Tina Majorino
Majorino at the 2011 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	Tina Marie Majorino (1985-02-07) February 7, 1985 (age 27) Westlake, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–1999, 2004–present

Tina Marie Majorino^[1] ( /meɪdʒɵˈriːnoʊ/;^[2] born February 7, 1985) is an American film and television actress. She started her career as a child actor, starring in films such as Andre; When a Man Loves a Woman; Corrina, Corrina; and Waterworld.

Despite her early success she retired in 1999. She returned several years later in what would become one of her best known roles, the character Deb in the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite. Since her return to acting, Majorino has also starred in television series such as Veronica Mars and Big Love.

Personal life[link]

Majorino, of Italian descent (from her paternal grandfather),^[3] was born in Westlake, California, the daughter of Sarah (née Black) and real estate agent Robert "Bob" Majorino.^[4] She has an older brother, Kevin, with whom she has formed a rock band, The AM Project.^[5]

Career[link]

Majorino began her acting career in a 1992 sitcom^[6] called Camp Wilder. Her first film role was in 1994's When a Man Loves a Woman. She subsequently starred in leading roles in the family films Corrina, Corrina and Andre, both of which were released in August 1994.^[7] Her next film was the 1995 action film Waterworld, playing a child named Enola.^[8]

She played the title role in the 1999 television film, Alice in Wonderland. After Alice, Majorino took time off from the business. She has since cited burnout as the reason for her hiatus from acting.

In 2003, she decided to go back to TV. But first, she did musical theater. She was in a production of the musical Once On This Island wherein she auditioned for Ti Moune but she didn't get the role. She also auditioned for Erzulie but she didn't get the part either. Instead, she was cast as just a storyteller and one of the birds chorus in the "Mama Will Provide" scene since she is a soprano.

Majorino did not appear in another film until 2004's cult film Napoleon Dynamite.^[9] From 2004 onward, she played a recurring role on UPN's series, Veronica Mars, as the computer-savvy Cindy "Mac" Mackenzie. Show creator Rob Thomas created the role with her in mind. Majorino had met Thomas while interviewing him for a report on one of his books.^[7] Majorino became a series regular in the show's third and final season.^[10] During her time on Veronica Mars, she also started appearing in a recurring role on the cable television series Big Love with Waterworld costar Jeanne Tripplehorn and fellow Veronica Mars cast members Amanda Seyfried and Kyle Gallner.^[9]

In 2005, she appeared in the music video for the song "Blind" by rock group Lifehouse.^[11][12]

In 2009, she started filming The Deep End, a new television show for ABC.^[13] The show was canceled after only six episodes were aired.

In 2011, she returned to television in the role of Special Agent Genny Shaw on Bones; this role is recurring. She also starred in the music video for "Fuckin' Perfect" by Pink.

In 2012, she reprised her role as Deb in the animated TV version of Napoleon Dynamite. She was also seen in an uncredited role as a pregnant woman in the Fox show, Raising Hope (Episode: "Tarot Cards").

Filmography and Television[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Tina Majorino at the Internet Movie Database
• Interview in Stumped? Magazine