TV

Virginia Madsen


Mostly Credited As: Virginia Madsen
Birth Name: Virginia G. Madsen
Date Of Birth: September 11, 1961 (Age 54)
Country Of Birth: USA
Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois
Height: 5' 5" (1.65 m)



With her mother, Elaine, an award winning writer and producer, Virginia was birthed into a family familiar with the ups and downs of acting.

It wasn't until she was a teenager that the acting bug bit big time, and she began developing her acting skills at New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.

She enlisted the help of Chicago's Ted Liss Acting Studio and continued her studies at the Harand Camp Adult Theater Seminar in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. While still a teen, she and her boyfriend made a decision to move to Hollywood, where at 19, she made her onscreen debut in the film Class, which was also where she had her first of numerous nude scenes.

Though the movie did not do well, Virginia did get noticed and better roles began slowly finding her, including a choice supporting role in the David Lynch film Dune in 1984. Mirroring her unstable personal life, her career continued on a rocky road of highs and disappointments.

Still, her work was steady and her performances almost always stole the attention of the films she was in. Roles in Long Gone, Heart of Dixie, The Prophecy, Highlander II, Becoming Colette, The Hot Spot, Candyman, Dune 2, The Rainmaker, The Haunting, Children of Fortune, After Sex, and Tempted, kept her in front of the public eye and she became a favorite supporting actress, one whom audiences enjoyed seeing. But stardom eluded Virginia and she took some time off to be a mom and try to plan her career.

After various parts in different television shows, her career suddenly perked up after the Louis L'Amour novel-made-cable-tv-movie Crossfire Trail, co-starring Tom Selleck. Overnight, people were once again talking about Virginia Madsen.

Then director Alexander Payne saw her photo among possible female leads for his film Sideways and after an audition, Payne and producer Michael London promptly signed her.

Virginia received rave critical and audience reviews and received the Oscar nomination for best supporting actress for Sideways. She's now on the A list in Hollywood after completing major films like Firewall, Robert Altman's A Prairie Home Companion, The Astronaut Farmer, Ripple Effect, and the upcoming features The Number 23, Being Michael Madsen, and In the Shadow of Wings. And she feels her career is now back on path.


TV Appearances

Main cast 
American Gothic (2016) (2016)As: Madeline
Lost Boy (2015)As: Laura Harris
Babylon Fields (2014)As: Rhonda Wunch
Hatfields & McCoys (2013) (2013)As: Eloise McCoy
Jan (2012)As: Mel
Scoundrels (2010)As: Cheryl West
Smith (2006)As: Hope Stevens
I Love the '90s: Part Deux (2004)As: Herself
American Dreams (2002)As: Rebecca Sandstrom (S01; episodes 1-14)
Unsolved Mysteries (1988)As: Herself (Co-host 1999)
Episode Cast Credits 

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) 
  Maternal Instincts 17x06: (Oct/21/2015) As Beth Anne Rollins, [Special Guest Stars]

The Queen Latifah Show (2013) 
  Virginia Madsen and 'Gang Related's' Jay Hernandez. Plus, Mexican Recipes 01x166: (Jun/30/2014) As Herself 

Witches of East End (2013) 
  Oh, What a World! 01x10: (Dec/15/2013) As Penelope Gardiner 
  A Parching Imbued 01x09: (Dec/01/2013) As Penelope Gardiner 
  Snake Eyes 01x08: (Nov/24/2013) As Penelope Gardiner 
  Unburied 01x07: (Nov/17/2013) As Penelope Gardiner 

The Talk (2010) 
  Virginia Madsen, Richard Blais, guest co-host Marie Osmond 03x190: (Jun/28/2013) As Herself, [Interviewees]

Hell on Wheels (2011) 
  Blood Moon Rising 02x10: (Oct/07/2012) As Hannah Durant 
  Blood Moon 02x09: (Oct/07/2012) As Hannah Durant 
  The Lord's Day 02x08: (Sep/30/2012) As Hannah Durant 
  Viva La Mexico 02x01: (Aug/12/2012) As Hannah Durant 

The Event (2010) 
  Cut Off the Head 01x17: (Apr/18/2011) As Senator Catherine Lewis 
  You Bury Other Things Too 01x16: (Apr/04/2011) As Senator Catherine Lewis 
  Inostranka (2) 01x12: (Mar/07/2011) As Senator Catherine Lewis 
  And Then There Were More (1) 01x11: (Mar/07/2011) As Senator Catherine Lewis 

The Joy Behar Show (2009) 
  Virginia Madsen 01x185: (Jun/25/2010) As Herself, [Interviewees]
  Melissa Etheridge 01x183: (Jun/23/2010) As Herself (Commenting on Helen Mirren's Nude Photos) 

Monk (2002) 
  Mr. Monk and the End - Part II 08x16: (Dec/04/2009) As T.K. Jensen, [Special Guest Stars]
  Mr. Monk Is the Best Man 08x13: (Nov/13/2009) As T.K. Jensen, [Special Guest Stars]
  Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk 08x09: (Oct/16/2009) As T.K. Jensen, [Special Guest Stars]

The Bonnie Hunt Show (2008) (2008) 
  Virginia Madsen, Dr. Drew Pinsky, 8-year-old entrepreneur Tanner Leuellen 01x132: (Mar/31/2009) As Herself 

The View (1997) 
  Angela Lansbury, Virginia Madsen, Cheryl Hines 12x144: (Mar/26/2009) As Herself 
  Season 8, Episode 99 08x99: (Jan/21/2005) As Herself 

The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005) 
  Virginia Madsen, Jason Ritter, Chicago 05x52: (Mar/24/2009) As Herself 
  Virginia Madsen, David Steinberg, Unwritten Law 03x31: (Feb/19/2007) As Herself, [Interviewees]
  Virginia Madsen, Jason Ritter, Matt Baetz 02x145: (Sep/13/2006) As Herself 

The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet (2007) 
  Animals; Virginia Madsen 01x25: (Feb/23/2007) As Herself 

The Megan Mullally Show (2006) 
  Virginia Madsen, Noah Gray-Cabey, Around The Office 01x16: (Oct/09/2006) As Herself 

Justice League Unlimited (2001) 
  Grudge Match 05x09: (Mar/11/2006) Voiced  Roulette 
  The Cat and the Canary 04x01: (Feb/05/2005) Voiced  Roulette 
  The Brave and the Bold (2) 01x13: (Mar/17/2002) Voiced  Dr. Sarah Corwin 
  The Brave and the Bold (1) 01x12: (Mar/10/2002) Voiced  Dr. Corwin (Sarah Corwin, uncredited as Brunette Girl) 

Teen Titans (2003) 
  The Prophecy 04x07: (Jun/04/2005) Voiced  Arella 

The Academy Awards (1953) 
  The 77th Annual Academy Awards 53x01: (Feb/27/2005) As Nominee: Best Supporting Actress, [Co-Guest Stars]

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) 
  Dustin Hoffman, Virginia Madsen, Bebe Winans 13x61: (Dec/21/2004) As Herself 

Boomtown (2002) 
  The Big Picture 02x06: (Dec/28/2003) As Erika Ashland 

CSI: Miami (2002) 
  Death Grip 02x04: (Oct/13/2003) As Krista Walker 

Spider-Man (2003) (2003) 
  Mind Games (1) 01x12: (Sep/05/2003) Voiced  Silver Sable 

Dawson's Creek (1998) 
  ...Must Come to an End (2) 06x24: (May/14/2003) As Maddie Allen, [Special Guest Stars]
  All Good Things... (1) 06x23: (May/14/2003) As Maddie Allen, [Special Guest Stars]

The Practice (1997) 
  Killing Time 06x03: (Sep/30/2001) As Marsha Ellison 
  The Candidate (2) 06x02: (Sep/23/2001) As Marsha Ellison 
  The Candidate (1) 06x01: (Sep/23/2001) As Marsha Ellison 

The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn (1999) 
  9/24/2001 03x81: (Sep/24/2001) As Herself 

Frasier (1993) 
  Shutout in Seattle (2) 06x24: (May/20/1999) As Cassandra Stone 
  Shutout in Seattle (1) 06x23: (May/20/1999) As Cassandra Stone 
  When a Man Loves Two Women 06x21: (May/06/1999) As Cassandra Stone 
  Three Valentines 06x14: (Feb/11/1999) As Cassandra Stone 

Star Trek: Voyager (1995) 
  Unforgettable 04x22: (Apr/22/1998) As Kellin 

Moonlighting (1985) 
  Lunar Eclipse 05x13: (May/14/1989) As Lorraine Anne "Annie" Charnock 
  Eine Kleine Nacht Murder (2) 05x12: (Apr/30/1989) As Lorraine Anne "Annie" Charnock 
  When Girls Collide (1) 05x10: (Apr/16/1989) As Lorraine Anne "Annie" Charnock 

The Hitchhiker (1983) 
  Perfect Order 03x01: (Feb/17/1987) As Christina 
Trivia

Virginia is a natural blonde.

Virginia's family heritage is part Danish from her father, and part Irish and Native American through her mother.

Virginia's father, Cal, was a firefighter.

Virginia's nickname is Gina.

Virginia is 5' 6½" tall.

She was voted one of the most beautiful actresses of Hollywood in 1986.

From 1989 to 1992, Virginia was married to Danny Huston, son of legendary film director John Huston.

Virginia Madsen Quotes

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