymous play by, and in 2015's, she took on the role of a / officer at the US Embassy in London. Both films received a VOD release in North America, despite theatrical runs abroad.
Jovovich made a cameo appearance reprising the role of villain Katinka in 2016's. (2016), the sixth and final film of the Resident Evil franchise, starred Jovovich as Alice as she continues her vengeance against Umbrella for the death of her allies and the catastrophe they have caused.
Time Out in its review for the film noted: 'While the franchise has slackened into dependably dumb post-apocalyptic thrills, star Milla Jovovich has only gotten better, seasoning her long-legged athleticism with a commanding stare'. The Final Chapter was the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning over US$312 million worldwide.In (2017), Jovovich played the wife of an investigator working on behind the 's, opposite. In (2018), she obtained the role of a drug lord, alongside, who also directed the film. While reviewers felt Jovovich was 'underused' in Shock and Awe, Future World holds a on review aggregator website, based on 6 reviews. Jovovich starred as the administrator of an island-bound reform school in the fantasy film (2019), the directorial debut of.
Jovovich appeared in the reboot, released in 2019. Other endeavors Music Jovovich had begun working on a music album as early as 1988, when she was signed by after the company heard a demo she recorded. In August 1990, she asserted in an interview that the then-forthcoming album would be 'a mix between, and the '.
After it was initially presented by SBK strictly as a album, Jovovich protested, insisting on using her personal poetry for lyrics and recording her own instrumental material. Jovovich had written the songs when she was fifteen, with the exception of a Ukrainian folk song, 'In a Glade', that she covered. In April 1994, billed under her first name, she released, a title that was a reference to the by of the. Jovovich had chosen the title after seeing Russian artist Alexis Steele's proposed cover artwork sketch for the then untitled album. Jovovich found that the sketch had 'all the struggle that I'm singing about. It IS the divine comedy'.
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The Divine Comedy was well received by critics, and featured pop-infused traditional Ukrainian folk songs that led to comparisons with musicians. John McAlley of called the album 'remarkable', 'strikingly mature and rich in invention', and as featuring 'angst-laced poetry with vivid melodies and arrangements that find a common spirit in, European folk and psychedelic '.Jovovich released the track 'Gentleman Who Fell', with an accompanying, as the sole single from the album. The music video was originally directed by and featured, but Jovovich was unsatisfied with the results and decided to film another version. The second version of 'Gentleman Who Fell', a homage to.
It was directed by Kate Garner and Paul Archard and was subsequently played on. Jovovich toured the United States during most of 1994 to promote the album, opening for and, as well as playing smaller acoustic sets. Jovovich had opted to perform in smaller and more intimate settings, turning down a musical appearance on. Jovovich has also been collaborating musically with longtime friend and musician Chris Brenner, who co-wrote with her on the Divine Comedy Album and who was the musical coordinator for the supporting tour.
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She and Brenner met in 1993 and have since worked together on several ventures. Following The Divine Comedy, she expressed interest in releasing a second album, having had ten songs ready for a future recording that was intended for a Summer 1996 release. Despite the appearance of a lo-fi field recording in 1998, Jovovich has yet to release a second album.In May 1999, Jovovich along with Chris Brenner formed an experimental band called 'Plastic Has Memory', in which she wrote the songs, sang, and played electric guitar. The band was 'much heavier and darker than the vaguely Ukrainian folk-sounding elements of her first album' and had a similar sound to a. Plastic Has Memory played about a dozen shows in Los Angeles and for a potential album release, one of which had attended.
Though Plastic Has Memory was featured on, a benefit celebrity compilation album, the group never formally released a record and is no longer together.Jovovich has contributed tracks to several of her film soundtracks, including (2000) and (2002), and has also provided songs for the soundtracks of films in which she has not acted such as (2003) produced by musician Danny Lohner who was the bass player in for many years. Her song 'The Gentlemen Who Fell' was featured on soundtrack in 2002. In 2001, Jovovich was one of many celebrities whose vocals were featured in a cover of 'We are Family' to raise money for the.
She has appeared as guest vocalist on the song 'Former Lover' on 's album, A Gift of Love II: Oceans of Ecstasy (2002) and (2004) by.Since 2003, Jovovich has worked with musician, of and, on his side project, contributing vocals to the track 'REV 22:20', which was featured on various film soundtracks in its original or a remixed form. As of January 2009, she can be heard collaborating with Maynard and Danny Lohner on the Puscifer track called, 'The Mission.'
She also performed the song at the first live Puscifer performance on February 13, 2009 in. Danny Lohner, and longtime music collaborator Chris Brenner currently continue to record and perform with Jovovich who has made several highly praised appearances in recent years.A new single called 'Electric Sky' was released on May 18, 2012, and presented at the. In 2017, she collaborated in the single 'Attention of Ernest Shalubin'. Jovovich continues to write songs which she refers to as 'demos', and which are provided for free in format on her official website. She provides license to freely download and remix the tracks, but reserves the right to sell and issue them. Modeling It was Jovovich's early work with, and that led to her success in advertising, bringing the young model contracts and covers for both. Since then, she has been featured on more than 100 magazine covers, including all the major fashion magazines in the US.
She has been part of campaigns for,. Since 1998, Jovovich has been an 'international spokesmodel' for cosmetics. She was referred to in a minor cameo in ' novel, a satire of society's obsession with celebrities and beauty.Jovovich was said to be designer 's in 2002; a 2003 article claimed she was 's 'favourite supermodel'. In 2004, Jovovich topped magazine's 'Richest Supermodels of the World' list, earning a reported 10.5 million, and in 2006, Jovovich was picked up by, a Spanish clothing line, as their new spokesmodel and is featured in their advertising campaigns; she can also be seen in adverts for Etro. She has said that 'Modeling was never a priority' and that the money she earns enables her 'to be selective about the creative decisions she makes'.In 2012, Jovovich was hired as the new 'face' of a global advertising campaign for and retailer. In 2018, Jovovich became the 'face' of a global advertising campaign for.In 2019, Jovovich among over a hundred of models have signed a petition to help protect Victoria's Secret models against sexual misconduct. Fashion design Jovovich and fellow model Carmen Hawk launched a line of clothing called in 2003.
The pair opened a showroom in New York City's on September 13, 2005. All of the dresses for Jovovich-Hawk line were designed by herself and her partner Carmen Hawk.
The is based in Los Angeles, but pieces could be found at in Los Angeles, and over 50 stores around the world. Praised the line for its 'girl-about-town cult status most designers spend years trying to achieve.' In November 2006, the (CFDA) and US Vogue nominated Jovovich-Hawk for the CFDA/ Vogue Fashion Fund Award.
Jovovich-Hawk was nominated as a finalist, although took the top prize. In 2007, Jovovich and Hawk designed the costume for Jovovich's character in Resident Evil: Extinction. The shorts her Resident Evil character wear are a variation on the 'Alice Star' Shorts from the Spring 2007 collection. Later, Jovovich-Hawk signed a deal to design a diffusion collection for Go International campaign, following in the footsteps of Luella, Paul & Joe. In late 2008, Jovovich and Hawk mutually agreed to end the business due to increased demands on their time. Jovovich explained, 'I'm an artist. I'm not someone who can deal with shipping rates and taxes'.
Media personality. Milla Jovovich and promoting at theJovovich has been noted for her careers as a model, singer and actress. Music channel has referred to her as the 'reigning queen of kick-butt' for her roles in various sci-fi and action films and Rebecca Flint Marx of said that despite the negative critical response for the Resident Evil films, the franchise has turned Jovovich into an 'A-list action star'. Her action roles have given her a following for which said she was 'Every Geek's Dream Girl'.In 2004, Jovovich was ranked No. 69 on magazine's 'Top 100 Hot List', ranked No. 82 in 2005 and ranked No.
Maxim also named her No. 11 on their list of 'Hottest Nerd Crushes'. In 2008, she was ranked No. 90 on 's Top 99 Women of 2008 List.In 2011, Jovovich attended and sang at the birthday celebration of. The actress also gave a speech in which she thanked Gorbachev, saying that when she and her family left the in 1980 they were sure that they would never see their relatives again and that thanks to him they have been reunited.
Personal life Background Jovovich was born in when it was part of the to a father – a doctor, and a mother – an actress, but grew up mostly in Moscow, her mother's native city. While she has no memories of her early years in Ukraine, Jovovich says she 'remembers a lot' about her life in Russia. In addition to, she is fluent in and partly in. She was raised in a Russian householdand referred to the role the played in her life when she stated in 2005: 'I have a mother, she was a famous actress in the USSR. And the first books, which I read, were in Russian. I was raised in the atmosphere of the Russian classical theatre school. The art, built on – that's the most realistic art.
And the modern cinema stands on the same principle. A Russian person wants to find the truth. This is the base of the Russian culture. I never forget it, especially since I have Russian roots'. When asked if she still feels Russian after having left Russia at a young age, Jovovich replied, 'Definitely.
I still speak Russian. I speak it with my daughter. I read her Russian stories and poems. My roots are very important — they make me who I am'.
Speaking about her early years, Milla noted the importance of education in her life, '.my mom raised me in the traditions of her country. For example, I never spent hours sitting before a TV and always read a lot. And I believe that education, intellect and intelligence are a huge part of the beauty of Russian women.' Relationships and marriages Jovovich resides in homes in Los Angeles and New York with her husband, film writer and director, whom she married on August 22, 2009. The two met while working on the 2002 film, which Anderson wrote and directed, and in which Jovovich starred.
Anderson proposed to Jovovich in 2003, and the two were 'engaged on-and-off for four years' before becoming a couple again early in 2007. On November 3, 2007, Jovovich gave birth to their first child, daughter Ever Gabo, at in Los Angeles, California. Their second child, daughter Dashiel Edan, was born on April 1, 2015. In 2019, Jovovich revealed she is pregnant with her third daughter after losing her pregnancy two years prior.Prior to her relationship with Anderson, Jovovich married on-screen boyfriend in 1992 while filming together. Andrews was 21, while Jovovich was 16; the marriage was by her mother two months later.
Shortly after the annulment, Jovovich moved to Europe with her friend and musician Chris Brenner where she met and then lived with her new boyfriend, ex- bassist, in London from May 1994 to October 1995. From 1995 to 1997, she dated photographer. In, she married director in 1997 where they went skydiving directly after the ceremony. They divorced in 1999. In 2000, she briefly dated then guitarist saying she fell in love with him after hearing his album six years earlier. Between 1998 and 2001, she befriended the young poet and musician, and each was the other's inspiration behind many of their compositions. Jovovich became involved with Birkin romantically just before his death in a car accident on November 8, 2001.
Lifestyle In addition to being a former, Jovovich has advocated the legalization of, and appeared in a spread and on the cover for. In an article published in 1994, she said that her only vices were cigarettes and cannabis. She practices and often in attempts to live a healthy lifestyle; although not affiliating with any specific religion, she prays and considers herself a 'spiritual person'. She avoids and prefers to cook for herself. 'Being Russian', Jovovich likes and named Japanese noodles as her 'personal favorite'.
She practices in addition to other varieties of. Jovovich also enjoys playing the guitar, and writing poems and lyrics for songs. Discography Studio albums TitleDetails. Released: April 5, 1994.
Label:,. Format: Digital download, CD. Released: 1998. Label:,. Format: Digital download, CDSingles TitleYearAlbum'1994The Divine Comedy'Bang Your Head'It's Your Life'Electric Sky'2012Non-album singleSoundtrack appearances TitleYearSoundtrack'(with the MDH Band)2000'2002'Shein VI Di l'Vone'(with Botanica Bulgar Ensemble)'Mezinka'(with Botanica Bulgar Ensemble)'Rocket Collecting'(with )2003'Underneath the Stars' ( Mix)(feat., cover of )2009'The Mission' ('M' Is for Milla Mix)(feat. & )2010Compilation appearances TitleYearSoundtrack'On the Hill'(with her band, Plastic Has Memory)2001'Former Lover'(with Deepak Chopra)2002A Gift of Love II: Oceans of Ecstasy'I Know It's You'(with )2004'The Mission'(feat. & )2008'Introduction'(feat.
)2011Filmography Film Denotes films that have not yet been releasedYearTitleRoleNotes1988Samantha DelongpreFilm debut1991Lilli Hargrave1992Maya Carlton1993Michelle Burroughs1997Leeloo de Sabat1998Dakota Burns19992000LuciaEloise2001Katinka Ingaborgovinanana2002Nadine2003Fangora 'Fanny' GurkelErin20042005Short film2006Violet Song Jat ShariffKat20072008Herself2009Cydney AndersonDr.
Milica Bogdanovna ' Milla' Jovovich (/ˈjoʊvəvɪtʃ/ yoh-və-vich; born December 17, 1975) is a Ukrainian-born American actress, model, musician, and fashion designer. She has appeared in numerous science fiction and action films, leading the music channel VH1 to deem her the 'reigning queen of kick-butt' in 2006. Born in Kiev, Jovovich emigrated with her parents to the United States when she was five. In 1987, she began modeling at the age of 12 when Herb Ritts photographed her for the cover of the Italian magazine Lei. Richard Avedon featured her in Revlon's 'Most Unforgettable Women in the World' advertisements.In 1988, Jovovich had her first acting role in the television film The Night Train to Kathmandu, and that year also appeared in her first feature film, Two Moon Junction. Jovovich gained attention for her role in the explicit 1991 romance film Return to the Blue Lagoon, as she was then only 15. She was considered to have a breakthrough with her role in the 1997 French science-fiction film The Fifth Element written and directed by Luc Besson.
She and Besson married that year, but soon divorced. She starred as the heroine and martyr in Besson's The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999). Jovovich is also well known for playing Alice, the leading character in the Resident Evil film series, adapted from the video game series of the same name. Though the films have been critically panned, they have been commercially successful.Jovovich released an album, The Divine Comedy, in 1994.
She continues to release demos for other songs on her official website and contributes to film soundtracks. In 2003, she and model Carmen Hawk created the clothing line Jovovich-Hawk. Jovovich has her own production company, Creature Entertainment.