Virginia Madsen

Virginia Madsen

Born Virginia G. Madsen[1]
(1961-09-11) September 11, 1961
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • producer
Years active 1983–present
Spouse(s) Danny Huston (m. 1989; div. 1992)
Partner(s) Antonio Sabàto, Jr. (1993–1998)
Children 1
Parent(s) Elaine Madsen (mother)
Relatives
Website www.virginia-madsen.org

Virginia G. Madsen (born September 11, 1961) is an American actress and producer. She made her film debut in Class (1983), which was filmed in her native Chicago. She soon moved to Los Angeles. In 1984, David Lynch cast her in the science fiction film Dune as Princess Irulan. Madsen was then cast in a series of successful teen movies, including Electric Dreams (1984), Modern Girls (1986), and Fire with Fire (1986).

She is most known for her role as Helen Lyle in the horror film Candyman (1992); and for her performance as Maya in Alexander Payne's film Sideways (2004), for which she received numerous awards and nominations, including nominations for the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other film appearances include Long Gone (1987), Gotham (1988), The Hot Spot (1990), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), The Rainmaker (1997), A Prairie Home Companion (2006), The Haunting in Connecticut (2009), Red Riding Hood (2011), and All the Wilderness (2014).

Early life

Madsen was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Elaine Madsen (née Elaine Loretta Melson), an Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and author, and Calvin Madsen, a fireman.[2] Madsen's parents divorced in the late 60s, and her mother left a career in finance to pursue a career in arts, encouraged by film critic Roger Ebert.[3] Madsen's siblings are Cheryl Madsen, an entrepreneur, and actor Michael Madsen. Her paternal grandparents were Danish, and her mother has English, Irish, Scottish, German, and distant Native American ancestry.[4] Madsen is a graduate of New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois.[5]

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."[6]

Career

Film

Madsen made her film debut when she was 22, acting in a bit part she landed as Lisa in the teen sex comedy Class. She then made an appearance in Kenny Loggins' music video for "I'm Free (Heaven Helps the Man)" from the Footloose soundtrack. She portrayed a 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).[7] In 1986, she starred as Boris' (Vincent Spano) romantic interest Barbara in Creator, which also starred Peter O'Toole.

Madsen at the 81st Academy Awards

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' Fire with Fire. As beauty queen Dixie Lee Boxx, she was the sexy love interest of minor-league baseball manager Cecil "Stud" Cantrell (William Petersen) in the made-for-cable film Long Gone (1987). Also in 1987, she appeared in the music video for "I Found Someone", by Cher. She played a secretary in the 1988 comedy film Hot to Trot, and appeared as Maddie Hayes' cousin in the final season of Moonlighting. She also starred in the 1992 horror film Candyman.

Madsen appeared in a small role in the Francis Ford Coppola drama The Rainmaker (1997) starring Matt Damon. Film critic Roger Ebert said that Madsen had a "strong scene",[8] while reviewer James Berardinelli noted that "the supporting cast is solid, with turns from... Virginia Madsen as a witness for the plaintiff".[9] Madsen had a critically acclaimed performance in Sideways (2004). The role catapulted her onto the Hollywood A-list.[10]

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 released in North America on February 23, 2007. She voiced Queen Hippolyte, mother of Wonder Woman, in the 2009 animated Wonder Woman film.

Television

Madsen has made numerous television appearances including Star Trek: Voyager, CSI: Miami, Dawson's Creek, The Practice, Frasier and other series. She was also co-host of the long-running television series Unsolved Mysteries in 1999, during the show's second (and final) season on CBS. She starred opposite Ray Liotta in the short-lived CBS crime drama series Smith. She also had a recurring role in the final season of the USA series Monk.

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.[11] In 2012, she joined the cast of the AMC TV series Hell on Wheels as Mrs. Durant, first appearing in episode eight of season 2, "The Lord's Day". In 2013, Madsen began appearing on Lifetime's Witches of East End as Penelope Gardiner, the main villainess of the first season.

Producer

In 2008, she formed her own film production company called Title IX Prods.[12] Her first project was a film made with her mother titled I Know a Woman Like That. The film is a documentary about the lives of older women. On the creation of the film, she said her mother's active lifestyle was an inspiration to start filming.

"My mother's level of activity, of productivity, was exactly why I thought a project like this would work. Originally, when we put the idea together, she had said, 'I'm far too busy. I'm going to Holland, and then I'm going here and there and I'm writing my book.' But that's really what it's about."[13]

Her second project is titled Fighting Gravity and is about the inability of female ski jumpers to obtain recognition in Olympic competition.[14]

Personal life

Madsen was formerly married to actor and director Danny Huston after meeting on the set of Mr. North. They were married in 1989 but divorced in 1992.[15] Madsen was formerly in a long term relationship with Antonio Sabàto, Jr., with whom she had one son, Jack Antonio (born August 6, 1994).[16]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Class Lisa
1984 Electric Dreams Madeline Robistat
1984 Dune Princess Irulan
1985 Creator Barbara Spencer
1986 Fire with Fire Lisa Taylor
1986 Modern Girls Kelly
1987 Slam Dance Yolanda Caldwell
1987 Zombie High Andrea Miller
1987 Long Gone Dixie Lee Boxx
1988 Mr. North Sally Boffin
1988 Hot to Trot Allison Rowe
1989 Heart of Dixie Delia June Curry
1990 The Hot Spot Dolly Harshaw
1991 Becoming Colette Polaire Sorel
1991 Highlander II: The Quickening Louise Marcus
1992 Candyman Helen Lyle
1994 Caroline at Midnight Susan Prince
1994 Blue Tiger Gina Hayes
1995 The Prophecy Katherine
1996 Just Your Luck Kim
1996 Ghosts of Mississippi Dixie DeLaughter
1997 The Rainmaker Jackie Lemanczyk
1998 Ballad of the Nightingale Mo Lewis
1998 Ambushed Lucy Monroe
1999 The Florentine Molly
1999 The Haunting Jane Lance
2000 Lying in Wait Vera Miller
2000 After Sex Traci
2001 Full Disclosure Brenda Hopkins
2001 Almost Salinas Clare
2002 American Gun Penny Tillman
2003 Artworks Emma Becker
2003 Nobody Knows Anything! Prison Lawyer
2004 Sideways Maya Randall
2005 Scooby-Doo! in Where's My Mummy? Cleopatra (voice)
2005 Stuart Little 3: Call of the Wild The Beast (voice) Direct-to-video
2006 Firewall Beth Stanfield
2006 A Prairie Home Companion Dangerous Woman
2007 The Astronaut Farmer Audrey Farmer
2007 The Number 23 Agatha Sparrow / Fabrizia
2007 Ripple Effect Sherry Atrash
2007 Cutlass Robin
2007 Being Michael Madsen Virginia Madsen
2008 Diminished Capacity Charlotte
2009 The Haunting in Connecticut Sara Campbell
2009 Wonder Woman Queen Hippolyta (voice)
2009 Amelia Dorothy Binney Deleted scenes
2010 Father of Invention Lorraine King
2011 Red Riding Hood Suzette
2012 The Magic of Belle Isle Charlotte O'Neil
2013 The Last Keepers Abigail Carver
2013 The Hot Flashes Clementine Winks
2013 Crazy Kind of Love Augusta Iris
2014 All the Wilderness Abigail Charm
2015 Walter Karen Benjamin
2015 Dead Rising: Watchtower Maggie
2015 Burning Bodhi Naomi
2015 Joy Terry Mangano
2016 Burn Your Maps Victoria In post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1984 American Playhouse Lou Ellen Purdy Episode: "A Matter of Principle"
1985 Mussolini: The Untold Story Claretta Petacci Miniseries
1987 Long Gone Dixie Lee Boxx Television film
1988 Gotham Rachel Carlyle Television film
1989 Third Degree Burn Anne Scholes Television film
1989 Moonlighting Annie Charnock 3 episodes
1991 Victim of Love Carla Simons Television film
1991 Ironclads Betty Stuart Television film
1991 Love Kills Rebecca Bishop Television film
1992 A Murderous Affair: Carolyn Warmus The Story Carolyn Warmus Television film
1993 Linda Linda Cowley Television film
1997 The Apocalypse Watch Karin De Vries Televsion film
1998 Star Trek: Voyager Kellin Episode: "Unforgettable"
1998 Frasier Cassandra Stone 4 episodes
2000 Children of Fortune Ingrid Bast Television film
2001 Crossfire Trail Anne Rodney Television film
2001 Just Ask My Children Brenda Kniffen Television film
2001 The Practice Marsha Ellison 2 episodes
2002 Justice League Dr. Sarah Corwin 2 episodes
2002–03 American Dreams Rebecca Sandstrom 14 episodes
2003 Tempted Emma Burke Television film
2003 Dawson's Creek Maddy Allen Episode: "All Good Things..."
2003 CSI: Miami Krista Walker Episode: "Death Grip"
2003 Spider-Man Silver Sable (voice) 2 episodes
2003 Boomtown Erika Ashland Episode: "The Big Picture"
2004 Brave New Girl Wanda Lovell Television film
2005 Justice League Unlimited Veronica Sinclair 2 episodes
2006–07 Smith Hope Stevens 5 episodes
2009 Monk T.K. Jensen 3 episodes
2010 Scoundrels Cheryl West 8 episodes
2011 The Event Catherine Lewis 4 episodes
2012 Hornet's Nest Judy Hammer Television film
2012 Hell on Wheels Hannah Durant 4 episodes
2013 Hatfields & McCoys Eloise McCoy Unsold TV pilot
2013 The Anna Nicole Story Virgie Arthur Television film
2013–14 Witches of East End Penelope Gardiner 14 episodes
2015 An American Girl: Grace Stirs Up Success Karen Thomas Television film
2015 Lost Boy Laura Harris Television film
2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Beth Anne Rollins Episode: "Maternal Instincts"
2016 Elementary Paige Cowen Episode: "Up to Heaven and Down to Hell"

Awards and nominations

Year Nominated work Award Result
1992 Candyman Saturn Award for Best Actress Won
2004 Sideways Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast Won
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble Won
Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female Won
Iowa Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
New York Film Critics Online Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Award for Best Cast Won
San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Satellite Award for Best Cast – Motion Picture Won
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Won
Seattle Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Vancouver Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Won
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated
Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated
2006 A Prairie Home Companion Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast Nominated
Gotham Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated

References

  1. From the Nevada Marriage Index, 1956-2005
  2. Bell, Mark (February 23, 2007). "Method Fest to present the 2007 Maverick Award to Michael Madsen". Film Threat. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  3. Kennedy, Lisa (February 21, 2007). "A strong role, an equal partner". The Denver Post. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  4. Bray, Tony (April 2004). "Virginia Madsen". TV Now. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  5. "Virginia Madsen and Suzanne Adams". TeachersCount. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  6. Madsen, Virginia (2007). "Virginia Madsen Biography – Bio – Life History". Virginia Madsen Official Site. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  7. Madsen's opening monologue from Dune ("In this time, the most precious substance in the universe is the spice melange. The spice extends life. The spice expands consciousness.") was later sampled by Israel-based group Astral Projection in their tracks "Dancing Galaxy" and "Ambient Galaxy" on their album Dancing Galaxy, and by drum'n'bass artist Aphrodite in his song "Spice (Even Spicier)".
  8. Ebert, Roger (November 21, 1997). "The Rainmaker". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  9. Berardinelli, James (1997). "The Rainmaker". ReelViews. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  10. Tarshis, Joan (September 2005). "Virginia Madsen’s Vintage Year". Smoke Magazine Online. Retrieved May 31, 2007.
  11. Ausiello, Michael (December 13, 2010). "Virginia Madsen Joins NBC's 'The Event'". Deadline.com. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
  12. Siegel, Tatiana (April 21, 2008). "Virginia Madsen added to 'Amelia'". Variety. Retrieved December 26, 2009.
  13. "Ability Magazine: Virginia Madsen and Elaine Madsen Interview" (2010)". ABILITY Magazine. Retrieved April 3, 2012.
  14. "Title IX Prods". Internet Movie Database.
  15. Fink, Mitchell (July 13, 1992). "People Insider". People. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  16. "Virginia Madsen Says Ex Has 'Taken Parenthood On'". People. June 24, 2006.

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