Alyssa Milano’s style in the late 1980s reflected the trends of the era, with her youthful and vibrant fashion choices often inspiring her fans. As a young actress starring in Who’s the Boss?, she was seen as a style icon for teenage girls.
Alyssa Jayne Milano was born in the Bensonhurst neighborhood of New York City’s Brooklyn borough on December 19, 1972, the daughter of fashion designer and talent manager Lin Milano and film music editor Thomas M. Milano. She is of Italian descent and was raised Catholic, and still practices the faith.
Milano began her career at age seven, when her babysitter, without notifying her parents, took her to an audition for the national touring company of Annie. She was one of four selected from more than 1,500 girls. During the course of her work in the play, Milano and her mother were on the road for 18 months. After returning to New York, Milano appeared in television commercials, and performed several roles in off-Broadway productions, including the first American musical adaptation of Jane Eyre.
While accompanying a friend from Annie to the office of a New York agent, the agent signed Milano. She does not feel that growing up in front of the camera harmed her childhood and has said: “I love my family very much – they've really backed my career. I consider myself to be normal: I’ve got to clean my room, and help in the kitchen.”
In August 1984, Milano made her film debut in the coming-of-age drama Old Enough, which she recalled as a “great way of starting out.” The film was screened at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won First Prize.
Milano auditioned as the daughter of Tony Danza’s character on the sitcom Who’s the Boss?. After winning the part, she and her family moved to Los Angeles, where the show was produced. It premiered on ABC on September 20, 1984. The series established Milano as a teen idol, and provided her opportunities for other roles. Her education was split between school and an on-set tutor with whom Milano would work for three hours a day.
At age 12, Milano co-starred in Commando (1985) as Jenny Matrix, the daughter of John Matrix (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Subsequently, she starred in the children’s film The Canterville Ghost, which did not achieve much praise or attention. A few years later this film was shown in Japan, prompting a producer to offer Milano a five-album record deal. Milano’s albums, which she described as “bubblegum pop,” scored platinum in the country, though she later criticized their musical quality. She has noted her love of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) during her teens.
"Alyssa Milano’s style in the late 1980s" You mean the style her publicity handlers were selling.
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