Marcia Cross Biography
Summary
"Marcia Anne Cross" (born March 25, 1962 in Marlborough, Massachusetts) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award-nominated American actress, best known for her lead role as Bree Van De Kamp Hodge on the hit TV show "Desperate Housewives". She graduated from Juilliard and earned a master's degree in psychology at Antioch University in Los Angeles.
Early career
Prior to her role on "Desperate Housewives", Cross starred as Dr. Linda Abbott on WB's critically-acclaimed series, "Everwood". She is also well known for her portrayal of the mentally unbalanced Dr. Kimberly Shaw on "Melrose Place", whom she played from 1992 to 1997. Kimberly was, and remains, a firm fan favorite - providing many of the show's most memorable moments, in her plans to kill many of the characters on the show. One "Melrose" website's poll on most popular characters on the show listed Cross's Kimberly Shaw second only to Heather Locklear's Amanda Woodward but the series' producers were curiously slow in promoting Cross to full-fledged cast member status in the opening credits, an honor she did not receive until her fourth season in the role despite having had as much screen time as any series regular.
On stage, Cross performed in "La Ronde" at the Williamstown Theater Festival, in "Twelfth Night, or What You Will" at the Hartford Stage Company, and in "The Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the Old Globe in San Diego.
Her first television job was on the daytime drama "The Edge of Night". Leaving New York to try her luck in Los Angeles, Cross was soon landing roles in television movies such as "The Last Days of Frank and Jessie James", co-starring with Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. Later, in 1986, she went on to portray Kate Sanders on the ABC daytime drama, "One Life to Live". She played the role until 1987.
In 1991, Cross guest-starred on the 13th season of "Knots Landing" as the mysterious wife of Pierce Lawton (Bruce Greenwood). Ironically, she spent most of her screen-time on the show confronting Paige Matheson, played by "Desperate Housewives" co-star Nicollette Sheridan.
Her most notable soap role on "Melrose Place" began when she was hired for one episode. The producers were so impressed, they kept asking her back for additional appearances, eventually bringing her character back from the dead to continue on the hit show.
Cross also guest-starred on such series as "Seinfeld", where she played Jerry's dermatologist girlfriend (or as Jerry preferred, 'Dr. Sitarides: Pimple Popper M.D.'), and "Cheers", where she portrayed Susan Howe, the younger sister to Kirstie Alley's character, Rebecca Howe. She has also appeared on the comedies "Boy Meets World", "Ally McBeal", "Spin City", "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and "King of Queens". Her dramatic roles include appearances on "CSI", "Profiler", "Everwood" and "Touched by an Angel". Cross's film credits include "Living in Fear", "Always Say Good-bye", "Dancing in September", "Bad Influence", and 'Female Perversions' in 1996, which featured her only on-screen nude scene.
In November 2005, Cross appeared on the cover of the newly launched "Psychologies" magazine in the United Kingdom. In the interview she discusses her passion for psychology and therapy. Cross holds a Masters Degree in Psychology from Antioch University.
Personal life
Cross was the long time companion of Richard Jordan. Jordan died from a brain tumor on 30 August 1993.
In early 2005, the Internet and tabloids swirled with rumors that Cross was gay and in a long-term relationship with another woman, and planning to come out of the closet. Cross actually appeared on the television show "The View" to deny the reports, but stated that she was very supportive of the gay community.
In August 2005, Cross's publicist also told the American celebrity newsmagazine "Us Weekly" that Cross had accepted the proposal of Tom Mahoney (b. 1957), a stock broker whom she had been dating for six months, and that the couple were engaged to be married. The couple got married on June 24, 2006, in front of 200 guests at the Church of Our Savior Episcopal Parish in San Gabriel, California. 'It was a beautiful ceremony,' a representative for Cross told "People". 'They're very happy.'
On September 6 2006, she announced that she was pregnant and due in April 2007 and on September 20 she revealed that she was expecting twins. On January 11, 2007, Cross was placed on precautionary bedrest until their delivery, requiring her to suspend her "Desperate Housewives" acting duties. However, Cross did not want to give up working, even bringing the entire cast and crew to her home to shoot some scenes in her very own bedroom. Cross's bedroom was painted to look like Bree's.
On February 20, 2007, Cross gave birth to fraternal twin daughters, Eden and Savannah at a Los Angeles hospital, shortly before Cross' 45th birthday. In an exclusive "People" interview, she revealed that she underwent in vitro fertilization soon after her wedding. Both children were baptized at the Trinity Episcopal Church.
Filmography
"Brass" (1985), Victoria Willis
"The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James" (1986) (TV), Sarah Hite
"Almost Grown" (1988) (TV), Lesley Foley
"Bad Influence" (1990), Ruth Fielding
"Storm and Sorrow" (1990) (TV), Marty Hoy
"Knots Landing" (1991-1992), Victoria Broyelard
"Ripple" (1995), Ali
"Melrose Place" (1992-1997), Dr. Kimberly Shaw Mancini
"Always Say Goodbye" (1996), Anne Kidwell
"Female Perversions" (1996), Beth Stephens
"All She Ever Wanted" (1996) (TV), Rachel Stockman
"Target Earth" (1998) aka Taken Away, Karen Mackaphe
"Boy Meets World" (1999) (TV), Rhiannon Lawrence, Topanga's mother - 4 episodes
"Dancing in September" (2000), Lydia Gleason
"Living in Fear" (2001), Rebecca Hausman
"Eastwick" (2002) (TV), Jane Spofford
"King of Queens" (2002), Debi - cameo appearance
"The Wind Effect" (2003), Molly
"Desperate Housewives" (2004-present), Bree Hodge
Awards and nominations
"Desperate Housewives"
For Emmy Awards, see the Infobox.
2007 Golden Globe Award (Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical)
2006 Golden Globe Award (Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical)
2005 Golden Globe Award (Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy or Musical)
2006 SAG Award (Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series) (won)
2005 SAG Award (Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series) (won)
2005 Television Critics Association Award (Individual Achievement in Comedy)
2005 Satellite Award (Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy)
2006 Satellite Award (Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy)(Won)
2005 Prism Award (Performance in a Comedy Series)
External links
(Hungarian Marcia Cross Fansite)
(Marcia Cross .name - Fan Page)
(actressmodels.com: Marcia Cross)
(Marcia Cross 2007 Interview) on "Sidewalks Entertainment"
(Marcia Cross's Desperate Housewives profile) at What's on TV
Credit
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article about Marcia Cross.
