IndependentFilm.com

MIAMI, June 14 -- Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino has been chosen as godmother for Carnival Cruise Lines' newest ship, Carnival Liberty, set to debut in Italy this summer. Sorvino is scheduled to break the traditional bottle of champagne against the ship's hull during a naming ceremony July 19, 2005, in Civitavecchia, Italy.

Early in her career, the Italian-American actress shot to stardom in her breakthrough role in Woody Allen's 1995 movie "Mighty Aphrodite," for which she won an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a National Society of Film Critics Award, and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress.

She has an extensive resume that includes numerous leads in feature films, including "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion," "Mimic," "Summer of Sam," "The Replacement Killers," "The Triumph of Love," "Barcelona," and "Quiz Show."

Sorvino earned Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her performance in the HBO movie "Norma Jean and Marilyn" in which she played Marilyn Monroe. The multitalented actress also produced the acclaimed independent feature comedy "Lisa Picard is Famous," which had its debut as an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival. She also associate-produced the documentary "Freedom to Hate" tracing anti-Semitism in the former Soviet Union, and the feature film "Amongst Friends."

Sorvino is scheduled to break the traditional bottle of champagne against the ship's hull during a naming ceremony July 19, 2005, in Civitavecchia, Italy.

She is also the official ambassador for the Stop Violence Against Women Program with the worldwide human rights organization, Amnesty International. This past April, Sorvino's work with Amnesty International was recognized at the Artivist Film Festival, which acknowledges socially conscious filmmakers, activist celebrities, and charitable organizations.

She is also a past recipient of the National Italian American Foundation's Achievement Award and has been nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and a British Academy Award.

"It is an esteemed maritime tradition that a ship's godmother is a woman of honor and distinction whose name will be forever linked with that vessel. Mira Sorvino's wide-ranging achievements as an actress and activist make her the ideal candidate to serve as godmother for our spectacular new ship, Carnival Liberty," said Bob Dickinson, Carnival president and CEO.

Born in Tenafly, N.J., Sorvino is the daughter of veteran actor Paul Sorvino, whose credits include the films "Goodfellas" and Oliver Stone's "Nixon" and TV's "Law and Order." She was raised in New Jersey and went to Harvard University where she graduated magna cum laude in East Asian studies and received the Hoopes prize for her thesis.

She is married to Christopher Backus and they have a six-month-old daughter.

Currently in the final stages of construction at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, the new Carnival Liberty will depart on an introductory three-day cruise from Monfalcone July 16 and arrive in Civitavecchia July 19, with the naming ceremony taking place later that evening.

The ship is slated to commence a series of 12-day Mediterranean cruises -- a first for Carnival Cruise Lines -- from Civitavecchia July 20, 2005.

Source: Carnival Cruise Lines