In recent years, one of Oscar's greatest casualties has been Mira Sorvino. “When I won the Oscar,” the Oscar-winner told the L.A. Times, “my life became a total whirlwind and I got rocketed into doing one film after another very quickly. No one really tells you how to do it, what the rules are, and how to be the consummate professional.” As a result, Sorvino made a quick string of undistinguished films (to say the least), such as Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, the sci-fi horror flick Mimic, and The Replacement Killers, a second-rate martial-arts.
Reflecting on her hits and misses, Sorvino said, “I think in the past maybe some of my choices were more like 'OK,' well this seems fun, let's do it. But I was just starting out, and I was more innocent about the whole thing.” The range of roles she was offered was extremely narrow, as she recalled, “I had done Mighty Aphrodite, the TV movie Norma Jean & Marilyn, and then Romy and Michele, that's three dumb blonds in a row. After that, I did get a lot of offers for dumb blonds, but I wouldn't do them.” Sorvino credited Robert Redford, her director on Quiz Show, for giving her one of the best advises she has ever received. “Beware the sex roles, Mira,” Redford said, “they come to a dead end at 35.”
