Vinessa Shaw facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vinessa Shaw
Shaw at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2023
Born	Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw (1976-07-19) July 19, 1976 (age 48) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress model
Years active	1981–present
Spouse(s)	Kristopher Gifford ​ (m. 2017)​
Children	1
Parent(s)	Susan Damante Larry Shaw

Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw (born July 19, 1976) is an American actress and model. She started acting when she was a child. Her first movie was Home Sweet Home in 1981. She became well-known for her role in Disney's Halloween movie Hocus Pocus (1993). Vinessa also appeared in Ladybugs (1992) and L.A. Without a Map (1998).

While studying at Barnard College, Vinessa was chosen for a role in Stanley Kubrick's movie Eyes Wide Shut (1999). After this, she decided to continue acting as an adult. She has also been in movies like The Weight of Water (2000), the comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002), and the horror film The Hills Have Eyes (2006). Other notable films include the western 3:10 to Yuma (2007) and the romantic drama Two Lovers (2008).

In 2014, Vinessa Shaw was part of the TV show Ray Donovan on Showtime. During this time, she also acted in movies like the thriller Side Effects (2013) and the crime drama Cold in July (2014). Later, she played Dr. Jane Mathis in the horror movie Clinical (2017). In 2021, Vinessa starred in the horror film We Need to Do Something and the sports drama 12 Mighty Orphans.

Life and Career

Early Life and First Roles

Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw was born in Los Angeles, California. Her parents are Larry Shaw and actress Susan Damante. Her father is a psychologist. Vinessa's unique name, spelled with an "i," comes from her grandfather's name, Vincent. She has a diverse family background, including Russian-Jewish, Italian, Irish, and German roots. Her family follows the Nichiren Buddhist faith.

Vinessa first performed in a short film at a UCLA acting camp when she was 10. At 11, she toured with children's folk singer Peter Alsop. She also joined the Elite Models agency in 1989 when she was 13, before starting her acting career.

Vinessa got roles in several TV shows. Her first TV appearance was in the 1991 NBC movie Long Road Home. The next year, she had a supporting role in the family sports comedy Ladybugs. Even though Ladybugs was not a big hit at first, it became popular later on TV. This helped Vinessa gain fans.

Vinessa played a much bigger role in the Disney Halloween movie Hocus Pocus (1993). She starred alongside Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy. In the movie, Vinessa plays a teenager in a Massachusetts town. Her town is taken over by three witches on Halloween night. The movie was not very successful when it first came out. However, it later became a huge favorite for many people.

Becoming a Star

In 1998, Vinessa Shaw played a main character in the comedy-drama L.A. Without a Map. She acted with David Tennant and Julie Delpy. That same year, Vinessa started college at Barnard College in New York City. But she later left college to keep acting.

Vinessa was still in college when Stanley Kubrick asked her to be in his movie Eyes Wide Shut (1999). In an interview, Vinessa said that Kubrick was "very influential" to her. She felt he was the first person to truly encourage her to continue acting. After Eyes Wide Shut, Vinessa appeared in more films. These included Kathryn Bigelow's mystery-drama The Weight of Water (2000).

Next, Vinessa starred with Chris Kattan in the comedy Corky Romano (2001). She played an FBI agent. After that, she was in the romantic comedy 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002). In this movie, she played the energetic ex-girlfriend of a young man (Josh Hartnett). She also had a small role in Woody Allen's Melinda and Melinda (2004).

Later Roles and TV Work

Vinessa Shaw worked on several independent films until 2006. That year, she returned to big movies in The Hills Have Eyes. This was a remake of a horror film by Wes Craven. Vinessa played a young mother on a camping trip. Her family is attacked by dangerous mutants in the New Mexico desert. The director, Alexandre Aja, wanted her for the movie after seeing her in Eyes Wide Shut. Vinessa said she chose the horror film because of the filmmakers. She felt they had a unique approach, making the story very emotional.

Vinessa had a supporting role as a barmaid in the western movie 3:10 to Yuma. She acted alongside Russell Crowe and Christian Bale. Then, she appeared in the independent drama Garden Party. This movie was about a group of teenagers in Los Angeles.

She later had a main role in the romantic drama Two Lovers (2008). She starred with Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow. Two Lovers was first shown at the Cannes Film Festival in 2008. It was released in theaters in February 2009.

In 2013, Vinessa had a supporting role in the thriller Side Effects with Jude Law. She then appeared in Electric Slide (2014). This was followed by the crime thriller Cold in July (2014). This movie was based on a 1989 book. Vinessa also had a role in 10 episodes of the TV show Ray Donovan in 2014.

Vinessa Shaw starred as a psychiatrist in the 2017 horror movie Clinical, which was available on Netflix. She then starred in another Netflix horror film, Family Blood (2018).

In 2021, Vinessa had a supporting role in the sports drama 12 Mighty Orphans. This movie was about American football coach Rusty Russell. The same year, she starred in the horror film We Need to Do Something. This movie was filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2023, Vinessa returned to TV, appearing in seven episodes of the Apple TV+ sports drama Swagger. In 2024, she guest-starred on the series Cruel Intentions. She also appeared as a medical examiner on the series Yellowstone.

Personal Life

Vinessa Shaw became a member of the Soka Gakkai International in 1996. This is a Buddhist organization. She said, "I was lonely and depressed, and I had so many questions about life." As part of her Buddhist practice, Vinessa chants daily. She also helps lead the SGI-USA lay Buddhist Association for Peace, Culture, and Education.

In August 2017, Vinessa announced she was expecting her first child. She is married to Kristopher Gifford. They first dated in 2007, got engaged in 2008, and married in 2017. Vinessa gave birth to their son, Jack, in February 2018.

Filmography

Film

Television

Accolades

Screen Actors Guild Awards

• 2008: Nominated, "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" – 3:10 to Yuma

Young Artist Award

• 1993: Nominated, "Outstanding Young Ensemble Cast in a Motion Picture" – Ladybugs
• 1993: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Recurring in a Television Series" – Great Scott!
• 1993: Nominated, "Best Young Actress Co-starring in a Motion Picture" – Ladybugs
• 1994: Nominated, "Best Youth Actress Leading Role in a Motion Picture Comedy" – Hocus Pocus
• 1995: Nominated, "Best Performance by a Youth Actress in a Drama Series" – McKenna
• 1995: Nominated, "Best Performance By a Youth Actress as a Guest Star" – Murder, She Wrote

See also

In Spanish: Vinessa Shaw para niños