Sofia Milos

Some women exude style and energy and, well, la dolce vita! Stunning actress Sofia Milos is one of these women. Known for playing tough women in positions of authority, this intelligent, witty actress is now starring in a Canadian-made high-tech action series called The Border.

The first thing you notice about Sofia Milos is her boundless energy. Having a conversation with her is like playing a vigorous round of tennis, meaning you are left invigorated, but exhausted at the same time. “I think that because I am so enthusiastic about what I do, and the projects and causes that I am involved in, it actually keeps me going off the pure adrenaline rush I get from what I do,” says Milos.

Milos was born to a Greek mother and Italian father in Zurich, Switzerland. She can now converse fluently in six languages. At the tender age of 15, Milos found work as a model. Her gorgeous figure and exotic face took her from Milan to Tokyo to New York – but stardom as a model was not something that Milos was actually seeking. “I never really had the ambition to be a model,” says Milos. “What I was doing was trying to earn money so I could attend the Business and Economic School in Switzerland.” Milos attributes her well-travelled past to making her a better actress.

It was through contacts made during her time as a model that lead Milos to her first acting role in a low-budget film at the age of 17. “I loved acting right away,” says Milos. “It was a terrific extension of what I enjoyed about modelling, only this was a form of real communication and expression of idea.”

Two years later, at 19, Milos scored a role on Friends, playing the dazzling character Aurora that Chandler becomes absolutely obsessed with. The following season, she was a featured guest on Mad About You, and from there, Milos continued acting. “I was very lucky because I did a few small roles in shows that were very successful. That lead to bigger and bigger parts – but it wasn’t like I was trying to arrange my career in a certain way, it just kind of happened,” says Milos. It was just after her appearance on Mad About You that she was offered a recurring role on the show Caroline in the City.

Milos continued her record of good luck by being cast The Sopranos, where she played the character named Annalisa for two episodes. Her character was as a sultry mafia boss that has to go-toe-to-toe with Tony Soprano himself. “That was a lot of fun,” says Milos. “I was really able to stretch with that role and apply a lot of what I learned ­– technique wise – from studying acting at the Beverly Hills Playhouse.”

The exposure on The Sopranos led to her being cast in a recurring and pivotal role as Detective Salas in CSI Miami, where Milos made the absolute most of it. “CSI Miami is seen in over 180 countries,” says Milos. “That is massive exposure, and because the role was such an interesting one it made an impact on audiences that I didn’t really expect.”

And what about life off the celebrity circuit? “Well, my life when I am not working revolves around family and travel. I love spending time in Rome, but my favorite part of Italy is the Tuscany area. And, I love being near a beautiful beach – there is something very exciting and soothing about being around waves and a long stretch of beach.” And since family is very important to her, might she ever consider having a family of her own? “Oh absolutely, I have been thinking a lot about that lately, I love children. In fact, I am very involved in an organization called the Citizens Commission on Human Rights that is actively protecting children against being exposed unnecessarily to psychotropic drugs. I would love to have one boy and one girl.” Milos is also involved in an organization called Criminon – a group that helps ex-convicts reassimilate back into society as productive contributors by restoring their self-esteem. “I was inspired to get involved with that organization based on all the fan letters I get from people in prison – I was touched.”

It is that attention and involvement with causes having to do with human rights that led directly to her being cast in the new Canadian-made high- tech action series The Border, in which Milos plays a Homeland Security agent based in Toronto. “It really was one of those fateful things,” says Milos. “I was told that the producers of The Border wanted to meet me, and really wanted me for this show, but the problem was that I was flying to Italy the next day. Here was how fate slipped into the scenario: the producers were in Toronto and my flight to Italy happened to have a two-hour layover in Toronto! So I met with them in the airport lounge in my white sweats, and we immediately clicked because we all had a deep concern for human rights issues. After our meeting, I jumped on the plane for Rome and by the time I got there it had been decided that I had the role.”

The Border is set in Toronto (produced by the CBC), and deals with stories concerning national security along the Canada /United States border. “What really hooked me about this show was that it was topical and timely, but informative as well. It will inspire conversation and debate on the issues we cover. It is a very interesting show but gruelling to shoot – we shoot 16 hours a day, six days a week – but it’s well worth it.”

And does Milos have any indulgences that can describe how she lives la dolce vita? “Well, I have already mentioned my love of being near the beach, so apart from that, I would have to say the Italian chocolate Baci (which means kisses), and I love Nutella on crepes. And while I don’t really drink all that much alcohol, I do like a taste of Cristal every now and again, or maybe some Gewürztraminer.”

While the first thing you notice about Sofia Milos is her energy, the last thing you’ll notice is her infectious passion for life and generous spirit.

www.sofiamilos.com

Gallery 1: Red floral gown, Badgley Mischka at Holt Renfrew, $1,250. Gold Earring and necklace provided by www.damiani.com

Gallery 2: Jewel-encrusted ice blue goddess gown, Mandalay at Holt Renfrew, $1,795. White gold drop earrings, matching necklace and ring provided by www.damiani.com

Gallery 3: Black-jewelled trim one shoulder silk dress, Louise Kennedy at Hazel, $6,150. Crystal chandelier earrings at Holt Renfrew, $210.