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Sideways Maya
Background:
"When you say no a lot as an actor, you're going to go broke, and that's been
the hardest thing to go through in the last 10 years. Being a single mother and
having financial problems is a nightmare." Virginia Madsen.
Of Italian, Irish and Native American descent, actress Virginia Madsen was
recently nominated for both an Oscar and Golden Globe award for Best Supporting
Actress after portraying divorcee Maya in Alexander Payne's Sideways (2004).
Madsen is also credited to such films as Highlander II: The Quickening (1991),
Electric Dreams (1984) and Creator (1985).
Madsen's personal life has been linked to actor Antonio Sabato Jr. (born on
February 29, 1972) and she has one child with him. Madsen was once engaged to
actor Billy Campbell, with whom she pursued an acting career in Hollywood and
lived with in the Pacific Palisades. From 1989 to 1992 Madsen was married to
actor Danny Huston.
Good-Skinned Gina
Childhood and Family:
"I have good genes. My father is Danish and my mother is Irish and Native
American. They both have good skin." Virginia Madsen.
Granddaughter of Danish grandparents (Soren and Anna Marie Madsen) Virginia
Madsen, nicknamed Gina, was born on September 11, 1963 to firefighter father Cal
Madsen and Emmy-winning writer/producer Elaine Madsen. Virginia has one older
brother, actor Michael Madsen (best friend of director Quentin Tarantino), who
was born on September 25, 1958.
Chicago, Illinois born Virginia spent her childhood studying both dancing and
acting. After graduating from the New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois
(with best friend actress Rusty Schwimmer), Virginia continued to study acting
at Ted Liss Acting Studio, Chicago and signed up for the Harand Camp Adult
Theater Seminar in Elkhart Lake, WI.
In 1989, Virginia tied the knot with actor Danny Huston (born on May 14, 1962),
but they later divorced in 1992. In 1994, Virginia gave birth to son Jack. She
shares her son with Jack's father, actor Antonio Sabato Jr.
The Best Wine
Career:
Joining brother Michael Madsen (Sin City, Kill Bill) Virginia sharpened acting
skills in local theater productions. She decided to fly to L.A. with then-fiancé
Billy Campbell to pursue her acting career in 1983. 19-year-old Gina debuted on
the big screen playing a character in Lewis John Carlino's teen-comedy Class
(1984, starring Jacqueline Bisset and Rob Lowe).
1984 was a good starting year for Gina. Following her cast in Class, she won her
first leading part of Madeline Robistat in Steve Barron's sci-fi romantic comedy
Electric Dreams and appeared in David Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's
fantasy novel, Dune (as Princess Irulan). She also was seen on television
playing a role in Gwen Arner's family drama, A Matter of Principle (1984), and
in the mini series Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985).
During the next years, Gina appeared as a guest in several shows like The
Hitchhiker (1987) and Moonlighting (1989). Meanwhile, she kept working on the
silver screen and was seen in Fire with Fire (1986), Slam Dance (1987), Mr.
North (1988), and Hot to Trot (1988).
After portraying femme fatale Dolly Harshaw in Dennis Hopper's adaptation on
Charles Williams' romance-drama book, The Hot Spot (1990, opposite Don Johnson),
Bernard Rose handed her the lead role of curious student Helen Lyle in his
horror film Candyman (1992). During the next years, Gina took some time off to
be with her son and appeared primarily on TV, video, and in several minor films.
In 1997, Francis Ford Coppola cast her in the supporting role of Jackie
Lemanczyk in his adaptation of John Grisham's thriller novel, The Rainmaker,
starring Matt Damon and Danny DeVito. In the rest of the 1990s, Gina spent more
time on TV, co-hosting the CBS' show Unsolved Mysteries with Robert Stack, and
guest starring the NBC's series Frasier.
The 2000s saw her in such movies as Lying In Wait (2000), After Sex (2000),
Almost Salinas (2001), American Gun (2002), and Artworks (2003), as well as
Nobody Knows Anything! (2003). She also starred as Rebecca Sandstrom in the TV
series American Dreams from 2002 to 2003.
Gina recently caught public attention when she was nominated for both an Academy
Award and Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress after portraying a divorcee
who owns a perfect taste of wine, Maya, in Alexander Payne's adaptation of Rex
Pickett's drama comedy Sideways (2004). Additionally, Gina will team with legend
Harrison Ford in Richard Loncraine's thriller, The Wrong Element, in 2005.
Awards:
