Virginia Madsen

Photo of Virginia Madsen

Biography

Though she spent the first two decades of her career languishing in small, thankless parts or leading roles in erotic thrillers, actor Virginia Madsen finally had the role of a lifetime with her subtle, touching portrayal of a waitress and wine connoisseur in Alexander Payne's critically acclaimed "Sideways" (2004). Nominated for her first Academy Award, Madsen earned a large degree of respectability that had previously been lacking despite a …
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Job Title

Actor, Producer, Music, Consultants & Advisors

Born

September 11, 1961

Career Milestones

Studied dancing and acting throughout her childhood

Took time off acting to concentrate on raising her son

1983

First feature film, "Class"

1984

First lead role in a feature, "Electric Dreams"

1984

TV-movie debut, "A Matter of Principle" for PBS series "American Playhouse"

1985

First TV miniseries, "Mussolini: The Untold Story" (NBC)

1989

Played Maddie's (Cybill Shepherd) sister on two episodes of ABC's "Moonlighting"

1990

Offered a fine turn as a femme fatale in "The Hot Spot"

1992

Starred in the horror thriller "Candyman"

1998

Joined Robert Stack as co-host of "Unsolved Mysteries" (CBS)

1998

Turned in an effective supporting turn in "John Grisham's 'The Rainmaker'"

2001

Starred in the fact-based Lifetime TV-movie "Just Ask My Children"

2002

Cast for one season as Rebecca Sandstrom on the NBC drama "American Dreams"

2004

Co-starred with Paul Giamatti, Thomas Haden Church and Sandra Oh in Alexander Payne's "Sideways"; received Golden Globe, SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress

2006

Cast as Ray Liotta's unsuspecting wife on the short-lived CBS series "Smith"

2006

Cast in Robert Altman's ensemble feature "A Prairie Home Companion," based on Garrison Keilor's radio program

2006

Played Harrison Ford's wife in the thriller "Firewall"

2007

Co-starred in the films "The Number 23" with Jim Carrey and "The Astronaut Farmer" with Billy Bob Thornton

2007

Executive producing debut, "Ripple Effect"; also acted opposite Forest Whitaker

2008

Featured opposite Matthew Broderick in "Diminished Capacity"

2009

Starred in the horror drama "The Haunting in Connecticut"

2010

Co-starred with David James Elliott on ABC's "Scoundrels," about a crime family who tries to go straight when the patriarch goes to prison

2011

Appeared in Catherine Hardwicke's horror fantasy "Red Riding Hood"

2011

Cast as a Senator on NBC mystery drama "The Event"

Awards

2004

Academy Award for Actress In a Supporting Role in Sideways

2004

Critics' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in Sideways

2004

Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in Sideways

2004

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress in Sideways

2004

National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in Sideways

2004

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress in Sideways

2004

San Francisco Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress   in Sideways

2004

Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Performance, Female in Sideways

2005

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female in Sideways

2005

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture in Sideways

2005

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Sideways