Talisa Soto started out as a teenage model, finding success in Italy and France after being rejected by some New York agencies for her "ethnic look." She's been a fighter since those early days, and that tough attitude, coupled with her absolutely stunning appearance, established her as one of the top models of the 1980s, in the era just prior to the supermodel phenomenon of the '90s. Modeling led to acting, beginning with a role in cult director Paul Morrissey's Spike of Bensonhurst (a.k.a. Throw Back!). Talisa made a brief return to her modeling roots, appearing in the 1995 swimsuit edition of Sports Illustrated magazine. During the '90s, she became exposed to the martial arts. For her portrayal of the 10,000-year-old Princess in the Mortal Kombat series, Talisa spent months training in kickboxing and escrima, a form of Filipino stick fighting. She even did many of her own stunts, making her perhaps the world's first (and only) Latin female martial arts action hero who found her way there through modeling.
"I'm as good as Jean-Claude Van Damme when it comes to martial arts. Sounding a little cocky aren't I?"
Birth name: Miriam Soto
Gender: Female
Spouse: Benjamin Bratt
Profession: Actress/Model
Marital status: Married