Marcia Cross

Marcia Cross

Cross in April 2008
Born Marcia Anne Cross
March 25, 1962 (1962-03-25) (age 48)
, 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 actress best known for her role as Bree Van de Kamp on Desperate Housewives as well as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on Melrose Place.

Contents

Early life

Cross was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the daughter of Janet, a teacher, and Mark Cross, a personnel manager.[1] Her sister is singer/songwriter, Ellen Cross. Her parents raised her in the Roman Catholic[2] 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 had so the producers impressed that they kept bringing her back for more episodes. Although starring in every episode from the end series 2 onwards until her departure from the show, she wasn't billed in the opening credits until series 4. Cross' character started off as a love interest for the character of Dr. Michael Mancini, but gradually became more and more mentally unbalanced, providing some of the show's most memorable moments, which included blowing up the apartment building, trying to kill Michael, and stealing her neighbor Jo's baby. She left the show in 1997, after five seasons, with her character dying.

After leaving Melrose Place, 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.

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.[3]

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.[4]

On September 6, 2006, she announced that she was pregnant and due in April 2007[5] 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.[6] In an exclusive People interview, she revealed that she underwent in vitro fertilization soon after her wedding.[7] Both children were baptized at Trinity Episcopal Church.[8]

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.[9]

In December 2008, it was announced that Cross will become the face of Mott's apple sauce.[10] These commercials began airing in March 2009.

On January 20, 2009, it was announced that Cross's husband had been diagnosed with cancer.[11]

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Desperate Housewives

Additional achievements

References

  1. ↑ http://www.filmreference.com/film/30/Marcia-Cross.html
  2. ↑ Keck, William (April 14, 2005). "A soapy coming-out party". USA Today. http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2005-04-14-housewives-van-de-kamps_x.htm. Retrieved May 11, 2010. :(Commentary; ""If you take it from Bree's point of view, you can understand why she would fight to save him," explains Cross, who was raised Catholic and does not share Bree's views.")
  3. ↑ Notice of death of Richard Jordan
  4. ↑ Wihlborg, Ulrica."Marcia Cross Gets Married." People. June 24, 2006.
  5. ↑ "Wife & Mother", Daily Record, September 8, 2006.
  6. ↑ Gee, Alison. "Marcia Cross Welcomes Twin Girls" People. February 21, 2007.
  7. ↑ "Marcia Cross Talks About Motherhood"
  8. ↑ Us Exclusive: Desperate Housewives' Marcia Cross Gets Married
  9. ↑ Marcia: I Want To Adpot, MSN TV News, 22/09/2008
  10. ↑ http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/76100/Cross-twins-land-mum-a-saucy-role
  11. ↑ Marcia Cross's husband, Tom Mahoney, diagnosed with cancer

External links