Who Is Mira Sorvino's Husband? All About Christopher Backus

Mar. 15, 2025

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino attend the 28th annual SAG Awards in February 2022.Photo:Amy Sussman/WireImage

Amy Sussman/WireImage

Mira Sorvinoand her husband, Christopher Backus, have been married for two decades.

The couple tied the knot at the Santa Barbara, Calif., courthouse in June 2004. A month later, they said, “I do,” again in Italy. Sorvino and Backus have since welcomed four children: Mattea, Johnny, Holden and Lucia.

“It’s our happy place. There’s no better place than Italy. We just were happy and in love and running around,” Sorvino said.

In addition to being partners in parenting, Sorvino and Backus are also producing partners. Most recently, they executive produced the filmDaft Statestarring Backus.

So who is Mira Sorvino’s husband? Here’s everything to know about Christopher Backus and his relationship with the actress.

He’s an actor

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino in October 2019 in Rome, Italy.Daniele Venturelli/Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Daniele Venturelli/Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Backus later starred in some films alongside Sorvino, likeIndiscretionandMothers and Daughters.

They got married in 2004

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino at an event in October 2003.Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Jeff Vespa/WireImage

Sorvino and Backus quietly got married only about a year after they started dating. They tied the knot in a Santa Barbara courthouse on June 11, 2004.

They later had a second ceremony in Capri, Italy. In March 2022, Sorvino talked about the second destination wedding during an interview withThe New York Times, saying they picked the spot after being invited to Capri’s film festival.

“I had already had this dream of having a wedding on, like, a rocky promontory overlooking the ocean. I thought maybe I could achieve that in America,” she said. “But I just fell in love with Capri. It was a way of inviting all of my ancestral ghosts to join us at the wedding.”

She added that they went back to the same spot for their 15th wedding anniversary to renew their vows with their kids there.

He has four kids with Sorvino

Left to right: Christopher Backus, Lucia Backus, Mira Sorvino, Mattea Backus, Holden Backus and Johnny Backus.Fred Hayes/Getty

Fred Hayes/Getty

Sorvino struggled with pregnancy complications and a difficult delivery when giving birth to Holden, and has credited Backus as being extremely helpful throughout the whole ordeal.

“Because of my husband and my children, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world, and I just want to cherish every minute we have together,” Sorvino told PEOPLE in a 2009 interview.

Date nights are important to him

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino share a kiss with a sunset behind them.Mira Sorvino Instagram

Mira Sorvino Instagram

“Date nights are absolutely essential when you have four children, because so much of your time is spent parenting,” she said. “You’re next to each other, but you’re relating to your kids, rather than to each other.”

TheShining Valestar shared that they frequently enjoy evenings on their own. “We’ll go to a hotel somewhere,” she said. “This is our ritual.” Sorvino revealed that they usually head to spots in California, like Pasadena, downtown Los Angeles, Beverly Hills or Venice Beach to get dinner.

“So that we get to be a couple, not a couple with children, just for a moment. That’s really important,” she concluded.

He and Sorvino are working on a docuseries together

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino at the premiere of ‘Shining Vale’ in February 2022.Leon Bennett/Getty

Leon Bennett/Getty

Sorvino is an advocate for sexual abuse victims, as she helped to spearhead the#MeToo campaignwith her allegations againstHarvey Weinstein.

In January 2021,Deadlinereported that Backus would be working alongside Sorvino on her latest project: a docuseries meant to help the survivors of human trafficking. Sorvino and Backus are set to work with her sister, Amanda, an animal advocate.

The trio and a team of therapeutic experts will lend a hand on a family-run 200-acre ranch outside of Los Angeles. The show’s concept aims to help a group of people get past their trauma using expert-led animal therapy.

He and Sorvino encourage each other’s careers

“It’s all about support, respect and love and then the rest of it you just figure out,” he explained. “Our profession has obvious benefits in that we don’t work everyday so we get to be hands on parents and that’s important to both of us.”

Backus then shared that it gets “intense” when they work because of the long days, but they’re supportive of each other and take turns staying with their kids. “We’re lucky to have found each other and were extremely happy about that so everything else we just figure out a way,” he added.

He’s very supportive of his family

Christopher Backus and Mira Sorvino attend a red carpet event in March 2022.Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

One look atBackus’ Instagram pagereveals his appreciation for his wife and kids. He postsimages of Sorvino, and although he doesn’t share a lot about his kids, he sometimes uploads pictures of them too.

In May 2021, he posted a photo of Sorvino and their children playing in a backyard onInstagram, with the caption, “Happy Mother’s Day to the best mom and wife a man could ask for. She fills our lives with boundless love, affection, cuteness, adventures and bravery. So lucky are we to have you in our lives.”

The year prior, he dedicated a birthday tribute to her as well onInstagram, sharing a snap of them snuggling alongside the caption, “Every second of every day with you is a blessing from God. Happy birthday my love.”

In a 2009 interview with PEOPLE about her rough pregnancy with her third child, Sorvino praised Backus for always being there for them. “Chris was a true hero while I was in the hospital, taking care of every aspect of our lives and attending to all of the kids needs during a truly difficult time for all of us,” she said.

source: people.com