Celebrity Nooz: Talisa Soto

Talisa Soto (Model/Actress) - Mortal Kombat

Updated: 12/20/21

Name: Talisa Soto

Birth Name: Miriam Talisa Soto

Born: March 27, 1967 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Claim To Fame: Talisa Soto is an American actress and former model best known for portraying Bond girl Lupe Lamora in the 1989 James Bond film Licence to Kill, and as Kitana in the 1995 fantasy action film Mortal Kombat and its 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Family Life: In 1997, Soto married actor Costas Mandylor. They divorced in 2000. In 2002, Soto married actor Benjamin Bratt. They have two children, daughter Sophia Rosalinda and son Mateo Bravery.

Info: Soto is the youngest of four children of parents who moved from Puerto Rico to New York.

During her early childhood, her family moved to Northampton, Massachusetts.

At age 15, Soto signed with Click Model Management and began modeling during summer vacations. Weeks after being signed, she traveled to Paris where she appeared in a layout for Vogue shot by Bruce Weber.

Soto appeared on the covers of American and British Vogue, British Elle, Mademoiselle, Glamour and Self magazines.

She was also featured in advertising campaigns for Calvin Klein, Cartier, Clarins, Revlon, Salvatore Ferragamo, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Versace.

She is a former Miss Galaxy Beauty Contest winner.

In 2001, Soto and Benjamin Bratt met while filming Piñero (2001). They began a relationship when they attended the film's premiere at the Montreal World Film Festival. The married the following year and had two children together.

Trivia: In 1988, Soto was cast as Lupe Lamora, in the James Bond film License to Kill, starring Timothy Dalton.

She is the first Latina actress ever to play a Bond girl.

Turned down an offer to pose for "Playboy" in conjunction with her turn as a James Bond girl in License to Kill (1989).

She worked with Carey Lowell in License to Kill (1989) while her future husband Benjamin Bratt worked with her in Law & Order (1990).

In 1990, Soto was chosen by People as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World.

In 1995, she was featured in the Sports Illustrated "Swimsuit Issue".

Soto has appeared in more than twenty films, including Mortal Kombat (1995) as Kitana.

In 1995, she made an appearance in Marc Anthony's music video for "I Need to Know".

In 2002, she was ranked #58 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2002.

Where Are They Now: Retired from acting in 2002 upon marrying her husband Benjamin Bratt. She only came out of retirement to do the film La Mission (2009), which was directed by her brother-in-law Peter Bratt. She hasn't returned to the spotlight since, but it would be wonderful to see her again on the screen or modeling again.

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