Mira Sorvino Reveals Which of Her Late Dad Paul Sorvino’s Movies Her Family Loves to Watch Together (Exclusive)

While Paul Sorvino’s filmography is robust and varied, there’s one holiday classic that holds a special place in the hearts of his children and grandchildren.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the late actor’s daughter, Mira Sorvino, reveals the Paul film she and her four children with husband Christopher Backus always gravitate to around the holidays.

“One that we used to watch with them — we haven’t watched it in a few years, since he passed, I don’t think — but my kids used to love his movie, Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe, in which he plays Santa Claus,” Sorvino, 57, says. “They love that movie and we love to watch grandpa as Santa.”

In fact, the children’s affinity for the film led to the Daft State actress ultimately taking on the role of Mrs. Claus in a different movie. “Grandpa has played Santa and Mira has played Mrs. Claus,” says Backus.

“I realized my kids couldn’t watch any of my movies because they were all rated R,” the Mighty Aphrodite star says. “And so I knew how much they loved Santa Baby 2: Christmas Maybe. And when I got offered this finding Mrs. Claus [in 2012’s Finding Mrs. Claus], which was really clever and cute, I went for it so I’d have something that I would make that they could watch.”

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As her children have gotten older, the star says they’re discovering their grandfather’s more adult films, including the iconic Goodfellas.

“So our son, Johnny, who’s at the University of Michigan, watched Goodfellas for the first time two weeks ago with a couple of his teammates,” says Backus. “And he was like, ‘I can’t believe that’s my grandpa.’ . . . And yeah, that was pretty cool.”

Paul died in July 2022 at age 83. The actor is best known for his role in Goodfellas, in which he played Paulie Cicero, and his role as NYPD Sergeant Phil Cerreta on the television series Law & Order.