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From Warsaw to Hollywood: Meet Izabella Miko | The Big Deal
Izabella Miko’s journey from Poland to Hollywood is nothing short of remarkable. Born to renowned actors Grazyna Dylag and Aleksander Mikolajczak, Izabella was surrounded by the arts from a young age. However, it wasn’t acting that initially captured her heart—it was ballet. At just ten years old, she was accepted into the National Ballet School in Warsaw, where she began her rigorous training.
By 15, Izabella’s talent earned her a full scholarship to the School of American Ballet in New York. It seemed like her dream of becoming a professional ballerina was within reach. But life had other plans. A series of injuries to her vertebrae, knee, and ankle forced her to abandon her ballet career at just 17. “I had to come up with something else to do, and the universe had another place,” she recalled, in an exclusive interview with The Big Deal.
Back in Warsaw, a casting director asked if she would play a part in a TV movie. Although acting wasn’t her dream, Izabella accepted the role, marking the beginning of her acting career. She soon returned to the United States and trained at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, determined to build a new path for herself.
“I came from Poland to America to study ballet in New York. I got a scholarship when I was 15 and ended up in New York by myself. No money, no English, no parents. So it was very tough. Those three years were really, really hard, but they were worth it”.
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Izabella’s big break came when she was cast as Cammie in the 2000 film “Coyote Ugly,” leading to more acting opportunities and making her a recognizable face in Hollywood.
“Turned 18, and I started acting. It was one of my first, well, first real auditions. I met my agent in LA through someone who knew who I was. He said, ‘he’s not going to sign, but just talk to him.’ And this guy was like, ‘I can’t sign you, but I’ll send you on a couple of auditions and see how you do.’ I actually got callbacks on all of the auditions, and they were all dancing. One of them was Save The Last Dance, which Julia Stiles got, but I got close. And then I actually replaced Julia Stiles in the sequel a couple of years later. And then, I eventually booked Coyote Ugly.”
Following her success in “Coyote Ugly,” Izabella appeared in films like “The Forsaken” (2001), “Minimal Knowledge” (2002), and “Bye Bye Blackbird” (2005). The latter showcased her versatility as she portrayed Alice, a circus trapeze artist, combining her dance background with new skills in trapeze and tightrope walking.
“Coyote Ugly changed my life completely. I was so hungry, I used to go to meetings just to get food and I had crazy little jobs. And then, a year later, I was being driven by limos, driving on Sunset and they were painting my face on posters. A lot of opportunities opened up.”
Izabella didn’t want to be typecast and worked hard to diversify her roles. She explained, “My life changed drastically and a lot of opportunities opened up. I had to be very smart because I didn’t want to be put in a box of the dumb blonde. I did not want to do a lot of the same roles. So I was choosing, but I knew I still had to gain experience and learn the craft.”
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In addition to her film work, Izabella is also known for her roles in popular TV shows. She had a part in the NBC series “The Cape” (2011) and more recently appeared in “The Flight Attendant” alongside Kaley Cuoco. “It was really fun. It was so interesting. I love when I kind of create a little crazy character. And then they let me actually do that. It’s so fast paced, it was a great experience. I love doing comedies, that’s definitely what I really enjoy doing.”
Music videos have also featured prominently in Izabella’s career, as she starred in The Killers’ iconic videos for “Mr. Brightside” and “Miss Atomic Bomb.” Reflecting on the experience, she said, “It was so much fun. Actually, a friend of mine was casting, and she was like, ‘hey, I know it’s something that you don’t usually do, but, would you do me a favor and do this music video? There’s some dancing’. So I was like ‘I don’t know but all right.’ I think I got like $500 for it. I love interesting things, the director was amazing, I loved the costumes and I got to choreograph my own dance stuff, which I loved. And it turned out to be this crazy music video winning all these awards, and a lot of people recognize me from that video. So I did a follow up video for them, with Miss Atomic Bomb as well.”
Izabella’s journey has been marked by resilience and adaptability. From overcoming injuries that ended her ballet career to making a name for herself in Hollywood, she has continuously reinvented herself.
Don’t miss the full interview with Izabella Miko in the latest episode of The Big Deal at LatiNation! Check your local TV Channel listing for LATV, download the Digital App, or watch online on your desktop or laptop at watch.latv.com
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