Star sister Virginia Madsen. Biography and interesting facts from the life of a Hollywood actress

The name of this actress is often associated with the name of her brother. Michael and Virginia Madsen are really relatives. They started their career together, but Virginia never abused the name of her older brother. Moreover, she was no less successful than him. Her filmography includes many interesting works. In total, the actress starred in more than 140 films.

Who is Virginia Madsen?

The future screen star was born in 1961 in Illinois. Not to say that the girl chose the profession partly because of her mother would be unfair. Elaine Madsen, director, poet and playwright, worked for a long time at the PBS television broadcasting service. But later she exchanged her favorite pastime for literary activity. The older generation of the Madsens is Danes, who, in turn, have Indian and Irish roots. Therefore, Virginia and her brother Michael received a fair portion of charisma. Virginia Madsen is three years younger than Michael. They grew up together and almost simultaneously became interested in acting.

In childhood, Virginia discovered heterochromia - a disease in which a person has both eyes of different colors. Michael has no such anomaly.

Madsens occupy screens

The 1983 teen comedy “Class” was Virginia's debut role. In the musical drama “Electric Dreams”, she appeared in the image of a cellist. The first serious work she considers the fantastic action movie “Dune”, in which David Lynch called a promising actress. This was followed by the equally successful melodrama “Wedge by Wedge”. In the 1986 film, Virginia played a student who fell in love with a criminal who had escaped from a colony.

Since that time, the career of the actress is gaining height. A successful girl is invited to a number of successful hits. In parallel, Michael's career is being built, Virginia Madsen is not behind her brother. The filmography of the star of that period includes participation in such films as “Creator”, “Long Way”, “Dance of Death”, “Finding oneself”, “Hot Place”, as well as a detective series about the famous agency “Moonlight”.

Search for yourself: from horror to seductresses

A new round of fame brought the horror film "Candyman." The actress highlights him in a special way. Only 12 years later, she admitted in an interview that, for more persuasiveness, director Bernard Rose insisted on using real hypnosis. This was done for certain scenes where the main character's dilated pupils were required, replaced by a standard heart-rending scream. The audience liked the naturalness of the game, but Virginia Madsen halfway refused this immersion method: she simply did not remember those shooting days. The actress was able to dilute the genre of her paintings by starring in the films “Playing with Fire” and “Burn of the Third Degree”, in which women seductresses played.

Waiting for His Glory

Until the end of the century, Madsen starred in a series of passing films that did not give her the opportunity to demonstrate the full range of her talent. She agrees to episodes in major television series like Fraser, Practice, and Dawson's Creek. In 1997, Francis Ford Coppola collects an entire ensemble of actors, which includes Virginia: he puts on the thriller The Benefactor with Matt Damon, John Voight, Claire Danes and Danny DeVito in the lead roles. Many film critics noted her play is “strong”, despite her small role. Two years later, the actress joins Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson and starred in the horror film “The Ghost of a House on the Hill”.

In 1999, fans of the Madsen family could be doubly happy: two joint films of his brother and sister titled “Nightingale Trill” and “Florentin” were released on the screens at once.

With the beginning of the new century, Madsen is trying to remain a modern actress, successfully combining teenage genres with paintings for a more adult audience. In 2000, she got the main role in the youth comedy “After Sex”. From the crime drama “American Pistol” and “Work of Art”, she goes to the thrillers “Full Exposure” and “Coma”, and then plays in the family film “Brave New Girl”.

The 2004 comedy melodrama “On the Sidelines” offers a fresh look at Virginia. Many biographers note that from that moment, Madsen falls into the category of the first Hollywood stars. She is awarded the Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. Now, a full-fledged American actress takes up interesting projects. Such are her following paintings: “Companions”, “Astronaut Farmer”, “Fiery Wall”, “Fatal Number 23”. They all came out in 2007.

Among other occupations related to the profession, Madsen singles out scoring. She gave voice to several animated characters from the animated films “Scooby-Doo”, “Justice League”, “Wonder Woman”. Among the famous works of the actress are the paintings “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Ghosts in Connecticut”, “James Wildlife”. In 2009, Virginia Madsen became a member of the jury of the Sundance Festival.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Madsen?

The recognition of colleagues and spectators, as well as the right to enter the list of first stars, allowed the actress to do business. She connected it with her favorite pastime. In 2008, Madsen introduced a production company created in her own honor - Virginia Madsen, but later changed its name to Title IX Prods. With the help of her mother in the director’s chair, Virginia released the documentary “I Know a Woman Like It.” The tape tells about the fate of women who have crossed the retirement line.

The actress tries to remain silent about her personal life, although there is something unknown here. After her engagement to Billy Campbell, Virginia married Danny Houston. In 1992, the star couple broke up, and Madsen began an affair with Antonio Sabato Jr. Two years later, Jack Antonio's son was born from him.