This talented tot actor smoothly segued from neighborhood plays to national TV commercials to a TV sitcom ("Camp Wilder", ABC 1992-93) to big screen exposure, Majorino made her stage debut at three-and-a-half and soon began taking dance and voice classes as well. 1994 would be prove to be a breakthrough year. Her feature acting debut was in "When a Man Loves a Woman" (1994), playing the elder daughter of Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia in a family shaken to its foundations by alcoholism. Majorino received excellent notices for her portrayal of a little girl forced by family chaos to grow wise beyond her years.
She was also showcased in two other family-oriented films released later that year--"Corrina, Corrina" and "Andre". In the former, Majorino played a seven-year-old girl traumatized into silence after the death of her mother. In the latter, she appeared as an exuberant nine-year-old tomboy who befriends a most unusual seal. In "Waterworld" (1995), she played Enola, a young girl on whose back is a tattoo that may or may not indicate "Dryland". She and her adopted mother (Jeanne Tripplehorn) turn to the Mariner (Kevin Costner) for assistance. Majorino went on to offer an effective turn as a sensitive young girl coping with abuse and the alcoholism of her mother (Ellen Barkin) in the acclaimed ABC movie "Before Women Had Wings" (1997) before headlining the 1999 all-star NBC remake of "Alice in Wonderland".
Maturing into her late teens, Majorino turned in an impressive performance--especially in consideration of her taciturn character's lack of much revealing dialogue--as the is-she-or-isn't-she? love interest of an oddball teen in the cult indie hit "Napoleon Dynamite" (2004).
Family
FATHER: Bob Majorino. Realtor.
MOTHER: Sarah Majorino. Homemaker.
BROTHER: Kevin Michael Majorino. Born in April 1980.
Milestone
1986: Began speaking at age one
1986: Began walking at 16 months
1987: Became a vegetarian at age two
1987: Stage debut, playing an oyster in a suburban production of "Alice in Wonderland" at age two-and-a-half
Began appearing in dance recitals
Enrolled in dance and voice classes by her mother
1988: Appeared in her first TV commercial at age three-and-a-half
Acted in neighborhood plays
Appeared in national TV commercials
1992 - 1993: Debut as a TV series regular, playing Sophie on the sitcom "Camp Wilder"
1994: Feature acting debut, "When a Man Loves Loves a Woman"
1994: First film lead, "Andre"
1995: Had co-starring role in "Waterworld"
1997: Played the daughter of an abusive alcoholic mother (Ellen Barkin) in the acclaimed ABC movie "Before Women Had Wings"
1999: Cast in title role of NBC minseries "Alice in Wonderland"
"Ask her what she thought about for her teary moments in "When a Man" and "Corrina", and the older soul emerges. 'It's basically a process. You can't just cry on cue. I think of what's going on in the scene.'" --Majorino quoted in "Learning to Act Her Age" by Kate Meyers, Entertainment Weekly, August 19, 1994.
"'Tina can be the next Jodie Foster,' predicts Jessie Nelson, the writer, director and producer of "Corrina, Corrina". 'She's not like some other child actors who just imitate what you do and parrot it back. Tina actually breaks down her character. It's through the eyes of a 9-year-old, but the process is that of an adult.'"
"Annette Benson, the casting director for "Andre", adds 'She's not getting by on looks and a precocious personality.'"
"Believe it."
"'I don't want to be known as a little Tinkerbell cutesy actress,' Tina scoffs. 'I want to be known as a good child actor.'"
--from "She Sings; She Dances; She Has Made 3 Movies; She's 9," The New York Times, August 7, 1994.
Tcm.com is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network.