Alyssa Milano originates from an Italian-American family, with her mother, Lin Milano, being a fashion designer and her father, Thomas Milano, a film music editor. Born in a working-class neighborhood in Brooklyn, Alyssa spent her childhood in a modest house on Staten Island.
At a young age, Alyssa's babysitter, who was an aspiring dancer, took her to an open audition for the first national tour of "Annie". Amidst 1500 other girls, Alyssa was surprisingly chosen for the role, leaving her babysitter behind. Accompanied by her mother, Alyssa joined the tour as July, one of the orphans, at the tender age of seven.
After 18 months on the road, Alyssa's reputation as an energetic and charismatic young actress began to grow. She left "Annie" to feature in off-Broadway productions and television commercials. Then, in 1983, at the age of 10, Alyssa landed her breakthrough role on the sitcom "Who's the Boss?" (1984) as Tony Danza's saccharine sweet daughter, "Samantha Micelli", a kid with a native Brooklyn accent rivaling her TV dad's.
To accept the gig, the Milano family had to uproot and move 3,000 miles to Hollywood, marking a significant change in their lives.
