While others were fighting hard to avoid the child actor cliche, Tina Majorino of Alice in Wonderland fame went on a willful sabbatical away from the screen only to return with even greater than she left. Though the move seemed to be risky at that time for her career, it is now paying huge dividends having evolved into an actress we can’t seem to have enough screen time with.
The insanely talented American film and television actress have appeared in several cult classic movies since her comeback in 2004 including Veronica Mars, Napoleon Dynamite, and The Deep End which had us screaming wow!. Learn all about her here.
Tina Majorino Biography
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 from her father’s side while her mother contributed her English, Scottish, German, and Filipino ancestry. Tina grew up with an older brother named Kevin with whom she formed a rock band, The AM Project.
Although neither of her parents is in showbiz, growing up in Tinseltown did enough to expose her to the industry as a child. The child prodigy started singing before she could say her first word and was soon to appear in her first screen work.
Around the same time she started acting, at the age of 7, she began training as an Opera Singer and would perform several songs on the Alice in Wonderland (1999) album. Besides acting and singing, she also explored other spheres 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 journey into acting in 1992, playing the main role in the sitcom, Camp Wilder as Sophie. Prior to that, however, she has appeared in national television commercials. Two years later, Tina Majorino debuted on the big screen with the 1994 feature film, When a Man Loves a Woman starring Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. Next, she starred in leading roles in the family films Corrina, Corrina, and Andre both of which were released in 1994. Then, she joined the cast of Waterworld (1995) as Enola.
Between 1996 and 1997, she appeared in several television films including True Women and Before Women Had Wings, before taking up the lead role in the 1999 film, Alice in Wonderland which in turn heralded her hiatus from the acting scene. Most of the films she appeared in during her first phase on the screen were set in time periods other than the present.
From 1999 to 2004, Tina Majorino took time off the business to finish school 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 families as well as take the time to ensure that acting was what she really wanted to do. She graduated high school at 15.
Five years away from the studios of Tinseltown made her realize that acting is not just a job for her but her ambition and her very dream. So luckily for her diehard fans and lovers of a quality television show, she returned to serve memorable roles on cult classics such as Veronica Mars and Big Love.
The starlet made her come back 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 a far cry from her childhood roles, usually as children in the midst of a dramatic, life-changing event.
Following up, she took on the role of the computer-savvy Mac in Veronica Mars (2004-2007). The series creator created the role with her in mind and true to his convictions, Majorina nailed it effortlessly. While starring on the show, she also started appearing in a recurring role on HBO’s TV series Big Love. Then she was featured in a music video by the rock group Lifehouse for their song Blind in 2005.
Much to the surprise of her fans, she jumped from the HBO series after 26 episodes into a new ABC series The Deep End. Therein, she played Addie Fisher, a brilliant and eager-to-please first-year associate at a high-profile law firm. The show was, however, short-lived and aired for only six episodes.
Since then, Tina Majorino has recorded numerous impressive performances both in films and on television. Her on-screen credits also include 2012 the animated TV version of Napoleon Dynamite, the Veronica Mars film in 2014, Bones (2011-2012), True Blood (2012), Grey’s Anatomy (2012-2013), Legends (2014), Scorpion (2017-2018).
She starred in the music video for Fuckin’ Perfect by Pink. Moreover, she has her eyes set on advancing her career into producing, directing, writing, and designing.
Tina Majorino Net Worth
No doubt, Tina Majorina is doing what she loves and enjoys. Rather than see it as a birthright, she counts it a privilege and is grateful for every dime she makes from her career. Her net worth has been estimated to be $1.5 million which will definitely increase as she takes on more projects.
Family Life of the Actress
The Corina, Corina actress feels more than blessed for being a member of her family which comprises her parents and elder brother. While she was on her five-year break from acting, one of her reasons was to spend more time with her family. When she did return, she had them to thank for helping her make one of the biggest decisions of her life and standing by her through it.
