Veronica Cartwright facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Veronica Cartwright
Cartwright in 2022
Born	(1949-04-20) April 20, 1949 (age 76) Bristol, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1958–present
Spouse(s)	Richard Gates ​ (divorced)​ Stanley Goldstein ​ (divorced)​ Richard Compton ​ (died 2007)​
Relatives	Angela Cartwright (sister)

Veronica Cartwright was born on April 20, 1949, in England. She is a talented actress known for her roles in science fiction and horror films. She has won several awards and has been nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards. Her younger sister, Angela Cartwright, is also an actress.

Veronica started acting when she was a child. She appeared in movies like The Children's Hour and The Birds. The Birds was her first big success. Later, she took on more grown-up roles, including in the 1978 film Invasion of the Body Snatchers. She became very famous for playing Lambert in the science fiction horror movie Alien, which earned her a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also appeared in popular films like The Right Stuff and The Witches of Eastwick. In the 1990s, she received three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for her guest roles in TV shows like ER and The X-Files.

Early Life and Beginnings

Veronica Cartwright was born in Bristol, England. Soon after her younger sister Angela was born, their family moved to the United States. Veronica grew up in Los Angeles, California.

Acting Career Highlights

Veronica's acting journey began in 1958 when she was a child. Her first role was in the movie In Love and War. She also appeared in popular TV shows like Leave It to Beaver and The Twilight Zone.

Early Film and TV Roles

In 1961, Veronica was in The Children's Hour. Two years later, she starred in Alfred Hitchcock's famous movie The Birds. Both movies were very successful. In The Birds, she played Cathy Brenner. She also played Jemima Boone in the TV series Daniel Boone from 1964 to 1966. She even won a regional Emmy Award for a TV movie called Tell Me Not in Mournful Numbers in 1964.

Cartwright (second from left) with the cast of The Birds (1963) in 2006.

Breakthrough with Alien

Veronica became widely known for her role in the 1979 science fiction horror film Alien. She was originally going to play the main character, Ellen Ripley. However, the director, Ridley Scott, decided she would play Lambert instead.

One of the most famous scenes in Alien is the "chestburster" scene. Veronica's shocked reaction in this scene was real! She didn't know that fake blood and a creature would burst out during filming. Her co-star, Tom Skerritt, confirmed that her surprise was genuine. For her amazing performance, she won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Later Film and Television Work

After Alien, Veronica continued to act in many films. These include The Right Stuff (1983), Flight of the Navigator (1986), and The Witches of Eastwick (1987). She was nominated for another Saturn Award for her role in The Witches of Eastwick.

She has also appeared in many TV shows as a guest star. Some of these include Miami Vice, Baywatch, ER, and The X-Files. She received three Emmy Award nominations for her work on ER and The X-Files. In 2014, she returned to her role as Joan Lambert for a video game called Alien: Isolation, which was based on the original Alien film.

Theatre Performances

Veronica has also had a successful career in theatre. She has performed in many plays, including Electra and The Master Builder. She won Drama-Logue Awards for Best Actress for her performances in plays like The Hands of its Enemy.

Personal Life

Veronica Cartwright has been married three times. Her first two marriages, to Richard Gates and Stanley Goldstein, ended in divorce. Her third marriage was to television director Richard Compton. They were married until Richard's death in 2007.

Veronica and her sister Angela are Catholic and have attended church together.

Awards and Recognition

Veronica Cartwright has received several awards and nominations throughout her career:

Images for kids

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  Cartwright (second from left) with the cast of The Birds (1963) in 2006.

See also

In Spanish: Veronica Cartwright para niños