Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Alyssa Milano

How Alyssa Milano built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Alyssa Milano is an American actress and activist, most notably recognized for her roles in television series like "Who's the Boss?", "Melrose Place", "Charmed", and "Mistresses." Beyond acting, Milano is a prominent activist, particularly known for her influential role in the MeToo movement, starting in October 2017. Her career spans both entertainment and advocacy, solidifying her presence in pop culture and social activism.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

August 1984: Film Debut in Old Enough

In August 1984, Alyssa Milano made her film debut in the coming-of-age drama 'Old Enough'. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won First Prize.

September 20, 1984: Who's the Boss? Premieres on ABC

On September 20, 1984, 'Who's the Boss?' premiered on ABC, establishing Alyssa Milano as a teen idol. She developed a close relationship with co-star Tony Danza during the show's run.

1985: Co-starred in Commando

In 1985, at age 12, Alyssa Milano co-starred in 'Commando' as Jenny Matrix, the daughter of John Matrix played by Arnold Schwarzenegger.

1988: Starred in Two Television Films

In 1988, Alyssa Milano starred in two television films, Crash Course and Dance 'til Dawn, both of which allowed her to work alongside Brian Bloom.

December 26, 1991: Butterflies Are Free Production

On December 26, 1991, Alyssa Milano began producing and starring in a Los Angeles production of Butterflies Are Free, which ran until January 19, 1992.

January 19, 1992: End of Butterflies Are Free Production

On January 19, 1992, Alyssa Milano's production of Butterflies Are Free in Los Angeles concluded. She both produced and starred in the play.

December 1992: Filming Casualties of Love

In November-December 1992, Alyssa Milano filmed Casualties of Love: The "Long Island Lolita" Story, one of three TV films about Amy Fisher's shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco.

1993: Cameo Appearance in The Webbers

In 1993, Alyssa Milano made a cameo appearance in Brian Bloom's film, The Webbers, expanding her working relationship with the Bloom brothers.

1995: Discussed Explicit Scenes

In a 1995 interview, Alyssa Milano discussed her motivation for some explicit scenes in Embrace of the Vampire and how it led her to include a nudity clause in her contracts.

1996: Offered role in Melrose Place

In late 1996, Alyssa Milano was offered the role of Jennifer Mancini on the drama Melrose Place by producer Aaron Spelling.

1997: Starred in Hugo Pool

In 1997, Alyssa Milano starred in the lead role in Hugo Pool and was offered the role of Jennifer Mancini on Melrose Place by producer Aaron Spelling.

1998: Cast as Phoebe Halliwell in Charmed

In 1998, Alyssa Milano was cast as Phoebe Halliwell, one of the three lead characters on Aaron Spelling's show Charmed.

October 2004: UNICEF Trick or Treat Spokesperson

In October 2004, Alyssa Milano participated in UNICEF's "Trick or Treat" campaign as the national spokesperson, raising approximately US$50,000 for South African women and children with AIDS.

2004: Angola Trip

In 2004, Alyssa Milano traveled to Angola as part of her work with UNICEF to meet HIV-positive women and people disfigured by land mines from the civil war.

2004: Canvassing for Candidates

Since 2004, Alyssa Milano has been actively canvassing for national, state, and local candidates, demonstrating her commitment to political engagement.

2006: #MeToo Movement Started

In 2006, Tarana Burke started what is known as the #MeToo movement, which was relaunched in 2017 by Alyssa Milano.

2006: Charmed Concluded

In 2006, the television series Charmed, where Alyssa Milano starred as Phoebe Halliwell, concluded after eight seasons.

April 2007: Began Baseball Blog

In April 2007, Alyssa Milano, a Los Angeles Dodgers fan, began writing a baseball blog on the Major League Baseball's website.

June 2007: Named Founding Ambassador

In June 2007, Alyssa Milano was named a Founding Ambassador for the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases by The Sabin Vaccine Institute.

2007: Vegetarianism Advocate for PETA

In 2007, Alyssa Milano appeared in an advertisement for PETA, advocating vegetarianism and wearing a dress made entirely of vegetables.

2008: Expanded Touch to NFL

In 2008, Alyssa Milano expanded her "Touch" apparel line to NFL football, as a New York Giants fan.

2008: Starred in Wisegal

In 2008, Alyssa Milano produced and starred in Lifetime's TV film Wisegal.

March 20, 2009: Voiced Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn

On March 20, 2009, Alyssa Milano voiced Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn in Ghostbusters: The Video Game.

March 24, 2009: Safe At Home Release

On March 24, 2009, Alyssa Milano's book on her baseball fandom, Safe At Home: Confessions of a Baseball Fanatic, was released.

December 19, 2009: Fundraising Campaign for Charity: Water

On December 19, 2009, for her 37th birthday, Alyssa Milano ran an online fundraising campaign for Charity: Water, raising over US$75,000.

2009: Touch Apparel in Citi Field

In 2009, Alyssa Milano's "Touch" line of team apparel became available in a boutique store located in Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets.

April 19, 2010: Romantically Challenged Premiered

On April 19, 2010, the sitcom Romantically Challenged, starring Alyssa Milano as Rebecca Thomas, premiered on ABC; however, it was cancelled after airing four episodes.

2010: Kosovo Trip

In 2010, Alyssa Milano visited the settlement of Kolonia in Kosovo to witness impoverished living conditions as part of her work with UNICEF.

2011: Appeared in Two Comedy Films

In 2011, Alyssa Milano appeared in two comedy films, Hall Pass and New Year's Eve, expanding her filmography.

June 2013: Played Savannah Davis in Mistresses

In June 2013, Alyssa Milano played Savannah Davis in the ABC drama series Mistresses. She left the show after season two.

September 2013: Parody Release

In September 2013, Alyssa Milano released a parody of a celebrity sex tape on Funny or Die to draw attention to the Syrian civil war.

2013: Created Hacktivist Comic Book Series

In 2013, Alyssa Milano created the comic book series Hacktivist, exploring the world of hacking and global activism.

2013: Expanded Touch to NASCAR

In 2013, Alyssa Milano expanded her "Touch" apparel line into NASCAR, further diversifying her brand.

January 2014: Hacktivist Print Edition Released

In January 2014, the first print edition issue of Alyssa Milano's Hacktivist miniseries was published.

July 2014: Hacktivist Hardcover Released

In July 2014, a hardcover edition collecting all four issues of Alyssa Milano's Hacktivist was released.

2014: Rescue of South Korean Jindo Mix

In 2014, Alyssa Milano helped rescue a South Korean Jindo mix dog from being used for its meat.

March 2, 2015: Guest Host on The Talk

On March 2, 2015, Alyssa Milano was a guest host on The Talk, showcasing her versatility in television appearances.

September 2015: Brand Ambassador for Sprout

In September 2015, Alyssa Milano became a brand ambassador for the preschool television channel Sprout, known as the network's "mom-bassador".

2015: Endorsed Bernie Sanders

In 2015, Alyssa Milano endorsed Bernie Sanders for president of the United States.

2016: Expressed Support for Hillary Clinton

In 2016, after the Democratic Party presidential primaries, Alyssa Milano expressed support for presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

March 27, 2017: Drove Voters to Polls in Georgia

On March 27, 2017, Alyssa Milano, along with actor Christopher Gorham, drove voters to the polls for Georgia's 6th congressional district special election for Jon Ossoff.

October 15, 2017: #MeToo Movement Relaunch

On October 15, 2017, Alyssa Milano posted the message that relaunched what is known as the #MeToo movement, which was started in 2006 by Tarana Burke.

October 2017: Role in MeToo Movement

In October 2017, Alyssa Milano became known for her role in the MeToo movement, advocating against sexual harassment and assault.

December 12, 2017: Drove People to Polls in Alabama

On December 12, 2017, Alyssa Milano drove people to the polls for the United States Senate special election in Alabama to vote for Democratic candidate Doug Jones.

2017: Joined Wet Hot American Summer

In 2017, Alyssa Milano joined the cast of the Netflix comedy series Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.

July 2018: VoteRiders Encouragement

In July 2018, Alyssa Milano encouraged Twitter users to seek out VoteRiders to help eliminate confusion about voter ID laws.

2018: Raised Money for Richard Dien Winfield

In 2018, Alyssa Milano helped raise money for Richard Dien Winfield, a Democrat in Georgia's 10th congressional district race, including phone banking.

2018: Cast in Tempting Fate

In 2018, Alyssa Milano was cast in the lead role in Tempting Fate, based on the best-selling book by Jane Green, and also appeared in Insatiable.

September 2019: Meeting on Gun Violence

In September 2019, Alyssa Milano met with Ted Cruz and Fred Guttenberg to discuss gun violence.

2019: Released Children's Book and Podcast

In 2019, Alyssa Milano released a children's book, Hope: Project Middle School Book, and began hosting the podcast Alyssa Milano: Sorry Not Sorry.

March 2020: Endorsed Joe Biden for President

In March 2020, Alyssa Milano endorsed former US vice president Joe Biden for president of the United States.

December 2020: VoteRiders Encouragement

In December 2020, Alyssa Milano encouraged Twitter users to seek out VoteRiders to help eliminate confusion about voter ID laws.

2020: Recurring Star on The Now

In 2020, Alyssa Milano was a recurring star on the Quibi comedy The Now, adding to her roles in television series.

October 2021: Sorry Not Sorry Book Release

In October 2021, Alyssa Milano's book Sorry Not Sorry was released, featuring essays on her activism and thoughts on current political and social issues.

October 29, 2021: Signed Production Deal

On October 29, 2021, Alyssa Milano signed a first-look production deal with A&E Studios, expanding her role in content creation.

December 13, 2021: Signed with United Talent Agency

On December 13, 2021, Alyssa Milano signed a deal with the United Talent Agency (UTA).

2021: Cast in Brazen Virtue Adaptation

In 2021, Alyssa Milano was cast to star in the Netflix film adaptation of Nora Roberts' novel Brazen Virtue.

October 2023: Signed Open Letter for Ceasefire in Gaza

In October 2023, Alyssa Milano signed an open letter from several artists to Biden, calling for a ceasefire of the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.

May 28, 2024: Became an Ambassador of UNITED24

On May 28, 2024, Alyssa Milano became an ambassador of the UNITED24 global initiative in support of Ukraine in the field of education and science.

2024: Supported Ukraine and Joined UNITED24 Ambassadors

In 2024, Alyssa Milano supported Ukraine and joined UNITED24 ambassadors in raising funds for Ukraine.

2024: Role in Chicago on Broadway

In the fall of 2024, Alyssa Milano will perform the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago on Broadway, marking a significant stage performance.