Virginia Madsen

American actress

Person

Born: 1961-09-11

via Open Library + Wikidata

Film & TV

Acting · Chicago, Illinois, USA

Virginia Gayle Madsen (born September 11, 1961) is an American actress and film producer. She made her film debut in Class (1983), which was filmed in her native Chicago. After she moved to Los Angeles, director David Lynch cast her as Princess Irulan in the science fiction film Dune (1984). Madsen then starred in a series of successful teen movies, including Electric Dreams (1984), Modern Girls…

Known for

Sheepdog — Dr. Elecia Knox2026
Lola — Mona2024
Holidazed — Connie Manetti-Hanahan2024
The Portrait — Mags2023
One Day as a Lion — Valerie Brisky2023
Give Me an A — Coach Judy2023
Obliterated — Marge McKnight2023
American Badass: A Michael Madsen Retrospective — Self2022
Prey for the Devil — Dr. Peters2022
Candyman — Helen Lyle (voice)2021

Article

Virginia Madsen (born September 11, 1961) is an American actress. She is the recipient of two Critics' Choice Awards, an Independent Spirit Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, as well as nominations for one Academy Award and one Golden Globe Award.

Madsen made her film debut in 1983 with a small part in Class. Her breakout role came the following year when she played Princess Irulan in Dune. After a string of parts in teen films, comedies and thrillers of varying commercial success, Madsen received critical acclaim and a Saturn Award for her starring role as Helen Lyle in Candyman (1992). Subsequent film appearances during the 1990s included The Prophecy (1995), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), The Rainmaker (1997), and The Haunting (1999). For her portrayal of Maya Randall in Sideways (2004), she was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Her other credits include A Prairie Home Companion (2006), The Number 23 (2007), The Haunting in Connecticut (2009), Joy (2015), Her Smell (2018), Prey for the Devil (2022), and Lola (2024).