| Marcia Cross | |
|---|---|
 Cross in April 2008 | |
| Born | Marcia Anne Cross March 25, 1962 Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse | Tom Mahoney (2006–present) |
| Partner | Richard Jordan (1985–1993; his death) |
Marcia Anne Cross (born March 25, 1962) is an American television actress best known for her role as Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives as well as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on Melrose Place.
Early life
Cross is of English descent and was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the daughter of Janet, a teacher, and Mark Cross, a personnel manager. Her sister is singer/songwriter, Ellen Cross. Her parents raised her in the Roman Catholic religion.
Career
Cross graduated from the Juilliard School in New York, and earned a master's degree in psychology at Antioch University Los Angeles. She began her television career in 1984 on the soap opera The Edge of Night. She then moved from New York to Los Angeles, and soon landed roles in television movies such as The Last Days of Frank and Jessie James, co-starring with Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. In 1986 she joined the cast of the ABC daytime drama One Life to Live, where she played Kate Sanders, until 1987.
In 1991, Cross guest-starred on the 13th season of Knots Landing as the wife of Pierce Lawton (Bruce Greenwood). She spent a lot of her screen-time on the show confronting Paige Matheson, played by her future Desperate Housewives co-star Nicollette Sheridan.
In 1992, Cross was cast as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the FOX drama series Melrose Place. Initially cast for one episode, she so impressed the producers that they kept bringing her back. By the second season, Cross' character was emerging as the mentally unbalanced antagonist of the show and provided some of the most memorable moments including stealing her neighbor's baby, plotting to kill many of the residents, battling with split personalities and finally dying from a ruptured aneurysm towards the end of the fifth season.
Cross guest-starred on series such as Seinfeld, where she played Jerry's dermatologist girlfriend Dr. Sitarides (whom he mocked as "Pimple Popper M.D."), and Cheers, where she portrayed Susan Howe, the younger sister to Kirstie Alley's character, Rebecca Howe. She 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.
In 2003, prior to her role on Desperate Housewives, Cross spent a season starring as Linda Abbott on WB's critically-acclaimed series, Everwood.
In 2004, Cross landed the role of Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC dramedy series Desperate Housewives.
On stage, Cross has performed in La Ronde at the Williamstown Theatre 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 film credits include Living in Fear, Always Say Good-bye, Dancing in September, Bad Influence, and Female Perversions.
In November 2005, Cross appeared on the cover of the newly launched Psychologies magazine in the United Kingdom where she discussed her passion for psychology and therapy.
Marcia Cross will appear in the film Bringing Up Bobby in 2011.
Personal life
She was the long time companion of actor Richard Jordan. Jordan was twenty-five years older than Cross. Jordan died from a brain tumor in 1993.
Cross and Tom Mahoney (b. 1958), a stock broker whom she had been dating for six months, were married on June 24, 2006, in front of 200 guests at the Church of Our Savior Episcopal Parish in San Gabriel, California.
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. 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 Trinity Episcopal Church.
In September 2008, Cross stated in an interview that she was "in heaven right now" looking after her newborn twins, but also stated that she has a desire to adopt a child in the near future.
In December 2008, it was announced that Cross will become the face of Mott's apple sauce. These commercials began airing in March 2009.
On January 20, 2009, it was announced that Cross's husband had been diagnosed with cancer.
Filmography
Year Film Role Notes
1984 The Edge of Night Liz Correll Soap Opera
1985 Brass Victoria Willis TV movie
1985–1986 One Life to Live Kate Sanders Soap Opera
1986 Pros & Cons Lynn Erskine TV movie
1986 Tales From The Darkside Marie Alcott 1 episode
1986 The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James Sarah Hite TV movie
1986 Another World Tanya Soap Opera
1988 Almost Grown Lesley Foley 1 episode
1989 Cheers Susan Howe 1 episode
1989 Just Temporary Amy TV movie
1990 Bad Influence Ruth Fielding Supporting role
1990 Storm and Sorrow Marty Hoy TV movie
1990 Quantum Leap Stephanie Heywood 1 episode
1991–1992 Knots Landing Victoria Broyelard 21 episodes
1992 Murder, She Wrote Marci Bowman 1 episode
1992–1997 Melrose Place Kimberly Shaw 114 episodes
1996 Ripple Ali Short film
1996 Always Say Goodbye Anne Kidwell
1996 Female Perversions Beth Stephens Supporting role
1996 All She Ever Wanted Rachel Stockman TV movie
1997 Seinfeld Dr. Sara Sitarides 1 episode
1998 Target Earth Karen Mackaphe TV movie
1999 Boy Meets World Rhiannon Lawrence 4 episodes
2000 Dancing in September Lydia Gleason TV movie, Supporting role
2000 Profiler Pamela Martin 1 episode
2001 Living in Fear Rebecca Hausman
2001 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Julia Fairmont 1 episode
2002 Eastwick Jane Spofford TV pilot
2002 King of Queens Debi cameo appearance
2003–2004 Everwood Dr. Linda Abbott 18 episodes
2003 The Wind Effect Molly Short film
2004–present Desperate Housewives Bree Van de Kamp 159 episodes
2005 Primetime Emmy Award (Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series)
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)
2009 SAG Award (Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy series)
2008 SAG Award (Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy series)
2007 SAG Award (Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy series)
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
2007 Prism Award (Performance in a Comedy Series)
2005 Prism Award (Performance in a Comedy Series)
2009 Just Peck Cheryl Peck Supporting role
2011 Bringing Up Bobby Mary Post-production
[edit]Additional achievements
2007 - Placed 100 on TV Guide & Entertainment Weekly's "100 Greatest TV Icons" list.
2006 - Placed 91 on People Magazine's "100 Most Beautiful People In The World" list.
2005 - Placed 20 on the E Channel's "50 Most Wicked Women of Primetime" list for her character on Melrose Place, Dr. Kimberly Shaw
2005 - Placed 28 on VH1's "Hottest 40 People Over 40" list.
2005 - Named Most Beautiful Person at 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards.
(source:wikipedia)
