Virginia Madsen
Encyclopedia
Virginia Madsen is an American actress and documentary film producer. She came to fame during the 1980s, having appeared in several films aimed at a teenage audience. Two decades later, she had an Academy Award and Golden Globe-nominated role in the 2004 film Sideways
.
, Illinois
, the daughter of Elaine (née
Melson), an Emmy
-winning poet
, producer and playwright
who often works for PBS
, and Calvin Madsen, a fireman
. Madsen's mother left a career in corporate business to pursue a writing career. Madsen's brother is actor Michael Madsen
. Her paternal grandparents were Danish and her mother has Irish and Native American
ancestry. Madsen is a graduate of New Trier High School
in Winnetka, Illinois
.
Her first effort as a thespian
was as her brother’s assistant in magic shows the two would concoct for their family. She later attended the Ted Liss Acting Studio in Chicago and Harand Camp Adult Theater Seminar in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
. Of her experience with Liss, she said: "I had wanted to join his class since I was 12. It was well worth the wait because I don't think I could have got that sort of training anywhere else especially in the United States...I always wanted to make a real career out of acting."
. She portrayed a role as cellist named Madeline in Electric Dreams (1984), which was the first film release by Virgin Films Production Company. She was cast as Princess Irulan in David Lynch
's science fiction
epic Dune
(1984).
Madsen first became popular with audiences in 1986 with her portrayal of a Catholic schoolgirl who fell in love with a boy from a prison camp in Duncan Gibbons's Fire with Fire. As beauty queen Dixie Lee Boxx, she was the sexy romantic interest of minor-league baseball manager Cecil "Stud" Cantrell (William Petersen
) in the made-for-cable Long Gone
(1987). She appeared as Maddie Hayes' cousin in the final season of Moonlighting
.
She also starred in the 1992 horror film
Candyman
. During the filming of Candyman, Madsen was hypnotised so that her pupils would remain dilated while she acted out certain scenes. The director Bernard Rose
wanted the character to not have a typical screaming style of when confronted by the villain. Madsen stated in an interview for the DVD in 2004 that there were some days during filming that she did not remember much due to the hypnotism. She told her director that she did not want to be hypnotised after the initial few experiences.
A couple of provocative film appearances followed: 1990's The Hot Spot
with Don Johnson
, directed by Dennis Hopper
, and the equally steamy Third Degree Burn with Treat Williams
. She was also co-host of the TV series Unsolved Mysteries
in 1999, the show's final season on CBS
.
Madsen appeared in a small but key role in the Francis Ford Coppola
drama The Rainmaker
(1997) starring Matt Damon
. Film critic Roger Ebert
said that Madsen had a "strong scene," while reviewer James Berardinelli noted that "the supporting cast is solid, with turns from... Virginia Madsen as a witness for the plaintiff". Madsen had spent more than twenty years in minor films before her breakout critically acclaimed performance in Sideways
(2004). The role catapulted her onto the Hollywood A-list
. Her first major role after Sideways was opposite Harrison Ford
in Firewall
. She later appeared in Robert Altman
's A Prairie Home Companion
, in a key role as the angel. She co-starred with Jim Carrey
in The Number 23
and Billy Bob Thornton
in The Astronaut Farmer
; both films opened in North America on February 23, 2007.
She voiced Queen Hippolyte, mother of Wonder Woman
, in the 2009 animated Wonder Woman
film.
, CSI: Miami
, Dawson's Creek
, The Practice
, Frasier
, and other series. She starred opposite Ray Liotta
in CBS
's short-lived crime drama series Smith
. She also had a recurring role in the final season of the USA series Monk
.
She appeared with Kenny Loggins
in the music video "I'm Free", from the Footloose soundtrack
(1984).
In 2010, she landed the starring role of Cheryl West in the ABC crime series Scoundrels
. In December 2010, it was announced that she will be joining the cast of NBC's science fiction action series The Event.
. She married actor Danny Huston
in 1989 and they divorced in 1992. Madsen also had a relationship with actor Antonio Sabàto, Jr.
, with whom she had a son, Jack Antonio (born August 6, 1994).
Madsen has heterochromia
, a genetic
trait resulting in different pigmentation of the eyes. Madsen has one green eye, and one half-green, half-brown eye.
She was a member of the US Dramatic Jury at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
.
Nominations: Golden Globes
Sideways
Sideways is a 2004 comedy-drama film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne and directed by Payne. Adapted from Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, Sideways follows two forty-something year old men, portrayed by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who take a week-long road trip to...
.
Early life
Madsen was born in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, the daughter of Elaine (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Melson), an Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
-winning poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, producer and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
who often works for PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
, and Calvin Madsen, a fireman
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
. Madsen's mother left a career in corporate business to pursue a writing career. Madsen's brother is actor Michael Madsen
Michael Madsen
Michael Søren Madsen is an American actor, poet, and photographer. He has appeared in more than 150 films, most of them small independent films, though he has starred in central roles in such films as Reservoir Dogs, Free Willy, Donnie Brasco, and Kill Bill, in addition to a supporting role in Sin...
. Her paternal grandparents were Danish and her mother has Irish and Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
ancestry. Madsen is a graduate of New Trier High School
New Trier High School
New Trier High School is a public four-year high school , with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, USA, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration...
in Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
.
Her first effort as a thespian
Thespian
Thespian may refer to:* An actor * A citizen of the ancient Greek city of Thespiae* A member of the International Thespian Society, an honor society that promotes excellence in high school theater...
was as her brother’s assistant in magic shows the two would concoct for their family. She later attended the Ted Liss Acting Studio in Chicago and Harand Camp Adult Theater Seminar in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin
Elkhart Lake is a village in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, United States, located within the northwestern part of the county within the Town of Rhine. The population was 1,021 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Of her experience with Liss, she said: "I had wanted to join his class since I was 12. It was well worth the wait because I don't think I could have got that sort of training anywhere else especially in the United States...I always wanted to make a real career out of acting."
Film
Audiences first caught a glimpse of Madsen in a bit part she landed as Lisa in the teen sex comedy ClassClass (film)
Class is a 1983 American movie that was directed by Lewis John Carlino, the writer/director of the 1979 film The Great Santini. It features the film debuts of actors Andrew McCarthy, John Cusack, Virginia Madsen, Lolita Davidovich, and Alan Ruck....
. She portrayed a role as cellist named Madeline in Electric Dreams (1984), which was the first film release by Virgin Films Production Company. She was cast as Princess Irulan in David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
epic Dune
Dune (film)
Dune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles. It was filmed at the Churubusco...
(1984).
Madsen first became popular with audiences in 1986 with her portrayal of a Catholic schoolgirl who fell in love with a boy from a prison camp in Duncan Gibbons's Fire with Fire. As beauty queen Dixie Lee Boxx, she was the sexy romantic interest of minor-league baseball manager Cecil "Stud" Cantrell (William Petersen
William Petersen
William Louis Petersen is an American actor and producer, best known for playing Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom on the hit CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. He portrayed President John F...
) in the made-for-cable Long Gone
Long Gone (film)
Long Gone is a 1987 baseball film by HBO based on Paul Hemphill's 1979 book of the same name. The made-for-television film was directed by Martin Davidson and starred William Petersen, Virginia Madsen and Dermot Mulroney. Outside North America, the movie was known as and titled, Stogies.-Plot:The...
(1987). She appeared as Maddie Hayes' cousin in the final season of Moonlighting
Moonlighting (TV series)
Moonlighting is an American television series that aired on ABC from March 3, 1985, to May 14, 1989. The network aired a total of 66 episodes...
.
She also starred in the 1992 horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
Candyman
Candyman (film)
Candyman is a 1992 horror film starring Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Xander Berkeley. It was directed by Bernard Rose and is based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, though the film's scenario is switched from England to Chicago. The film was scored by Philip Glass. The film was...
. During the filming of Candyman, Madsen was hypnotised so that her pupils would remain dilated while she acted out certain scenes. The director Bernard Rose
Bernard Rose (director)
Bernard Rose is an English actor and film director most famous for his direction of the 1992 urban horror film Candyman and the 1994 historical romance film Immortal Beloved....
wanted the character to not have a typical screaming style of when confronted by the villain. Madsen stated in an interview for the DVD in 2004 that there were some days during filming that she did not remember much due to the hypnotism. She told her director that she did not want to be hypnotised after the initial few experiences.
A couple of provocative film appearances followed: 1990's The Hot Spot
The Hot Spot
The Hot Spot is a 1990 American drama film directed by Dennis Hopper and based on the 1952 book Hell Hath No Fury by Charles Williams. It stars Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, and Jennifer Connelly, and features a score by Jack Nitzsche played by John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Taj Mahal and Roy...
with Don Johnson
Don Johnson
Donnie Wayne "Don" Johnson is an American actor known for his work in television and film. He played the lead role of James "Sonny" Crockett in the 1980s TV cop series, Miami Vice, which led him to huge success. He also played the lead role in the 1990s cop series, Nash Bridges...
, directed by Dennis Hopper
Dennis Hopper
Dennis Lee Hopper was an American actor, filmmaker and artist. As a young man, Hopper became interested in acting and eventually became a student of the Actors' Studio. He made his first television appearance in 1954 and appeared in two films featuring James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause and Giant...
, and the equally steamy Third Degree Burn with Treat Williams
Treat Williams
Richard Treat Williams is a Screen Actors Guild Award–nominated American actor and children's book author who has appeared on film, stage and television...
. She was also co-host of the TV series Unsolved Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries
Unsolved Mysteries is an American television program, hosted by Robert Stack, from 1987 until 2002, and later by Dennis Farina, starting in 2008...
in 1999, the show's final season on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
.
Madsen appeared in a small but key role in the Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola
Francis Ford Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. He is widely acclaimed as one of Hollywood's most innovative and influential film directors...
drama The Rainmaker
The Rainmaker (1997 film)
The Rainmaker is a 1997 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon. Coppola wrote the script, based on the 1995 novel of the same name by John Grisham....
(1997) starring Matt Damon
Matt Damon
Matthew Paige "Matt" Damon is an American actor, screenwriter, and philanthropist whose career was launched following the success of the film Good Will Hunting , from a screenplay he co-wrote with friend Ben Affleck...
. Film critic Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
said that Madsen had a "strong scene," while reviewer James Berardinelli noted that "the supporting cast is solid, with turns from... Virginia Madsen as a witness for the plaintiff". Madsen had spent more than twenty years in minor films before her breakout critically acclaimed performance in Sideways
Sideways
Sideways is a 2004 comedy-drama film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne and directed by Payne. Adapted from Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, Sideways follows two forty-something year old men, portrayed by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who take a week-long road trip to...
(2004). The role catapulted her onto the Hollywood A-list
A-list
A-list is a term that alludes to major movie stars, or the most bankable in the Hollywood film industry.The A-list is part of a larger guide called The Hot List that has become an industry-standard guide in Hollywood...
. Her first major role after Sideways was opposite Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
in Firewall
Firewall (film)
Firewall is a 2006 British-American thriller film directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Joe Forte. Harrison Ford stars as Jack Stanfield, a security expert at a bank faced with a corporate merger and the offer of a new job.-Plot:...
. She later appeared in Robert Altman
Robert Altman
Robert Bernard Altman was an American film director and screenwriter known for making films that are highly naturalistic, but with a stylized perspective. In 2006, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognized his body of work with an Academy Honorary Award.His films MASH , McCabe and...
's A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
, in a key role as the angel. She co-starred with Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey
James Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and comedian. He has received two Golden Globe Awards and has also been nominated on four occasions. Carrey began comedy in 1979, performing at Yuk Yuk's in Toronto, Ontario...
in The Number 23
The Number 23
The Number 23 is a 2007 American psychological thriller film written by Fernley Phillips and directed by Joel Schumacher. The film starred Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston, and Logan Lerman. It was subsequently released on DVD on July 24, 2007 , and premiered on HBO on Saturday April 19,...
and Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton is an American actor, screenwriter, director and musician. Thornton gained early recognition as a cast member on the CBS sitcom Hearts Afire and in several early 1990s films including On Deadly Ground and Tombstone...
in The Astronaut Farmer
The Astronaut Farmer
The Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Mark. The story focuses on a Texas rancher who constructs a rocket in his barn and, against all odds, launches himself into outer space.-Plot:Charles Farmer is a former...
; both films opened in North America on February 23, 2007.
She voiced Queen Hippolyte, mother of Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
, in the 2009 animated Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman (film)
Wonder Woman is a 2009 direct-to-video animated film focusing on the superheroine Wonder Woman. The plot of the film is loosely based on George Pérez' reboot of the character, specifically the "Gods and Mortals" arc that started the character's second volume in 1987. It is the fourth in the line of...
film.
Television
Madsen has made numerous television appearances including: Star Trek: VoyagerStar Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
, CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami
CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
, Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek
Dawson's Creek is an American teen drama television series which debuted on January 20, 1998, on The WB Television Network and was produced by Sony Pictures Television. The show is set in the fictional seaside town of Capeside, Massachusetts, and in Boston, Massachusetts, during the later seasons...
, The Practice
The Practice
The Practice is an American legal drama created by David E. Kelley centering on the partners and associates at a Boston law firm. Running for eight seasons from 1997 to 2004, the show won the Emmy in 1998 and 1999 for Best Drama Series, and spawned the successful and lighter spin-off series Boston...
, Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, and other series. She starred opposite Ray Liotta
Ray Liotta
[File:Ray Liotta is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Henry Hill in the crime-drama Goodfellas, directed by Martin Scorsese and his role as Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams...
in CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
's short-lived crime drama series Smith
Smith (TV series)
Smith is an American television drama that premiered on September 16, 2006 at 10:00 PM ET on CBS and on September 18, 2006 on CTV in Canada...
. She also had a recurring role in the final season of the USA series Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
.
She appeared with Kenny Loggins
Kenny Loggins
During the next decade, Loggins recorded so many successful songs for film soundtracks that he was referred to as, King of the Movie Soundtrack.He began with "I'm Alright" , "Mr. Night", and "Lead the Way" from Caddyshack...
in the music video "I'm Free", from the Footloose soundtrack
Footloose (soundtrack)
Footloose is the original soundtrack of the Paramount motion picture Footloose. The original nine-track album was released in 1984 and reached Number One on the Billboard 200 Pop Album chart on April 21, 1984, where it stayed until June 30, 1984. When it was re-released in 1998, four bonus tracks...
(1984).
In 2010, she landed the starring role of Cheryl West in the ABC crime series Scoundrels
Scoundrels
Scoundrels may refer to:* Scoundrels , a 2010 comedy-drama television series for the ABC network* Scoundrels , a 1994 episode of NBC's legal drama television series Law & Order...
. In December 2010, it was announced that she will be joining the cast of NBC's science fiction action series The Event.
Producer
In 2008, she formed her own film production company called Title IX Prods. Her first project was a film made with her mother called I Know a Woman Like That. The film is a documentary about the lives of older women. Her second project is called Fighting Gravity and is about the inability of female ski jumpers to obtain recognition in Olympic competition.Personal life
When Madsen arrived in Hollywood, she was engaged to actor Billy CampbellBilly Campbell
William Oliver "Billy" Campbell is an American film and television actor. In television, he is best known for his roles as Rick Sammler on Once and Again, as Det. Joey Indelli on Crime Story, as Jordan Collier on The 4400, and as Dr. Jon Fielding on the Tales of the City Miniseries...
. She married actor Danny Huston
Danny Huston
-Early life:Huston was born in Rome, Italy. He hails from the illustrious Huston acting and filmmaking dynasty. He is the son of legendary director John Huston, half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston and screenwriter Tony Huston, uncle of actor Jack Huston, stepbrother of Allegra Huston, and...
in 1989 and they divorced in 1992. Madsen also had a relationship with actor Antonio Sabàto, Jr.
Antonio Sabàto, Jr.
Antonio Sabàto, Jr. is an American actor and model. Born in Italy and raised in the U.S., Sabàto first became known as a Calvin Klein model and for his role on the soap opera General Hospital. He continued appearing in films and television series throughout the 1990s and 2000s.-Early life:Sabàto...
, with whom she had a son, Jack Antonio (born August 6, 1994).
Madsen has heterochromia
Heterochromia
In anatomy, heterochromia refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but also of hair or skin. Heterochromia is a result of the relative excess or lack of melanin...
, a genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
trait resulting in different pigmentation of the eyes. Madsen has one green eye, and one half-green, half-brown eye.
She was a member of the US Dramatic Jury at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival
2009 Sundance Film Festival
The 2009 Sundance Film Festival ran from January 15, 2009 until January 25 in Park City, Utah. It was the 25th iteration of the Sundance Film Festival.-Award winners:*Grand Jury Prize: Documentary - We Live in Public...
.
Awards
Nominations: Academy AwardsAcademy Awards
An Academy Award, also known as an Oscar, is an accolade bestowed by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers...
- Sideways (2004) – Best Supporting Actress
Nominations: Golden Globes
- Sideways (2004) – Best Supporting Actress
Other awards
Wins:- Candyman (1992) – Best Actress: Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.
- Sideways (2004) – Best Supporting Actress: Broadcast Film Critics AssociationBroadcast Film Critics AssociationThe Broadcast Film Critics Association is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada , representing approximately 250 television, radio and online critics....
Awards; Chicago Film Critics AssociationChicago Film Critics AssociationThe Chicago Film Critics Association is an American film critic association.-Members:Current members include:*Sarah Knight Adamson*Zbigniew Banas*Shelley Cameron*Dave Canfield*Vittorio Carli*Erik Childress*Camerin Courtney*Bonnie DeShong...
Awards; Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Awards; Los Angeles Film Critics AssociationLos Angeles Film Critics AssociationThe Los Angeles Film Critics Association was founded in 1975. Its main purpose is to present yearly awards to members of the film industry who have excelled in their fields. These awards are presented each January...
Awards; New York Film Critics Circle Awards; and others.
Filmography
- 1983: ClassClass (film)Class is a 1983 American movie that was directed by Lewis John Carlino, the writer/director of the 1979 film The Great Santini. It features the film debuts of actors Andrew McCarthy, John Cusack, Virginia Madsen, Lolita Davidovich, and Alan Ruck....
as Lisa - 1984: Electric Dreams as Madeline Robistat
- 1984: DuneDune (film)Dune is a 1984 science fiction film written and directed by David Lynch, based on the 1965 Frank Herbert novel of the same name. The film stars Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and includes an ensemble of well-known American and European actors in supporting roles. It was filmed at the Churubusco...
as Princess Irulan - 1985: CreatorCreator (film)Creator is a 1985 film directed by Ivan Passer, starring Peter O'Toole, Vincent Spano, Mariel Hemingway, and Virginia Madsen. It is based on a book of the same title by Jeremy Leven.-Plot:...
as Barbara Spencer - 1986: Fire with Fire as Lisa Taylor
- 1986: Modern GirlsModern GirlsModern Girls is a 1986 comedy film. The film is directed by Jerry Kramer and stars Virginia Madsen, Daphne Zuniga and Cynthia Gibb.- Plot Summary :Three girls, Margo, Kelly, and Cece are roommates living in Los Angeles and enjoying the night life....
as Kelly - 1987: Slam DanceSlam Dance (film)Slam Dance is a 1987 thriller directed by Wayne Wang and starring Virginia Madsen, Tom Hulce, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It was screened out of competition at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:A married cartoonist named C.C...
as Yolanda Caldwell - 1987: Zombie HighZombie High-Plot:A teenage girl gains a scholarship to an all-male boarding school, but soon discovers that her fellow classmates are becoming personality-less drones...
as Andrea - 1987: Long GoneLong Gone (film)Long Gone is a 1987 baseball film by HBO based on Paul Hemphill's 1979 book of the same name. The made-for-television film was directed by Martin Davidson and starred William Petersen, Virginia Madsen and Dermot Mulroney. Outside North America, the movie was known as and titled, Stogies.-Plot:The...
as Dixie Lee Boxx - 1988: GothamGotham (film)Gotham is a 1988 thriller film written and directed by Lloyd Fonvielle.- Plot :Down-and-out New York detective Eddie Mallard finds himself involved in the weirdest case of his career when a wealthy man asks for his help in stopping his ex-wife from harassing him...
as Rachel Carlyle - 1988: Mr. NorthMr. NorthMr. North is a 1988 American comedy-drama film starring Anthony Edwards, based on the 1973 novel Theophilus North by Thornton Wilder.Directed by Danny Huston, the film became a family project; produced by John Huston, it also stars Anjelica Huston, Danny's future wife Virginia Madsen, and Allegra...
as Sally Boffin - 1988: Hot to TrotHot to TrotHot to Trot is a 1988 comedy film released by Warner Bros. It stars Bobcat Goldthwait as an investment broker, Dabney Coleman as the head of the company Bobcat works for and John Candy as the voice of a horse that helps Bobcat's character make smart decisions in investing. The original music score...
as Allison Rowe - 1989: Third Degree Burn as Anne Scholes
- 1989: Heart of DixieHeart of DixieHeart of Dixie is a 1989 drama film adaptation of the 1976 novel Heartbreak Hotel by Anne Rivers Siddons and directed by Martin Davidson...
as Delia June Curry - 1990: The Hot SpotThe Hot SpotThe Hot Spot is a 1990 American drama film directed by Dennis Hopper and based on the 1952 book Hell Hath No Fury by Charles Williams. It stars Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, and Jennifer Connelly, and features a score by Jack Nitzsche played by John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Taj Mahal and Roy...
as Dolly Harshaw - 1991: Victim of LoveVictim of Love (film)Victim of Love is a 1991 psychological thriller film starring Pierce Brosnan, JoBeth Williams and Virginia Madsen. The film was originally produced for CBS Network but due to its popularity, steamy scenes were expanded and the film was given a PG-13 rating and re-released on DVD as Raw Heat by...
as Carla Simons - 1991: Becoming Colette as Polaire
- 1991: Highlander II: The QuickeningHighlander II: The QuickeningHighlander II: The Quickening is the second installment to the Highlander film series, released on January 31, 1991.-Plot:In August 1994, news broadcasts announce that the ozone layer is fading, and will be completely gone in a matter of months. In Africa, millions have perished from the effects of...
as Louise Marcus - 1991: IroncladsIronclads (film)Ironclads is a 1991 made-for-television movie produced by Ted Turner's TNT company about the events behind the creation of the CSS Virginia from the remains of the USS Merrimack and the battle between the Virginia and the USS Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads, March 8, 1862-March 9, 1862...
as Betty Stuart - 1992: A Murderous Affair: The Carolyn WarmusCarolyn WarmusCarolyn Warmus is serving a 25-year sentence for the murder of her lover's wife. The murder case attracted national attention and led to comparisons with the movie Fatal Attraction.-Early life:...
Story as Carolyn Warmus - 1992: CandymanCandyman (film)Candyman is a 1992 horror film starring Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Xander Berkeley. It was directed by Bernard Rose and is based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, though the film's scenario is switched from England to Chicago. The film was scored by Philip Glass. The film was...
as Helen Lyle - 1994: Caroline at MidnightCaroline at MidnightCaroline at Midnight is a 1994 romantic/thriller film, written by Travis Rink and directed by Scott McGinnis.- Plot :Victoria is a dealer. She is playing a dangerous game. She is playing into the hands of her husband and his partner, who are dirty cops...
as Susan Prince - 1994: Blue TigerBlue Tiger (film)-Plot:Gena is a sweet and dedicated mother to her little son. One day, while shopping with him for a Halloween mask, her son is accidentally shot through the chest by a Japanese Gunman, trying to kill an opposing gang of bus operators. Gena notices that the gunman has a picture of a blue tiger on...
as Gina Hayes - 1995: The ProphecyThe ProphecyThe Prophecy is a 1995 fantasy horror-thriller film starring Elias Koteas, Virginia Madsen, Christopher Walken, Eric Stoltz, and Viggo Mortensen. It was written and directed by Gregory Widen, and is the first motion picture of The Prophecy series including four sequels...
as Katherine - 1996: Just Your LuckJust Your LuckJust Your Luck is a television drama written by Peter McDougall for the BBC's Play For Today. The programm aired on 4 December 1972.After a fight with her boyfriend Duncan , Alison Hawkins embarks on a one night stand with a seaman called Alec Johnson which results in an unexpected pregnancy...
as Kim - 1996: Just Ask My Children as Brenda Kniffen
- 1996: Ghosts of MississippiGhosts of MississippiGhosts of Mississippi is a 1996 American drama film directed by Rob Reiner and starring Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, and James Woods. The plot is based on the true story of the 1994 trial of Byron De La Beckwith, the white supremacist accused of the 1963 assassination of civil rights activist...
as Dixie DeLaughter - 1997: The RainmakerThe Rainmaker (1997 film)The Rainmaker is a 1997 American drama film directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon. Coppola wrote the script, based on the 1995 novel of the same name by John Grisham....
as Jackie Lemancyzk - 1998: Ballad of the Nightingale as N/A
- 1998: Ambushed as Lucy Monroe
- 1999: The FlorentineThe FlorentineThe Florentine is a 1999 film directed Nick Stagliano and produced by Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope. It stars Jeremy Davies, Virginia Madsen, Luke Perry, Mary Stuart Masterson, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, Hal Holbrook, Tom Sizemore, Maeve Quinlan, James Belushi, and Burt Young...
as Molly - 1999: The HauntingThe Haunting (1999 film)The Haunting is a 1999 remake of the 1963 horror film of the same name. Both films are based on the novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, published in 1959. The Haunting was directed by Jan de Bont and stars Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson and Lili Taylor...
as Jane - 2000: Lying in Wait as Vera Miller
- 2000: Children of Fortune as Ingrid Bast
- 2000: After SexAfter Sex (2000 film)After Sex is a 2000 comedy-drama film that stars Dan Cortese, Virginia Madsen and Brooke Shields. It was directed by Cameron Thor. It is rated R for subject matter.-Plot:...
as Traci - 2001: Crossfire TrailCrossfire Trail (film)Crossfire Trail is a Turner Network Television film starring Tom Selleck in the role of Rafael "Rafe" Covington, a wanderer known for his honesty and steadfastness who keeps his word to a dying friend despite great adversity to himself. The tagline of the picture is "A hero is measured by the...
as Anne Rodney - 2001: Full DisclosureFull Disclosure (film)Full Disclosure is a 2001 thriller film starring Fred Ward, Christopher Plummer, Rachel Ticotin and Penelope Ann Miller. It was directed by John Bradshaw.- Background :The film was shot in 1999...
as Brenda Hopkins - 2001: Almost Salinas as Clare
- 2001: Just Ask My Children as Brenda Kniffen
- 2002: Justice League as Dr. Sarah Corwin (4 episodes, 2002-06)
- 2002: American GunAmerican Gun (2002 film)American Gun is a 2002 drama written and directed by Alan Jacobs. It stars James Coburn, Virginia Madsen, Barbara Bain and Alexandra Holden...
as Penny Tillman - 2003: Artworks as Emma Becker
- 2003: Nobody Knows Anything! as Prison Lawyer
- 2003: CSI: MiamiCSI: MiamiCSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation....
as Krista Walker (1 episode) - 2003: Tempted as Emma Burke
- 2004: SidewaysSidewaysSideways is a 2004 comedy-drama film written by Jim Taylor and Alexander Payne and directed by Payne. Adapted from Rex Pickett's 2004 novel of the same name, Sideways follows two forty-something year old men, portrayed by Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church, who take a week-long road trip to...
as Maya - 2004: Brave New Girl as Wanda Lovell
- 2005: Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy? as Cleopatra
- 2006: Smith as Hope Stevens (7 episodes, 2006-07)
- 2006: FirewallFirewall (film)Firewall is a 2006 British-American thriller film directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Joe Forte. Harrison Ford stars as Jack Stanfield, a security expert at a bank faced with a corporate merger and the offer of a new job.-Plot:...
as Beth Stanfield - 2006: A Prairie Home CompanionA Prairie Home Companion (film)A Prairie Home Companion is a 2006 ensemble comedy elegy directed by Robert Altman, and was his final film, released just five months before his death...
as Dangerous Woman - 2007: The Astronaut FarmerThe Astronaut FarmerThe Astronaut Farmer is a 2006 American drama film directed by Michael Polish, who co-wrote the screenplay with his brother Mark. The story focuses on a Texas rancher who constructs a rocket in his barn and, against all odds, launches himself into outer space.-Plot:Charles Farmer is a former...
as Audrey 'Audie' Farmer - 2007: Ripple Effect as Sherry
- 2007: The Number 23The Number 23The Number 23 is a 2007 American psychological thriller film written by Fernley Phillips and directed by Joel Schumacher. The film starred Jim Carrey, Virginia Madsen, Danny Huston, and Logan Lerman. It was subsequently released on DVD on July 24, 2007 , and premiered on HBO on Saturday April 19,...
as Agatha Sparrow / Fabrizia - 2007: CutlassCutlass (short film)Cutlass is a short drama film which was filmed in 2007, written and directed by Kate Hudson.-Plot:Little Lacy , a big music fan, discovers a great but expensive guitar in a music shop. She's very excited by the guitar, and asks her mother, Robin , to buy it...
as Robin - 2007: Being Michael MadsenBeing Michael MadsenBeing Michael Madsen is a 2007 comedy film directed by Michael Mongillo and produced by Daniel A. Sherkow. The film takes a mockumentary approach in re-imagining actor Michael Madsen as a paparazzi-hounded movie star who hatches a revenge scheme against a tabloid journalist...
as N/A - 2008: Diminished CapacityDiminished CapacityDiminished Capacity is a comedy film directed by Terry Kinney and starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen, and Alan Alda. It was released at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and opened in theaters in July 2008...
as Charlotte - 2009: The Haunting in ConnecticutThe Haunting in ConnecticutThe Haunting in Connecticut is a 2009 American psychological horror film produced by Gold Circle Films and directed by Peter Cornwell. It is alleged to have occurred to Karen Parker and her family, though Ray Garton, author of In a Dark Place: The Story of a True Haunting , has publicly distanced...
as Sara Campbell - 2009: Wonder WomanWonder Woman (film)Wonder Woman is a 2009 direct-to-video animated film focusing on the superheroine Wonder Woman. The plot of the film is loosely based on George Pérez' reboot of the character, specifically the "Gods and Mortals" arc that started the character's second volume in 1987. It is the fourth in the line of...
as Queen Hippolyta - 2009: MonkMonk (TV series)Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
as T.K. Jensen (3 episodes) - 2009: AmeliaAmelia (film)Amelia is a 2009 English-language biographical film of the life of Amelia Earhart, starring Hilary Swank as Earhart along with a cast that includes Richard Gere, Christopher Eccleston and Ewan McGregor. It is directed by Mira Nair based on a script initially written by Ronald Bass...
as Dorothy Binney (her scenes were cut) - 2010: Father of Invention as N/A
- 2010: ScoundrelsScoundrels (TV series)Scoundrels is an American television series that aired on the ABC network. It is based on the New Zealand TV series Outrageous Fortune. The one-hour comedy-drama premiered on Sunday, June 20, 2010 at 9 pm...
as Cheryl West - 2011: Red Riding Hood as Suzette