Milla
Natasha Jovovich
MILLA JOVOVICH was born December 17th, 1975 in Kiev,
Ukraine, the daughter of Russian stage actress Gallina
Loginova and Yugoslavian pediatrician Bogie Jovovich.
When Jovovich was five years old, her family emigrated to
Sacramento. Already a startling beauty at age 11, Jovovich
began pursuing an acting career; when her photograph reached
the offices of the Prima modeling agency, a somewhat
different career path began.
Her first cover, for the Italian fashion magazine Lei, and a
six-page fashion spread shot by Herb Ritts for a French
fashion magazine, catapulted the young, barely-trained model
to the top ranks. During her first year, she'd done 15
fashion covers and countless other shoots, still managing
the time for her studies -- including the training necessary
for runway work -- and, like any L.A. teen, to "hang
out at the mall."
Having gained international fame, Jovovich decided to
focus upon her original goal. She made her screen debut in
1988's Two Moon Junction as the younger sister of Sherilyn
Fenn, and also starred in a Disney Channel fantasy feature,
Night Train to Kathmandu, as the daughter of two
archeologists, who befriends a magical prince.
Her first toplined feature was 1991's Return to the Blue
Lagoon, and, at 14, she was featured in Richard
Attenborough's Chaplin, as Mildred Harris, the first wife of
the pioneering film comedian and director. A brief role in
Richard Linklater's high school comedy Dazed and Confused
followed. Though her screen-time was brief, the role was her
singing debut, as the character gave an a capella rendition
of a few lines from Jovovich's own composition The Alien
Song. She also starred opposite Christian Slater in Kuffs.
A student of voice and piano since a very early age,
Jovovich bought her first electric guitar at the age of 13
and was eagerly receptive when approached by an agent from
SBK Records. At the age of 15, Jovovich set to work writing
songs for her first album, but was surprised to learn that
the label wanted to package her as a pop diva, working with
other writers and arrangers. With the help of her friend
Chris Brenner, the teen engaged in a battle with the label
that eventually resulted in the release of Milla: The Divine
Comedy on EMI Records in 1994 -- her own songs, recorded her
own way, and hailed by such music industry giants as Rolling
Stone magazine.
Putting aside her acting and modeling careers, Jovovich
pursued a strenuous tour schedule through the remainder of
1994 and the start of 1995. She was preparing to enter the
studio to begin work on her second album when the
opportunity to star in The Fifth Element arose.
On the completion of principal shooting, Jovovich
returned to modeling for a handful of plum assignments.
