In the aquatic and postapocalyptic “Waterworld”, opposite Kevin Costner, Tina Majorino was 10 years old. The actress is now 38 and starred in “Veronica Mars” and “Grey’s Anatomy”. Back on his journey!
In Waterworld (1995), she completely stole the show from Kevin Costner: at the age of ten, Tina Majorino aptly played little Enola, a little girl whose tattoo on her back showed a map leading to the last plot of land farm of a post-climate change Earth, entirely covered by oceans.
But the young girl’s career had already started well before this marine blockbuster. It was at the age of 7 that she made her small screen debut in Camp Wilder, a sitcom that was then part of ABC’s Friday “TGIF” lineup, alongside series such as La Party at home or Family Life.
If the series was only allowed 20 episodes, it allowed Tina Majorino to win a nomination for the award for best actress under 10 in a television series at the 14th edition of the Youth in Film Awards in 1993.
First noted roles
Her film debut took place in 1994 in the film For the Love of a Woman in which she played the abused daughter of an alcoholic mother played by Meg Ryan.
The same year, she played the traumatized daughter of a widowed father, played by Ray Liotta, in Corrina, Corrina, in which her character does not initially speak but comes out of her shell when she becomes closer to her nanny (Whoopi Goldberg ).
New Line Cinema Corrina, Corrina (1994)
Less serious was his third film, André, my best friend (1994), which featured the true story of a friendship between a seal and a little girl named Toni in 1962. This time, it was Keith Carradine who she had a father.
It was after these first roles, which were already rather impressive, that she landed that of Enola in Waterworld. The film will follow Santa Fe (1997) in which she played the daughter of Gary Cole and Sheila Kelley, torn between her mother’s affinity for New Age cults and her father’s desire to escape his own past.
Universal Pictures
Waterworld (1995)
Tina in Wonderland
In 1999, NBC aired a $21 million adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, starring Ben Kingsley, Whoopi GoldbergChristopher Lloyd, Miranda Richardson, Gene Wilder, Joanna Lumley, Donald Sinden, Robbie Coltrane and Martin Short.
And in the lead role of Alice, surrounded by all these Hollywood stars, is Tina Majorino. Thanks to this role, she can finally use her talents as a singer, a talent that she has cultivated since the age of 7.
NBC
Alice in Wonderland (1999)
Alice in Wonderland would eventually win four Emmy Awards for its costume design, visual effects, makeup, and musical score. This was undoubtedly the most important role of Tina Majorino so far, this will also be his last for a while…
Five years of break
While at the age of 13, her classmates picked on her and made her life difficult, Tina Majorino decides to move away from the world of cinema and take time for herself.
“I think the best decision I ever made was to take this time to get to know myself so that if I ever decide to come back, I can be strong enough and grounded enough to know what’s really important and what’s important. is not”, the actress said in an interview with the Daily Emerald in 2006.
Few would have guessed that the returning role of Tina Majorino would be in a comedy with a production budget of $400,000, shot in 23 days, and no one expected it to be a success. And yet Napoleon Dynamite will take the Sundance Film Festival by storm in 2004.
Fox Searchlight Pictures / Paramount Pictures
Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
Subsequently distributed by Fox Searchlight, the deadpan comedy about strange and nerdy kids in a small town that time has apparently forgotten went on to gross more than $46 million and spawn a whole line of merchandise as well as an animated series.
Tina Majorino shines in the role of the hero’s love interest, Deb. Innocent and kind, Deb is undoubtedly the heart of the film.
Life on Mars
A connection made during his time away from the spotlight will then help him continue his little path on the TV side. Indeed, at the age of 13, Tina Majorino meets Rob Thomas who would create the cult series Veronica Mars a few years later.
The young girl had read his novels and needed to speak to him for a school project: he then gave her his email address. The following year, they met for lunch and promised to work together one day.
This is how she came to play the role of Cindy “Mac” MacKenzie, the tech-savvy friend of Veronica Mars (Kristen Bell) in the series of the same name.
She will reprise her role in Veronica Mars, the Movie in 2014. However, she will not be part of the 4th season of the series in 2019, declining the offer because she found that the storyline diminished the value of her character.
UPN/The CW
Veronica Mars (2004) / Veronica Mars, the Movie (2014)
Other series in which she played recurring or major roles include: Castle, Big Love, True Blood, Bones, Scorpion, Legends and of course Grey’s Anatomy in which she played Dr. Heather Brooks. She has also made notable appearances in music videos for Lifehouse (Blind) and Pink (Perfect).
Tina Majorino recently appeared in Paul Boyd’s independent feature films, I, Challenger And Bury Mealongside James Duval and Margaret Cho, as well as in an episode of Good Doctor.
She also found many comrades from Napoleon Dynamite for the animated web series Cyko KO: The Animated Series. At the same time, she hosts, alongside her brother Kevin, the podcast “No Pressure” which returned on January 24.
Rediscover Tina Majorino in Waterworld on VOD, in Napoleon Dynamite streaming on Paramount+ or even in Veronica Mars streaming on Prime Video.