Talisa Soto Biography

Soto started her career as a model when she was 15 years old. She was represented by Click Model Management and they used to find her work during her summer vacations. Only weeks after she signed her contract with Click, she landed the opportunity to be featured on a layout for ‘Vogue.’ The project was photographed by Bruce Weber.

She kept on modelling part-time until she graduated high school. After that, she was featured on the covers of American and British ‘Vogue,’ ‘British Elle,’ ‘Mademoiselle,’ ‘Glamour,’ and ‘Self’ magazines. She took part in commercial campaigns for Calvin Klein, Cartier, Clarins, Revlon, Salvatore Ferragamo, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Versace. Soto was also cast in several music videos. In the music video for Madonna’s song ‘Each Time You Break My Heart’ (1986), Soto worked with her then-boyfriend Nick Kamen.

Talisa Soto debuted on the big screen in the 1984 action comedy ‘The Pope of Greenwich Village’, portraying a studio dancer. Her next role was in the 1988 comedy-drama ‘Spike of Bensonhurst’. In it, she portrayed a character named India. That year, she made her first appearance on the small screen as well. She was cast as the recurring character credited as the “French Girl” in the first two episodes of the miniseries ‘The French as Seen by...’

In 1989, she landed her first role in a major motion picture as Lupe Lamora in the James Bond film ‘License to Kill’. The girlfriend of Latin American drug lord Franz Sanchez, Lamora fills the spot of the secondary Bond girl in the story.

In the 1990 TV movie ‘Silhouette’, she was cast as Marianna Herrera. From 1993 to 1994, she portrayed Cassie in CBS’ comedy series ‘Harts of the West’. She worked with comedy legend Leslie Nielsen in the action comedy ‘Spy Hard’.

The role of Princess Kitana in ‘Mortal Kombat’ (1995) and ‘Mortal Kombat: Annihilation’ (1997) is arguably her most significant performance to date. The first film was a commercial success, earning $122 million at the box office.

In 2009, Soto played the role of Ana in her brother-in-law, Peter Bratt’s film, ‘La Mission’. Since then, she has not been very active as an actress. In 2013, she had an uncredited role in the dystopian science fiction film ‘Elysium’.

Soto was born on March 27, 1967, in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Her parents are originally from Puerto Rico. They moved the family from New York to Northampton, Massachusetts, when she was very young. She grew up there along with her three older siblings.

Soto was previously married to Greek-Australian actor Costas Mandylor from May 1997 to 2000. Sometime in early 2002, she began dating actor Benjamin Bratt. They had become acquainted about a decade earlier while the 1993 crime-drama ‘Blood in Blood out’ was being filmed. In the following years, they saw each other occasionally. However, it was only on the set of the 2001 biopic ‘Piñero’ that a relationship started to develop between the two. Originally from San Francisco, California, Bratt’s notable roles include NYPD Detective Rey Curtis on the NBC drama series ‘Law & Order’, Eric Matthews in ‘Miss Congeniality,’ Miguel Piñero in ‘Piñero’, and Lor-Zod / Hernan Guerra / Superman in ‘Justice League: Gods and Monsters’. In past, he has dated Julia Roberts from 1998 to 2001. On April 13, 2002, in San Francisco, Soto and Bran exchanged wedding vows. Soto gave birth to their first child, a daughter whom they named Sophia Rosalinda Bratt, on December 6, 2002. They welcomed their son, Mateo Bravery Bratt, on October 3, 2005.

Talisa Soto is fluent in three languages: English, Spanish, and Italian, showcasing her impressive linguistic skills.

She has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, demonstrating her dedication to martial arts and physical fitness.

Talisa Soto was the first Hispanic actress to play a Bond girl in the James Bond film series, breaking barriers in the industry.

She is known for her philanthropic work, supporting various charitable causes and organizations throughout her career.

Talisa Soto is an accomplished model, having graced the covers of numerous fashion magazines and worked with top designers in the industry.