•• Young Playwrights Festival Week One is starting tomorrow!! Join host Virginia Madsen as we kick off our 21st year! Get your tickets at www.youngplaywrights.com.

•• In addition to the nearly 200 feature films, shorts and music videos we’ll be screening, it wouldn’t be the LA Film Fest without our signature programs such as our annual Coffee Talks for Directors, Actors, Composers and Screenwriters. This year’s panelists feature Iron Man 3 director Shane Black and screenwriter Drew Pearce, actors Virginia Madsen, Joe Manganiello  and Josh Henderson and composer Atticus Ross.

The Festival will also feature a host of other panels and events, including KCRW’s The Treatment at the Los Angeles Film Festival with Host/Film Independent at LACMA Curator Elvis Mitchell and filmmaker Justin Lin, a celebration of the Project Involve 20th anniversary which will include the world premiere of Life of a King, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., a series of Diversity Speaks Panels an array of topics to further promote inclusivity in the industry and more. For the most up-to-date schedule of films and programming.

Coffee Talks for festival-goers interested in the creative process behind filmmaking, the LA Film Fest’s annual “Coffee Talks” are a must-attend. The four sessions held over the course of Sunday, June 16 feature Directors, Actors, Composers and Screenwriters engaging in uncensored and unexpected conversations about their craft.

*Actors: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm, Sponsored by SAGindie
Panelists include: Josh Henderson (Desperate Housewives), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Hell on Wheels) and Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike), other panelists TBA.

The 2013 LA Film Fest runs from Thursday, June 13 to Sunday, June 23. For the complete lineup and more information on ticketing, check out LAFilmFest.com.

•• Lifetime is releasing The Anna Nicole Story as its next original movie, directed by feminist filmmaker Mary Harron, and starring Agnus Bruckner as Anna Nicole Smith, Adam Goldberg as Howard K. Stern, Virginia Madsen as Virgie Arthur and Martin Landau as J. Howard Marshall. Lifetime will premiere Anna Nicole on Saturday, June 29 at 8 pm. The flick will likely find its way onto home video before the end of the year.

- Official Plot Synopsis: “Anna Nicole” follows the swift rise and fall of Vickie Lynn Hogan, a Texas high school dropout and single mother with dreams of a better life. Realizing the power of her beauty, Vickie accepts a job as a dancer at topless bar, where she changes her name to Anna Nicole Smith and first makes her mark. With a new persona and a shocking marriage to octogenarian millionaire J. Howard Marshall, Anna’s career blasts off when Playboy features her in a pictorial spread that evokes comparisons to Marilyn Monroe. But after her husband’s death, Anna’s financial support ends and her hard-partying ways, excessive drinking, drastic weight fluctuation and endless pill-popping take their toll, inevitably setting the stage for the fading starlet’s tragic descent.

•• After earning an Oscar nomination as a producer on the gritty breakout film “Precious” Sarah Siegel-Magness has decided to take on something a bit lighter. Actually, a lot lighter. And even more, she’s stepped things up by making her directorial debut on a film penned by Karen McCullah Lutz (“Legally Blonde”), “The House Bunny”) and based on the book “Angel Angel” by April Stevens.

“Crazy Kind Of Love” brings together Virginia Madsen, “Friday Night Lights” thesp Zach Gilford and “True Blood” star Sam Trammell in a tale that follows a mother, in the midst of re-evaluating her life, who leans on her stoner son and his brother for support. But a romance between the younger son and the girl next door could be the key the mother needs to move on. And in this exclusive clip, we see that Madsen’s character is clearly out of her element and adjusting to the changes in her life.

“Crazy Kind Of Love” opens in limited release on May 31st and will be available On Demand as well. Watch exclusive clip from Rom-Com below.

•• Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen will play Anna Nicole’s mother Virgie. The Lifetime movie will feature Anna Nicole’s early life as a small-town Texas high school dropout and single mother, who had yet to change her name from Vicky Lynn Hogan to Anna Nicole Smith.

Private Practice alum Agnes Bruckner will tackle the lead role in the flick, which chronicles the late Playboy model’s tragic life. Also starring in the movie are Cary Elwes, Martin Landau, Virginia Madsen, and Adam Goldberg.

In order to bring the project to life, Sony Pictures Television tapped American Psycho director Mary Harron to spearhead the project. The talented filmmaker worked from a script penned by John Rice and Joe Batteer.

Anna Nicole will trace the model’s career from her early days as a topless dancer to her tragic death in February of 2007. Smith’s marriage to J. Howard Marshall, her photo shoot for Playboy, and her reality television show are reportedly covered in the biopic.

With this much talent in front and behind the camera, Anna Nicole should at least be an entertaining watch. Lifetime’s movies are usually hit and miss, but this one seems to have more promise than most. However, this isn’t the first time someone has made a movie centered around Smith’s life. Director Keoni Waxman and the folks at Nasser Entertainment Group released The Anna Nicole Smith story back in 2009. Singer and actress Willa Ford tackled the lead role in the movie.

Lifetime will premiere Anna Nicole on Saturday, June 29 at 8 pm. The flick will likely find its way onto home video before the end of the year.

•• Virginia Madsen has attended yesterday’s the one year anniversary celebration for the WIGS digital channel at Akasha Restaurant in Culver City. Pictures from the event have been added to the photo gallery.

•• Virginia Madsen talks about her character Mel on WIGS series Jan and teases another WIGS story Mel will be appearing on. She also shares why she thinks it’s important to have programming for women and comments on the online video era of experimentation we’re living in.

Based on April Stevens’ 1994 debut novel, “Angel, Angel” follow a broken family who must cope when Gordie Iris, (played by Anthony LaPaglia) leaves his wife, Augusta (played by Virginia Madsen), for another woman. Their disparate sons, Matthew (played by Zach Gilford) and Henry (played by Graham Rogers), have no idea what to do when their mother refuses to come out of her bedroom for days on end which turns into weeks. When carefree Bette (played by Amanda Crew) enters their lives, her outlook on the world revolutionizes the way each has been viewing this situation. Sam Trammell plays Jeff, an easy-going landscaper, who hires Henry as a day laborer and befriends his distraught mother.

•• This year’s event is being held April 12th through the 14th at the Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in Burbank, California. Monsterpalooza is a three-day convention featuring some of the most notable names in monsters, makeup and special effects. It’s about monsters, the people who make them, and the fans who make them popular. The event has something for everyone and includes film fests; a cool museum with original monsters; animatronics; original screen-used props, costumes, and art; discussion panels; makeup classes and more. This year’s show will also feature a FREE Monsterpalooza Charity Auction on Saturday night with rare, cool, one-of-a-kind horror and sci-fi items – all benefiting charity!

This year’s continually growing guest lineup is impressive with such luminaries as Bin Furuya, Susumu Kurobe, Hiroko Sakurai, Linda Blair, Martin Landau, Danny Glover, Barbara Steele, Caroll Spinney, Eric Roberts, Virginia Madsen, Tom Savini, Tony Todd, Kyra Schon, Denise Crosby and many others. Another interesting spin on guests this year are rock stars Ace Frehley (former guitarist for KISS) and Lita Ford of The Runaways in their Rockin’ Row Parlor Rooms.

Pictures of Virginia Madsen attending the horror convention have been added to the photo gallery. Enjoy!

•• Virginia Madsen is seen in a puffy jacket on the set of her new NBC pilot ‘Hatfields & McCoys’ in Boston, Massachusetts on March 25th. Charlize Theron produces the pilot, about the re-ignition of a legendary family feud in modern day Pittsburgh.

•• Virginia Madsen takes a break on the set of NBC’s made-for-tv movie ‘Hatfields & McCoys’ in Boston, Massachusetts on March 27th. The television movie is a modern spin on the historical feuding families that occurred in the late 1800′s.

-Benefiting: Little Kids Rock Inc
-Organizer: Moksha Yoga LA
-Event: Sweat For Change: 30-Day Challenge for Little Kids Rock!

-Challenge yourself, change the world
Sign up for the 30-day challenge and commit to doing something amazing for yourself each day.  Moksha yoga, a hike, spin, something just for you.  And then take that and add raising $10 a day for 30 days. Together, let’s raise more than $100,000 for Little Kids Rock, a non-profit that transforms children’s lives by restoring music education in local public schools.

-Virginia’s message:
“Music in school is just as important as any other subject. The loss of the creative arts in schools is a terrible injustice. Our children deserve our love, support, interest and respect as they navigate their way through their young lives. They MATTER. They deserve more than they are recieving right now. We can help. I’ve commited to help with 30 days of sweat! Be a part of my challendge and pledge $10 bucks. Not a bad deal right? This is an easy one. Do it. Come on… you know you want to.”

•• Sideways star Virginia Madsen and Rebecca De Mornay are to battle it out as feuding family matriarchs in an updated version of Kevin Costner’s TV hit “Hatfields & McCoys”.

Kevin Costner faced off with Bill Paxton in last year’s award winning period drama, which chronicled the bitter blood feud between two post-American Civil War families – and now the saga has been brought up to date for a new TV series. Set in present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the two families will battle for power of the city in the new drama.

Rebecca De Mornay will play the head of the well-to-do Hatfields, while Virginia Madsen is down to play her rival Eloise McCoy. Nick Westrate and Sophia Bush will play younger members of the families. Charlize Theron is among the producers of the drama.

•• Sideways alum Virginia Madsen has been tapped to co-star in NBC’s Hatfields & McCoys drama pilot. Set in present-day Pittsburgh, a startling death reignites the feud between these two legendary families. Unleashing decades of resentment, the blue-collar McCoys will put the Hatfields’ wealth and power at risk as they go to war for control of the city.

Virginia Madsen will play Eloise McCoy, a woman from a tough background flanked with insurmountable obstacles. She’s self-made and has raised her children to put family first. Despite her calm demeanor, she’s extremely vengeful and calculated, and will do anything for her family. After her husband is murdered, she manipulates Patrick McCoy into staying to take revenge on the Hatfields.

Eagle Eye’s John Glenn will pen the script and executive produce alongside Charlize Theron, A.J. Dix, Dawn Olstead and Beau Flynn. Smash’s Michael Mayer will direct the ABC Studios drama.

Virginia Madsen’s credits include arcs on Hell on Wheels, The Event and Monk. On the big screen, she earned a supporting actress Oscar nomination for her role in Sideways. Repped by UTA and Untitled, her credits also include The Number 23 and A Prairie Home Companion.

•• This past weekend, Virginia Madsen was signing autographs for her fans at the Hollywood Show. For more information about the Hollywood Show, visit their website: www.hollywoodshow.com. Enjoy!

•• Today’s December 31st, just a few hours left to say goodbye to year 2012 and welcome to 2013, from Virginia Madsen’s official website I would like to wish all VMadFans and to every of you guys who always visit this site and unconditionally support actress Virginia Madsen, to have a Happy New Year 2013! Have a wonderful day, be happy but be safe!! -LaLa (Webmisstress of Virginia-Madsen.org)

•• Famous designer Kevan Hall presented his colorful  Spring 2013 Collection this wednesday, December 5th in Los Angeles. Virginia Madsen attended the fashion show with other celebrities including actresses: Teri Hatcher and Annika Marks. AGTA was the presenting sponsor for award-winning fashion designer Kevan Hall’s Spring Collection Show.

“No matter your size, Kevan designs for the body you have, instead of trying to smash things down or force you to wear Spanx. Most actresses really aren’t comfortable in their red-carpet gowns, but I could truly sleep in a Kevan gown, and they make me look fabulous.”

•• Last night, Virginia Madsen made an appearance at the Governors Awards in Hollywood. She looked absolutely gorgeous in a classy green dress by Tadashi Shoji. Many of the movie industry’s biggest names came out to pay tribute to an eclectic group of honorees at the Academy’s fourth annual Governors Awards held on December 1 at the Hollywood & Highland Center’s Ray Dolby Ballroom.

Famous friends and colleagues gathered for an unforgettable evening of laughter, fun, and affection to celebrate the indelible contributions of honorees D.A. Pennebaker, George Stevens Jr., Hal Needham, and Jeffrey Katzenberg to filmmaking and the world. Attendees were greeted with a gala cocktail reception including performances by a jazz quartet, followed by an official welcome from Academy President Hawk Koch. A video clip saluted the history of the Academy’s Honorary Award, which was begun in 1948 to honor achievements outside the categories of the existing Oscars.

This year, three honorees received Honorary Awards for their work, which ranged from Needham’s death-defying stunts to Pennebaker’s groundbreaking documentaries and Stevens’ landmark film preservation, while Katzenberg was recognized for his trailblazing philanthropic efforts.

Seated near Koch were Seth MacFarlane, host of the upcoming 85th Academy Awards ceremony, as well as the show’s producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Also present were a number of notable faces including Richard Gere, Amy Adams, Helen Hunt, Bradley Cooper, Ewan McGregor, John Krasinski, David O. Russell, Kathryn Bigelow, John Lasseter, Robert Zemeckis, Judd Apatow, Leslie Mann, Sean Hayes, Kristen Stewart, and many more.

 

•• Last week, Virginia Madsen was in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico attending all the activities on the first edition of Baja International Film Festival. Virginia was awarded with Excellence in Acting for her exceptional career.

This festival was held November 14 – 17, 2012, in Los Cabos, Mexico should now be considered a Cannes-petitor to other film festivals throughout the world. Major stars the likes of Edward Norton, Melissa Leo, Diego Luna, Virginia Madsen, Matt Dillon, Octavia Spencer and many, many more attended what could be a standard-bearer for the official start of awards season! The festival showcased 80 films from 18 countries, including 5 international feature films, 5 Mexican feature films, 5 international documentaries, 5 Mexican documentaries, 30 international shorts, 13 Mexican shorts, 4 environmental films, as well as special presentation screenings of 7 international feature films and 6 Mexican feature films.

The Awards were presented during the Baja International Film Festival’s Closing Night Gala presented by the Mexico Tourism Board on Saturday, November 17th at the state-of-the-art Cabo Convention Center. For more information on the Baja International Film Festival, please visit www.bajainternationalfilmfestival.com.

 •• In this exclusive interview with AMCtv.com Virginia Madsen, who plays Hannah Durant on AMC’s Hell on Wheels, talks about being a history buff and why you should never drink water while wearing a corset.

Q: You were a fan of the Hell on Wheels before joining the cast. What did you like about it?
A: I’m a big fan of Colm Meaney, and The Swede is such an intriguing villain, such a nemesis. And Anson Mount is one of the most beautiful men I’ve ever seen in my life and a really good actor. I know I shouldn’t objectify him because he’s such a good actor, but really, ladies, really? I also really love the love story between Robin [Eva] and Common [Elam]. I’m also a Chicago girl, so I’m also a really big fan of Common’s music.

Q: What attracted to you the role of Hannah Durant?
A: I’m a history buff, and so I knew who the Durants were, although there’s not much about [Hannah]. I just thought, “Oh, that’s going to be really interesting, especially the conflict with the fair-haired maiden of the West.” I just loved the idea that I would come and stir the pot.

Q: Since less is known about the real Hannah Durant, how did you prepare for the role?
A: The only thing I could do with this character is go by the script…and research the period that a woman like that lived in, what a woman like that would be like, especially if she’s powerful. Not easy to do that back then.

Q: Hannah makes herself quite at home in Hell on Wheels. Did it take long for you feel welcome on set?
A: I thought, well, if I’m going to play this woman who might be described as Hell on Wheels personified, I knew that I was going to have to really gently take my place in the cast. But it turned out to be effortless. This cast was so excited to have me there. They’re all like family, and they just invited me to be a member of the family. I couldn’t believe it. It was just wonderful. The whole cast went rafting with me.Q: The cast went rafting? How did that come about?
A: I guess they do that together all the time. We all met at Phil [Burke]‘s place, and the men had rented these giant blow-up rafts…and we got on the river and just floated for five hours. There were hundreds of people in the river, floating on tubes and rafts and kayaks. I’ve just never seen anything like that. And then we’d pull over every once in and while and lay in the sun. It was absolutely incredible.

Q: Your hair and dress in Episode 8 are fantastic. How long did it take to get all that on?
A: They really have it down to a science. That kind of ensemble could take you three hours on another show, but I’m ready in an hour. Of course, I just feel completely different. I love wearing the corsets, even though you can’t eat at all and you can’t drink, because if you drink, you’ll have to go to the bathroom. You can’t go to a Porta Potty. I have to be driven three quarters of a mile back up to the base camp because I’ve got on layers and layers.

Q: Hannah says her instincts are always right. Is that true of you as well?
A: I think that one of the best things about getting older is that you get smarter. Or, at least, I choose to believe that. But I’ve learned to trust my instincts. I know that they are almost always right. If you don’t listen to the voice within, you’re going to take a misstep at the very least.

Q: Hannah is pretty hard on Lily. Do you have a vindictive streak like that?
A: I really love the fact that Lily and I look alike. She’s a younger version of me. In real life, it doesn’t bother me because I really like working with younger actors because we’re not in competition — we’re not up for the same roles. I really like mentoring and helping because it’s really hard for women in this business, especially young, beautiful women. And I like being there for them and saying, “You can do it.”

Source

 •• New gorgeous photoshoots of Virginia Madsen from 2012 have been added to the gallery. These stunning shoots were photographed for Self Assignment on June 24th in Aruba when she attended Aruba International Film Festival. Head over to the gallery for the latest additions!

•• Los Cabos Convention Center glowed last night as Virginia Madsen and other celebrities walked the red carpet on their way in to the Inaugural Ceremony, Screening and Celebration of the first annual Baja International Film Festival in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

Approximately 1000 people mingled for cocktails in the Convention Center lounge alongside the “living wall” planted with live greenery then filled the screening room for the inaugural ceremony. The standing room only crowd applauded as Los Cabos Municipal President Antonio Agundez officially opened the Festival and the opening night film “The Iceman” was also received with applause.

The objective of the festival  is to create a platform where people from the film industry in Mexico, the United States and all participating countries can meet, to establish an international film industry network and bridge between the participating countries thereby creating new opportunities for all. The festival continues through November 17th with a complete program of events available online at: www.bajainternationalfilmfestival.com

•• Last night, Virginia Madsen was in attendance with actor Nick Holmes for “Inventing David Geffen” premiere in Los Angeles at Writer’s Guild Theater. Pictures from the premiere can be found in the photo gallery as per usual. Enjoy!

•• The first annual Baja International Film Festival to be held November 14-17 in Los Cabos, Mexico has announced the inaugural year’s award recipients. Awards will be presented to two-time Academy Award-nominee Edward Norton, Academy Award-nominee Virginia Madsen, iconic filmmaker and President of the Directors Guild of America Michael Apted, celebrated actor Diego Luna, Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo, acclaimed director Nicolas Echevarria, and Academy Award-nominee Matt Dillon. The Awards will be presented during the Baja International Film Festival’s Closing Night Gala on Saturday, November 17th at the state-of-the-art Cabo Convention Center.

The Baja International Film Festival is also pleased to welcome special guests including Academy Award-Winner Octavia Spencer, 4-Time Emmy Winner Allison Janney, Chad Michael Murray, Billy Zane, Gael Garcia Bernal, Josh Lucas, Adrian Grenier, Natalie Morales, Rachel Leigh Cook, Kuno Becker, Mike Judge, Mark Polish, Maria Conchita Alonso, Jesse McCartney, Marisol Nichols, and writer/director Tate Taylor who will be participating in the week’s festivities.

The Festival will showcase 80 films from 18 countries, including 5 international feature films in competition, 5 Mexican feature films in competition, 5 international documentaries in competition, 5 Mexican documentaries in competition, 30 international shorts, 13 Mexican shorts, 4 environmental films, as well as Special Presentation screenings of 7 international feature films, and 6 Mexican feature films. For more information on the official film schedule and schedule of events, please visit http://biff.festivalgenius.com/2012/ or email info@bajafilmfest.com.

•• Phase 4 Films has acquired U.S. and Canadian rights to Sarah Siegel-Magness’ “Long Time Gone,” a drama starring Virginia Madsen, Amanda Crew and Zach Gilford.

Virginia Madsen plays Augusta, a Connecticut resident who has a nervous breakdown after discovering her husband is having an affair. Her son tries to comfort her with the help of his older brother (Zach Gilford) and live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew).

“We are thrilled to be working with Sarah on her directorial debut after her past success as a producer,” Phase 4 president and CEO Ben Meyerowitz said in a statement. “We cannot wait until audiences see the great performances by Virginia Madsen and the rest of the wonderful cast involved.” Phase 4 will release the film day-and-date in theaters and across all VOD and digital platforms Spring 2013.

•• AMC is giving a show of confidence to “Hell on Wheels”, its two-year-old western that kicked off with former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon (Anson Mount) helping to build the transcontinental railroad. The cable network ordered 10 more episodes of the drama. It’s unclear when they will air. The series that also stars Colm Meaney and Common averaged 2.4 million in it’s second season.

•• Virginia Madsen attended the 2012 Chiller Theatre Expo for 3 days signing autographs and taking pictures with fans at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, New Jersey. You can now check out all the photos in the event at the gallery, enjoy!

•• In honor of “A New Beautiful” Campaign on this awareness month: Jeanie Madsen’s Gallery presented documentary “I Know A Woman Like That” Screening with Virginia Madsen and her mother Elaine Madsen last night in Santa Monica. Here the photos!

•• Oscar-nominated actress has come a long way since she got to Hollywood. Today she is enjoying the sweet ride of success and the advantages it brings. Below, an edited version of MORE interview with Virginia Madsen.

More: You recently turned 51 years old. How are your fifties treating you?  
VM: The older I get, the smarter and stronger I get. My body is great, I feel youthful, and I see changes that I am really grateful for.

More: It’s great that you celebrate your age.
VM: Oh, yeah! I was raised by an incredible mom. My mom always had all the candles on her birthday cake, whereas all the other moms never talked about their age. My mom was open and honest about her journey in life. She was never ashamed of having a few lines or a few more candles. I wasn’t raised in an environment where age was the enemy. If anything, age made you stronger. Age made you smarter and even more sensual. Age also made you feel free.

More: Sounds as if you don’t miss your twenties.
VM: No. Look, I get that Hollywood is about being young and beautiful and age is the enemy. These young actors may get the abundance of work, but I get the quality of work. Hollywood may come across as a youth-oriented town, but there is plenty of room for actors of all ages.More: Did being in your twenties have its advantages?
VM: I was very uncomfortable being a young talent. I was stepped on and very taken advantage of. I was told to lose weight and then told here is how to be bulimic. They put a lot of young girls through a lot. I tell young talent to hang on because it will get better. When you get older and walk through the door, you will automatically get respect.

More: What were some of the disadvantages?
VM: You are really self-conscious. In every meeting, they pick you apart, find all your faults and tell you what is wrong with you. Then when you get the job, they try to turn you into perfection for their film. Let me tell you, that had ramifications in my personal life, especially when it came time for lovers. I was so self-conscious when it came to the physical body, my hair, my face, even my tits—everything made me self-conscious. I always had to change something. Now I don’t have to do that. I am happy with who I am!

More: Did you get your big break because you hung out with the in crowd?
VM: I made it later. I had two big breaks. The first was Dune, which was my first real role in Hollywood. My monologue at the beginning of the film is what so many people remember me for. I got a lot of attention for that role—many more roles after and a ton of meetings. The other really big role for me that got people to notice me was Sideways. That was another huge break for me.

More: A star is born!
VM: In this business, you hopefully get a number of lucky breaks along the way and with them get that lucky audition and lucky part. What we do, because it is artistic—you never stay on top. You are always trying to get the next gig. You have to have thick skin if you want to play this game, plus you also have to be patient and smart before the next break comes along.

More: Did you stress yourself out to find a film like Sideway sto keep yourself adored by fans?  
VM: If I had that “people have to love me” attitude, I would never survive. You cannot think of, “I have to repeat this.” All you can do is go from job to job to job and be stable in your private life. You have to treat this as a business and take care of the soft underbelly that is the artist. The longer you stay in it, the smarter you get. I credit that part of my longevity to age.

More: Has anyone ever said age was a problem?
VM: Even if they did, I don’t care. I’ve been too young, too pretty, too fat or too something. Now, if they think I am too old, fuck them! I am not looking to be 25. I recognize the value of who I am and the value of what I have to offer the industry. As you get older, your opinion of yourself matters more than other people’s opinion of you!

More: What’s your take on plastic surgery or Botox?
VM: Less is more. You need to work on the inside out. You need to work on your spirit and personal health; otherwise, none of that stuff will work.

More: Are there any drawbacks to having a high-profile job?
VM: Sometimes it may be harder to bounce back. Disappointments can be more difficult, but you know how to persevere. It was very much a blessing for me not to win the Oscar for my work in Sideways, because if I did, the expectations would be huge to live up to that role of Maya. It did, however, give me the attention and recognition I needed.

More: You aren’t the slightest bit disappointed you didn’t take home the Academy Award?
VM: No. If anything, I remained the underdog and didn’t venture over into the stratosphere. There was no pressure for me to win again or be at the Oscars the next year. If anything, I got to enjoy the success of playing a wonderful role. Sideways is the movie that just keeps on giving, and for that reason alone I am so grateful.

More: But you must be looking for a role like Maya, which garnered so much attention?
VM: I am always looking for that role that will bring me to the Academy Awards again as a nominee. You can’t look for an award in every role, and you can’t make a movie with the intention that you will get a nomination. You make a movie because you love the work.

More: Another advantage to getting older: You starred alongside Morgan Freeman in Magnolia Home Entertainment’s The Magic of Belle Isle, now available on DVD.
VM: He is so wonderful and such a lovely man. I cooked pasta for Morgan and sang with him every day. Plus, it was directed by Rob Reiner. How awesome is that?

More: You were singing with Morgan Freeman? I love it!
VM: No, really, the man has an awesome voice. I told him to record an album because he is that good. But sadly, he said no because he only sings for his own pleasure!

•• Chiller Theatre, the biannual horror and Hollywood convention in northern New Jersey has always grabbed the big names in the industry. For this month’s show, the stakes have increased considerably. In addition to all the recognizable genre and film names.

Celebrities attending Chiller, which will be held October 26-28th, include Joan Collins, cult director Paul Morrissey and Suspiria’s Stefania Casini. Zacherley will serve as the special convention guest. Lee Majors from The Six Million Dollar Man will stop by, plus Virginia Madsen, Julie Adams, Tom Wopat and Keith Emerson. Horror genre fans will appreciate the presence of Caroline Munro, Barbara Steele, Adrienne Barbeau and Linda Blair. For more fun, check out binguez. They’re a fun online bingo site. Host an event with friends where you listen to good music or play a game of bingo there. Music fans can check in with Ace Frehley, original guitarist for KISS. Hollywood legends include Penny Marshall, Valerie Harper, Lee Meriwether, Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and Aileen Quinn.

For a complete list of guests, click here. Pre-show tickets cost $20-$25. The festival will take place at the Sheraton Parisppany in Parsippany, N.J. on Oct. 26-28.

•• In honor of A New Beautiful campaign on this Awareness Month: Jeanie Madsen’s Gallery presents documentary “I Know A Woman Like That” screening – October 25th with Virginia Madsen and her mother Elaine Madsen. See graphic below for full details of the event!

•• Virginia Madsen has joined the cast of the Lifetime telemovie “The Anna Nicole Story” which Sony Pictures TV and Storyline Entertainment are producing. “American Psycho” director Mary Harron has also come on board to helm the biopic about Vickie Lynn Hogan, a pretty but plain small town Texan girl who transformed herself into the voluptuous, Marilyn Monroe-esque Anna Nicole Smith.

Virginia Madsen will play Vickie’s mom Virgie, Landau will play oil tycoon J. Howard Marshall who married then-stripper Smith when he was 89 and she was 26. John Rice and Joe Batteer penned the script.

•• Now, with the simple addition of the talented actress Virginia Madsen as Hannah (Durant’s wife), the two are better framed against the backdrop of corruption and bitter jealously on AMC’s period Western “Hell On Wheels”. Over 300 High Definition screencaptures are up in the photo gallery from last night’s episode and first episode of Virginia Madsen. “Hell On Wheels” closes out season 2 next Sunday with a special 2-hour episode “Blood Moon” at  9pm/8central on AMC.

•• Just a reminder here.. Don’t forget to watch Virginia Madsen as Mrs. Durant on her first episode of Hell On Wheels tonight 9pm/8central.

•• What actress who guest starred on Star Trek: Voyager went on to earn an Oscar nomination? That’d be Virginia Madsen, who played Kellin in the fourth-season episode “Unforgettable” and notched a Best Supporting Actress nomination in 2004 for her performance in the film Sideways. The actress is also something of a genre veteran, with sci-fi and horror credits that include Electric Dreams, Dune, Highlander 2, Candyman, The Prophecy, The Haunting in Connecticut, Red Riding Hood, The Event and more. Madsen recently attended her first Star Trek convention, taking to the stage and meeting fans at her table during Creation Entertainment’s Official Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas last month. The chatty and ageless Madsen invited StarTrek.com to hang out at her table for a while to talk, and we took her up on the opportunity. Here’s what she had to say.

-How did you land your Voyager guest shot?
Madsen: I was begging to do it. I seriously had people calling them. I wasn’t working very much at all then. That was a really low time in my career and they just treated me like I was a star. It was just wonderful. I think I had two or three people who represent me call them and say, “She’s really serious and she’s a huge Star Trek fan.” I went in to meet with the producers and they said, “We’ve got one episode left and it’s a love story.” I’m getting chills now just thinking about it. I said, “Please, I’d love to be a part of this. I know this sounds terrible, but I just want to have a weird pig nose or anything.” I wanted to be a classic Star Trek beautiful alien. They said, “Don’t worry. However, you do have ears. They’re like Vulcan ears, but they have two things.” I was like, “Yes! Excellent.”

-You had some insane call time to set, didn’t you?
Madsen: Yes! It was my earliest call time ever. It was 2:43 a.m., and it was to put on the ears. I slept because I had to be on the set at 6 a.m.

-How was the shoot?
Madsen: Just as a fan, it was awesome because I got to be on the bridge during a battle scene, and we all had to do the lean. I wondered if they had some kind of light that the cast had to follow or if they had some high-tech thing, but it was just a dude with a broomstick behind the camera going, “This way, that way.” That was so much fun, and they loved doing it, too. Kate Mulgrew was like (in spot-on Mulgrew voice), “Oh, you have to be in a battle.” I got to beam in and out. I got to be in sickbay. I had my own quarters. I had a phaser. I got phasered on stun. I was in a Jefferies Tube. You’ve got to be a Trekker to know what that is. They cut that scene out, but I was there. And I had a romance.-Kellin and Chakotay were old-school star-crossed lovers…
Madsen: It was a classic Star Trekromance. Like with Kirk, those romances would never work out. My romance was with Chakotay and it was really beautifully written. The whole episode was, and it had a really poetic ending where my species, when I leave, everyone forgets us. We take away all trace of our existence from all your data and from your brain. So Chakotay was writing with a pencil and paper our love story, because it’s the only thing that could survive.

-A good chunk of your scenes were with Robert Beltran…
Madsen: I had such a crush on him. A serious, serious crush. He was always gorgeous, and I got to kiss him. You know what else is cool? The director of photography on that show, Marvin Rush, is now shooting Hell on Wheels, that I’m on with Colm Meaney.

-Let’s shift to Hell on Wheels since you just mentioned it. Second season episodes are airing now and you’ve got a recurring role as Mrs. Durant, the wife of Meaney’s character. How did that opportunity come about?
Madsen: That came as a surprise, as usually the best jobs do for me. I was already a really big fan of Hell on Wheels. So you can imagine my delight walking onto set and seeing it all come to life and being able to walk in as a character on the show. I’m playing Mrs. Durant and it’s really funny because Colm is here at this convention, too. We weren’t on the same Star Trek show, but he’s still a part of that whole lore.

-Did that come up in any of your conversations with Meaney?
Madsen: Oh yeah, immediately. I didn’t want to embarrass him, but he knew that I’d been on Star Trek and I knew that he’d been on it. Originally, I had to cancel coming here because of the show’s shooting schedule, but since he was coming I think he made it possible for me to come, too.

-Back to Mrs. Durant, what interested you about her as a character?
Madsen: I can’t reveal too much about her, obviously. But I can say that she’s a very powerful woman who’s married to a very powerful man who is misbehaving. I’m doing three episodes now and I’m hoping if the show comes back that they’ll ask me to do more.

-You’re also doing the film Jake Squared. What’s that and what do you play?
Madsen: That’s a comedy with Elias Koteas. It’s a little indie.

-You have done a lot of sci-fi and horror films. Do you like the genre, and is it a coincidence that you’ve done so much of it? Is it something you’ve pursued or maybe where the opportunities happened to be?
Madsen: I love the genre. Those were always things that I looked for specifically because I am a fan of the genre, but it’s very hard to find a good script in fantasy, sci-fi or horror, especially horror. So it took me all those years after Candyman to find another that I liked in The Haunting in Connecticut. I made Highlander II because it was shooting in Buenos Aires and I really wanted to work with Sean Connery. I totally admit it! Christopher Lambert was great, too. But all of the rest of them have been things I sought out by choice.

-You’re here in Las Vegas. How are you enjoying your first Star Trek convention?
Madsen: I never got to do this before. I’m so elated. I’m like a kid because I’m a fan, too. Right after I did the episode I was like, “Does this mean I get to go to conventions?” And they said, “Yeah, you do.” It never happened until now, and it’s been wonderful so far. I get to meet people and interact with them, and I love that.

•• Virginia Madsen is celebrating her 51st birthday today and we at her official website would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday to her!! Please stop by and leave your birthday wishes by commenting in the official facebook page.

•• Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated actress Virginia Madsen has joined the growing list of guests for Texas Frightmare Weekend 2013!

Virginia Madsen has starred in roles such as Candyman, The Prophecy (Christopher Walken), The Haunting in Connecticut, The Number 23 (Jim Carrey), Sideways, Red Riding Hood and more. Audiences first caught a glimpse of her as “Princess Irulan” in the 1984 science fiction epic Dune. She followed that up with Electric Dreams; however, it was in 1986 that Virginia captured the hearts of the audience with an intense portrayal of a Catholic school girl who fell in love with a boy from a prison camp in Fire with Fire. With over 35 releases since Fire with Fire thus far, Virginia is a busy actress and has played a variety of roles which further enhance her reputation as a fantastic actress who can adapt to any kind of role.

Tickets to TFW 2013 are available for purchase now starting at only $20! For info and tickets please go to www.frightmareweekend.com.

•• Virginia Madsen and Elias Koteas have signed on to Jake Squared. Koteas will play the title character, a filmmaker whose self-examination movie spins out of control. The Oscar nominated Madsen plays Beth, Jake’s confidant. The film is written and directed by Howard Goldberg, a Sundance Institute Fellowship recipient. Koteas, Goldberg and David K. Wilson are producing the indie. Shelley H. Surpin and Howard Himelstein are executive producing.

Elias Koteas and Virginia Madsen star in a surreal comedy about a filmmaker who decides to make a movie to help figure out out how he’s managed to screw up every relationship he’s ever had. But, the filming spirals out of his control and he has what’s either a mystical experience, a total nervous breakdown, or both, as his past selves and past loves literally and hysterically catch up with him.

•• Virginia Madsen throws out the first pitch before the game between the Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday July 28th  at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Il. More pictures below.

•• Oscar nominated actress and Chicago native Virginia Madsen joined Good Day (Fox Chicago News) to speak on hosting special screenings of “Sideways” and “The Magic of Belle Isle” in Naperville and Woodridge.

•• Virginia Madsen is set to join the cast of the second season of AMC’s period Western “Hell On Wheels” in a three-episode arc, playing Mrs. Hannah Durant, wife of Thomas “Doc” Durant (Colm Meaney).

•• Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen made a personal appearance for the showing of her new film “The Magic of Belle Isle” at the Cinémas Palme D’Or in Palm Desert last Saturday evening. The event began with a viewing of the film and at the conclusion of the film Ms. Madsen joined Cinémas Palm D’Or host The Bulldog, Bill Feingold (The Bill Feingold Show on KNEWS FM 94.3).

•• This Saturday, July 21 Cinémas Palme D’Or in Palm Desert is proud to present a special screening of “The Magic of Belle Isle” with a live Q&A Session with the film’s star Academy Award nominated actress Virginia Madsen following the showing of the film. Moderating the event will be Cinémas Palme D’Or host The Bulldog, Bill Feingold (KNews FM 94.3).

“The Magic of Belle Isle” is the story of a wheelchair-bound author (Morgan Freeman) that moves to a rural town, where he befriends a single mother (Virginia Madsen) and her three kids. She helps reignite his passion for writing. The film is rated PG for mild thematic elements and language including some suggestive comments and has a runtime of 1 hour and 49 minutes.

Advance Tickets are on sale now at the Cinémas Palme D’Or Box Office of charge by phone at 760-779-0430 with no service fees. Tickets are $11 (Adults) and $7.50 (Senior) and the screening starts at 7:15 p.m. For more information about the Cinémas Palme d’Or, see www.thepalme.com. For special announcements and coupons Like Cinémas Palme d’Or on Facebook Page.

•• Virginia Madsen is in Ischia attending the 2012 Ischia Global Film & Music Fest in Italy this week. I have just added photos (both HQ and MQ) into the photo gallery. These photos are from 4 different dates, enjoy!

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2012 > July 09th » 2012 Ischia Global Film & Music Fest
Events in 2012 > July 10th » 2012 Ischia Global Film & Music Fest
Events in 2012 > July 11th » 2012 Ischia Global Film & Music Fest
Events in 2012 > July 12th » 2012 Ischia Global Film & Music Fest

•• Virginia Madsen promotes the movie “The Magic of Belle Isle” on KTLA News. Screencaptures from the interview can be found at the photo gallery and you can also watch the interview here!

•• You can’t miss Virginia Madsen – live in person hosting two of her movies (Sideways and The Magic of Belle) in two cinemas with 3 different dates from July 27 thru July 29th in Hollywood Palms Cinema in Naperville and Hollywood Blvd Cinema in Woodridge. Here’s the list of upcoming events links and dates.

•• Schedule for Friday, July 27th at Hollywood Palms Cinema in Naperville

Sideways: 7:00, 9:30

The Magic of Belle Isle: 7:15, 9:30
(Click here to purchase advance tickets)

•• Schedule for Saturday, July 28th at Hollywood Blvd Cinema in Woodridge

Sideways: 4:00, 7:00, 9:30

The Magic of Belle Isle: 4:30, 7:00, 9:15

(Click here to purchase advance tickets)

•• Schedule for Sunday, July 29th at Hollywood Palms Cinema in Naperville

Sideways: 1:00, 4:00, 7:00

The Magic of Belle Isle:  2:30, 5:00, 7:15

(Click here to purchase advance tickets)

*For more information, to purchase tickets and to view upcoming events, please visit: http://www.hollywoodpalmscinema.com.

•• Where can you see Dean Cain, Virginia Madsen, Henry Winkler, and several other legendary celebrities meeting and greeting their fans at the same event this summer? From August 3rd thru August 5th, stars and fans can align themselves at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention Center for The Hollywood Show.

So far, there are 64 celebrities confirmed to participate at “The Hollywood Show” event on August 3rd thru August 5th in Burbank, California! You can view the printable attendees list here. For more information, to purchase tickets and to view upcoming events, please visit: www.hollywoodshow.com and Virginia Madsen’s profile at http://hollywoodshow.com/starDetail.php?id=921.

•• IAR’s Managing Editor Jami Philbrick recently had a chance to sit down with Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman and Academy Award-nominee Virginia Madsen to talk about their work on The Magic of Belle Islle. The two acclaimed actors discussed the new film, what it’s like being on a Rob Reiner set, the difference between filming on location and shooting on a sound stage, and why W.C. Fields said never work with children or animals. To watch “I am rogue” exclusive interview with Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen about The Magic of Belle Isle, please click on the video player above.

Currently available on iTunes and VOD and opening in theaters on July 6th is the new drama from acclaimed filmmaker Rob Reiner entitled The Magic of Belle Isle. The movie stars several actors who have worked with Reiner before including Academy Award-winner Morgan Freeman, Academy Award-nominee Virginia Madsen, Kevin Pollack and Fred Willard.

Monte Wildhorn (Freeman) is a famous Western novelist whose struggle with alcoholism has sapped his passion for writing. He takes a lakeside cabin for the summer in picturesque Belle Isle, and befriends teh family next door – an acttractive single mom (Madsen) and her young daughters who help him find inspiration.

The Magic of Belle Isle is currently available on iTunes and VOD and opens in theaters on Friday, July 6th.

•• Chris Yandek interviewed Virginia Madsen for CY Interview, you can read the full article below.

Actress Virginia Madsen has been entertaining us since the early 1980s. From roles in Candyman to her 2004 Oscar nominated performance in Sideways, Virginia has become one of Hollywood’s top actresses. She says she now gets more consideration for roles than in the past. The sister of fellow actor Michael Madsen, Virginia’s latest role is in a movie alongside Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman in The Magic of Belle Isle out this coming weekend in theaters. It is also currently on video on demand. Ms. Madsen speaks about many topics. You can listen to CYInterview here.

In her latest role for the Rob Reiner film The Magic of Bell Isle, Virginia said in the production notes that she believed this project was how movies were formerly made. She believes Hollywood is not currently doing enough to push the viewer’s imagination. Ms. Madsen has some very candid words on the state of comedy movies and the entire American film industry:

“I love a lot of these big movies, but I like the ones that have a story. And I have a teenager and when I like take all of his buddies, sometimes you take ‘em all to the movies, and they’re really disappointed when it doesn’t have a good story and you know or they can tell and they won’t go. You know but it’s, I think they, there’s kind of a dumbing down of especially comedy. The dumbing down of romantic comedy is really disappointing to me that comedy’s become so negative and mean spirited.I think as far as real stories; I think like real human stories like The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, what a wonderful movie that is and The Magic of Belle Isle, I mean these are the kind of movies I think people are hungry for and over and over and over again we’re proven right. People will line up around the block to see these kind of movies, but we’re not getting the financing to make them and we’re not getting the kind of distribution we need to get the movie out there. So it’s really hard and it’s I think the first year even though I got to do one of these movies, it’s the first year that I felt really a little defeated you know about what’s the state of the American film industry.”

In The Magic of Belle Isle, Virginia plays a mother of three children on the verge of divorce and takes her children to her parent’s home. Her next door neighbor is a western novelist – played by Morgan Freeman – with a drinking problem. Freeman’s character believes his best days are behind him. Ms. Madsen says she could relate to her character:

“I related to that personally. I think one of the things that I identified with is that even though she’s had this blow in life you know, she’s, she was taken to her knees I think from this divorce and I think it was very unexpected, but she remains whole you know. She keeps her family intact…She believes that she needs nothing else but her girls and that became the key to the character.”

In the script for The Magic of Belle Isle, originally there was no kissing scene between Virginia and Morgan Freeman. However, she believed kissing Morgan made sense within the context of the story. She had not originally planned to tell anyone that the kiss was not in the storyline. However, her secret was blown by her fellow cast members in the project:

“It wasn’t in there. It just wasn’t in the script. I just did that. And I wouldn’t have told this story, I would have never have shared it except for that Rob [Reiner] and Morgan [Freeman] had been sharing it all over the place ‘cause I thought well, I don’t, I never kiss and tell. The truth is that it was; I saw this as a really beautiful romantic love story and I don’t think that they were all sure of that and so what was written was a nice farewell and I give him a kiss on the cheek and go back home to my nice home. Good nice little farewell.

But I was very, I thought it was more powerful than that, what was happening between me and Morgan and I saw that this love story, that’s not a man that you kiss on the cheek, that’s a man that you take in your arms and you, that’s a man that you really kiss really hard on the mouth. And if this was going to be the last time that I would ever see him, of course I would kiss him goodbye. You know there was nothing plutonic about what was happening with us. And so I kind of like, it just felt like I had to. I was just compelled to kiss him and I said, ‘Rob, I’m gonna try something. It’s just, just go with it and see what you think.’

And so you see it on film. That’s you know, Morgan’s look is exactly what happened. And then afterwards I was like, ‘Is that ok?’ And I wouldn’t have done it if I didn’t feel absolutely that it was the truth of the scene. You know I would not have disrespected a fellow actor with something that didn’t match or but it was just so clearly what was meant to happen…And Morgan loved it and I was very happy.”

Her 2004 role in the movie Sideways garnered Ms. Madsen an Oscar nomination. She says she still has Academy Award dreams: “Sure it is. But it’s not paramount. I mean it’s not, you know can’t go into any project with that in mind and because I don’t like when I see actors doing that in movies. It’s not genuine. You know like it’s, you know, I of course I would love to go home with the gold statue. I absolutely intend on it. I’ve wanted that since I was a five year old girl, first time I watched the Oscars on TV. But it’s not, you know, I don’t specifically look for scripts like that because as an actor I don’t know what they’re gonna do with my performance. I’m not editing the film.”

Finally, Virginia agrees with her fans who believe she has not received the acting opportunities she has deserved. Ms. Madsen says, however, she is in a much better position than she was a decade ago, when it comes to being in contention for roles.

“I agree with them and I wish that it wasn’t such a struggle for me you know, but that’s been my career. I’ve never been on the top of the list. You know I’ve always been, you know, but at times I’ve not been on a list at all. At least I’m on the list now and I’m in and you know there’s always a group of names and I’m always in the mix now and that’s all I can ask for because once in a while somebody like Rob Reiner is gonna put me first. And you know if I’m not first maybe I’ll be second, but I’ll still get in and that’s you know, I still keep working and I’m in a much better position than I was 10 years ago. So I’m very grateful for where I am…It’s a struggle, but if you really think about it, these are champagne problems. I mean I get to live my dream. I get to do what I love to do for a living. I play dress up for a living; you know what I mean. It really can’t be that bad.”

The Magic of Belle Isle opens in theaters July 6th and is currently on video on demand. You can find more information about the movie clicking here.

Virginia Madsen said: “it’s always about evolving and learning to fly.” An actress with astonishing range and a touch of timeless glamour, Madsen’s talents didn’t hit center stage until later in life. A native Chicagoan and the daughter of an Emmy-award winning poet and playwright, Madsen packed in over two decades and 40 TV and film roles with some of the biggest stars in the business before she finally hit her stride with her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated performance in the film “Sideways.”

Several films followed suit, including roles in “The Astronaut Farmer” and “A Prairie Home Companion,” until her role as Charlotte in Rob Reiner’s recently released “The Magic of Belle Isle.” Madsen plays a middle-aged woman with two daughters who emotionally shuts down her life until an older man named Monte (Morgan Freeman) moves into the house next door. Their unlikely but uplifting coupling unfolds as both Charlotte and Monte rekindle dormant passions and inspire one another to re-engage in life.

“I’ve always admired her work over the years,” said Rob Reiner, who cast her in his latest film “The Magic of Belle Isle.” “She’s one of those really talented actresses who’s done extraordinary work for so many years but just doesn’t get the recognition she deserves.”

Huff/Post50 recently spoke with Madsen about her role in “The Magic of Belle Isle,” women in Hollywood, and her own life post 50.

•• I read that you’re the first actress to kiss Morgan Freeman on screen.
- I’m definitely the first to have had a romantic love story with him.

•• You had to fight for your role in “Sideways.” How did this role come about?
- I would have thought that I would’ve had to fight, but I just got a phone call from my agent saying that Rob Reiner wanted me for his next film. I almost fell over. I love working with Rob. And I was floored again when he said that Morgan Freeman was playing the lead and that I’d be his leading lady. Then Rob said, “I think it’s kind of a love story, but you read the script and let me know.” I read it and cried like a baby. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have been asked to do this.

•• The film doesn’t focus on the differences between you and Morgan Freeman: Age, race or physical disabilities. There’s a purity to the connection between you two.
- Yeah. We’re just two human beings falling in love. We don’t think about our race. We don’t think about the difference in our age. We don’t think about his disability. We just think about the two people we are. That’s how much sense it makes. That’s how right their love story is. Nothing else matters.•• What was it like to work with Morgan Freeman? He seems like an imposing person.
- Oh, he’s absolutely the opposite of imposing. And I’m sure he could impose. He is God, after all. But he is a very elegant man. And he’s very poetic. It was really a joy to be around him and we had really strong chemistry between us. We felt very natural together.

•• In the film you play a woman with three daughters who’s re-booting her life after a divorce. She’s grappling with a lot of mid-life transitions. What sort of personal transitions have you faced as an actress since you hit 50?
- I just keep feeling better. My mother told me something many years ago when I was asking her about aging. She said, “remember this: when you’re in your 40s, you’re free. When you’re in your 50s, you fly.” And for me, that’s true. I think we all get better with age. We get smarter. Personally, I’ve never felt more beautiful. I’ve never felt more strong physically. I’m definitely smarter. I’m definitely better in bed.

I’m also very, very into taking care of my body. I’m very into Bikram Yoga. I’m very aware of things that are starting to go wrong. When you’re 35, you need to figure out what kind of 50 year old you want to be. Now that I’m 50, I’m thinking about what kind of 70 year old I want to be. I don’t want to be walking around with a cane. I don’t want to be negotiating too much weight. I want to be strong, lean and mean. Right now, I am. And I think it’s important to realize that if you don’t grab on to life, you’re just going to be left behind. And there’s no excuse for doing that. There’s none. Some people have to deal with really deep tragedies, so how can I complain about being 50? How can I complain when I see people overcoming such tremendous adversity?

•• Did you rediscover a physical connection to your body later in life, or were you always into your body growing up?
- No. I wasn’t an athlete growing up. I was into dance, but I wasn’t a ballerina. It was something that I discovered after 35, which is a hell of a time to discover it and very difficult. So I always have to trick myself into doing a lot of different kinds of things. I try to do something three times a week, whether it’s doing yoga, spinning, or going on a hike. I’ll always do something to raise my heart rate and sweat three times a week without fail. And if I don’t, I try not to get mad at myself. Because we’re too hard on ourselves as women. We’re way too hard on ourselves with stuff like that. We also have to love ourselves and be gentle.

•• Speaking of women being hard on themselves, what do you think about the roles in Hollywood for women over 50?
- This is probably the first year that I’ve been very discouraged. I’ve had great roles, so I’m not complaining. And I’ve always been such an optimist about our industry. But I’m very sad about the state of American film. It really makes me sad to see how television is unraveling and how hard it is to get financing for independent films like “The Magic of Belle Isle.” It’s also hard to get distribution. You might be able to scramble and somehow get the money and make a film, but to get it distributed is another battle. The more I got into producing, the more I started really understanding the state of financing and the more deeply discouraged I got.

I hope things will turn around. They certainly have on cable for women. They’re still telling our stories there. But if I go up for a part, it is usually not age-specific. They’ll call in everyone from age 35 to 60 to 65. They can have any female they want because the competition is so tough. There was a movie recently where I was up against Queen Latifah. She got the part and I was like, OK, I was happy for the Queen, but I was also pissed off. Because there was this long list of all of us who were being compared for one role. It was insane.

•• Like a cattle call?
- Yes, it was a cattle call. But I’m blessed and I feel very fortunate that I got this role. I know there was probably somebody else who was mad about that, but I’m sure glad that I was the one.

•• Did your mother have anything inspiring or wise to say about one’s 60s?
- I’ve got to ask her again. I do feel differently about that number. I’m not at all sure how I feel about 60. My sister, on the other hand, just turned 60. She told me that it’s kind of excellent. She said, “I don’t feel any different and I thought I would.” So she was very encouraging about it. And my mom just turned 80 and she and her husband celebrated their one-year anniversary. They fell in love and got married. Like totally romantic love.

•• Your mother and her current husband met and fell in love in their late 70s?
- Yes. In their seventies. They both just got married and they both just turned 80.

•• So there is a God after all?
- Yes, there is a God who wants us to be happy. There’s a lot to look forward to.

Virginia Madsen stars in the heartwarming story “The Magic of Belle Isle” as the recently-divorced mother of three girls who befriends the writer who moves in next door (Morgan Freeman).  I spoke to her about making the movie, which is available now On Demand and will be in theaters July 6th.

•• What was it like for you working with three young actresses who played your daughters?  How do you develop a level of trust with them?
- Well, I raised a child. I had a boy child who’s now 17 and I’ve worked with kids before. I know that this was a big job. We had a lot to do, they had a lot of dialogue and I really, really wanted them to trust me. One of the greatest things is that they all had nice parents. We struck gold with that. They were nice kids, they weren’t Hollywood-ized and the mothers really allowed me to mother their children which was incredibly trusting and generous. Slowly, I gained their trust and they could see how I wanted to be with their daughters, and that I was going to take good care of them. Before the movie started, I asked the art director and [director] Rob [Reiner] if I could have a space on the set, a room that I could set up arts and crafts.  Because that’s what I did with my son, and decided to bring music, and all the supplies.  I said, “Just give me this room, but no one is allowed to go in it but us, that is the O’Neil house, and I don’t want a sound cart in there, I don’t want lights being stored, no makeup touches go on in this room, this is the O’Neil house and this is our sacred space.”  And they loved it. And then the art department said, “Actually, there’s a sun room, we’ll make it a part of the movie.” And so when there was a break, this allowed me to keep us al together as a family and allowed them to remain focused and quiet when it wasn’t alright for them to play in the yard especially if it was raining. The next great thing was, they bonded as sisters.  Madeline Carroll [who plays the oldest daughter] is really something special, and she helped shepherd the girls, she really loved those girls. She would sit and make necklaces with them. She was never bored or impatient like a lot of teenagers naturally would be.••  And like her character was!
- She was the polar opposite of that character, the antithesis of that. She was—I maybe saw her texting twice during the whole thing. She just stayed with us.  All the girls are all so different, but then they all remained really bonded and then they brought their friends in, some of the little kids from the neighborhood came to the O’Neil house…and I’d play classical music.  Spanish guitar was the thing they liked the best, so I wasn’t playing any pop music. Everything was kind of our “Zen-space” and Maddy’s brother—they all had brothers, they were there with us. This allowed them to have a real relationship with me, and so that then when we went in on the set, I was taking the little one by the hand, or I was carrying her in, and then we would sit down and simply begin the scene and it worked very well. I loved it because it’s been such a long time since I’ve been able to do arts and crafts and I never had a girl! I never had a girl, so I was so happy that I had three! And they also went home at night!  Although they came over to my house quite a bit.

•• They did?
- It’s on my twitter page somewhere. If you go into my videos, it’s a while ago…but they came over to the house and I cooked for all of them, and it was their friends, the siblings, the moms, everybody came over and I cooked this huge dinner. If you look at the video, it’s this moment that I had been building up about desert. I said, “This desert, you’re going to lose your mind. You’re going to lose your mind.” I kept saying it all day long. And now…and they’re all at the kitchen counter, and I’m standing on the other side of it and I was like…”And now…you’re going to lose your mind!” So I take out a giant, huge bag of cool-pops, you know those frozen sticks? And I held it up like the Lion King, and they screamed…”Frozen pops, oh my God!”  It was a massive, big, big pot of gold.

•• Do you really play the piano?
- I played the piano until I was about 18 and then I left it when I came out to LA to be in movies.  I had to play in another movie, a western that I did with Tom Selleck called “Crossfire Trail” and I had to play Für Elise, which is something that every girl at the time played. Completely had to relearn it, it was a nightmare, but this was fun. They gave me a piano in my house—because I wanted you to see my hands playing it.  So when Morgan was listening to me, you’d already had the visual in your mind that it was really me. That was very important to me.

••  Was this the first time you had ever met Morgan Freeman?
- No, he invited me to the AFI Lifetime Achievement tribute. Can you imagine, first of all, I meet him on the red carpet. He’s tall, he’s handsome, he was in a white tuxedo, a white jacket with black tie, and he just looked so cool, man. And I just went up to him and it was just, he had that big smile and the Morgan Freeman voice and I was like, “This is going to be just fine.”  We just had instant chemistry.  And then, not intimidating at all, to sit through two hours of magnificence and genius of Morgan Freeman and everyone telling what a genius he is…and I’m like, “I’m the luckiest girl in the whole wide world!” I was the luckiest girl in the room that night, and it did turn out to be just a breeze. It was easy to work with him.

There’s obvious chemistry between the two of you that’s very understated and nice.  That touch of the hands at the end, I have to say really got to me. And I was trying to think, when was the last time that a touch of the hand meant so much in a movie? Thank you for noticing that.

Source: BeliefNet

•• More pictures of Virginia Madsen attending BMW Party and a Q&A Session at Aruba International Film Festival have been uploaded at the photo gallery.

Madsen, Liotta rock Aruba film fest por reuters

- Gallery Links:
June 23rd » Q&A Session at AIFF 2012
June 24th » BMW Party at AIFF 2012

•• The 3rd edition of Aruba International Film Festival opening night welcomes Oscar and Golden Globe nominated actress Virginia Madsen, festival Co-founder and Exe­cutive Producer Jonathan Vieira welcomes her on the Red Carpet at Paseo Herencia in Palm Beach for the World Premiere of “The Magic of Belle Isle” co-starring Morgan Freeman. She was in attendance (with actor Nick Holmes) for a Meet & Greet cocktail party wearing  a beautiful cyan dress.

For more information and updates, visit the AIFF website: http://www.arubainternationalfilmfestival.com or their Facebook page for the latest news updates.

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2012 > June 22nd » Meet & Greet Cocktail Party at AIFF 2012
Events in 2012 > June 22nd » Opening Night Red Carpet at AIFF 2012

•• Virginia Madsen has been busy promoting her new movie “The Magic of Belle Isle” which is now available via video on demand services and will be released in theaters July 6th. She attended the press junkey with cast of the movie on wednesday and Los Angeles premiere yesterday. Make sure you check all them out by clicking on the thumbs or links below.

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2012 > June 20th » The Magic of Belle Isle’s Day Press Junket
Events in 2012 > June 21st » “The Magic of Belle Isle” Los Angeles Premiere

•• The Movie Geeks speak with actress Virginia Madsen about her new film The Magic of Belle Isle, which is directed by Rob Reiner (Misery, The Bucket List) and stars Morgan Freeman.  You can listen the interview below.

•• The Magic of Belle Isle’s Los Angeles red carpet premiere is tonight. The film is now available to rent on iTunes, on demand and in theaters on July 6th.

“The Hot Flashes” plot centers around women’s empowerment and originates from five friends trying to raise money for breast cancer early detection programs by holding a charity basketball game. The film has partnered with the American Cancer Society to further this message and help the fight against breast cancer.

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2012 > June 19th » Cast Of “Hot Flashes” & The American Cancer Society Celebrate Blow Out Cancer
Feature Films > The Hot Flashes > June 19th » American Cancer Society Celebrates Blow Out Cancer Interview

•• Versatility of roles is a feat most Hollywood actresses can only dream of. Very rarely are actresses able to break down the barriers of Hollywood typecasting and transcend roles, each more different from the next. Vivacious and always unique, actress Virginia Madsen has done just that. From her Independent Spirit Award-winning performance in 2004’s hit Sideways, which helped turn us all into seasoned oenophiles, to her latest project, The Magic of Belle Isle, which shows us the softer side of Morgan Freeman, Madsen’s résumé boasts incredible costars, fantastic directors, and remarkable individuality.

Born in Evergreen Park and raised on the North Shore, Virginia and her equally talented family members have been making “Madsen” a household name since the early ’80s. Her mother is director Elaine Madsen, while brother/actor Michael Madsen is notably remembered for his role as “Mr. Blonde” in Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 hit Reservoir Dogs.

•• On the North Shore & Chicago
“I lived in Evanston up until high school. Then I moved to Wilmette, Winnetka, and then back to Evanston—we moved a lot. I think the thing that I miss the most [about the North Shore] are the trees. I miss the foliage, the beautiful, giant, towering trees on the North Shore. That drive up Sheridan Road, I mean, almost any time I come to Chicago, I rent a car and just drive up as far north as I can on Sheridan Road, as much as I have time for, just so that I can see the big houses and the trees. The drive along the lake, I just love it there so much.

What makes Chicago such a great city is its design. It’s always been a haven for architects to have creative and artistic freedom. I think we have the most beautiful skyline in the United States. Do I sound homesick? I’m a little bit homesick today. My dad is still out there in Oak Lawn, so I try and get back whenever possible. My friend Rusty Schwimmer just moved back to Chicago, so at least there’s another reason to visit [Chicago]. She’s my best friend; we went to New Trier together.”

••  On New Trier
“It was like going to a prep school. There was a lot of competition, and it was the best education you could get, but hard, because I was really a square peg. What I did get from New Trier was the sense of self-discipline. I think that first off it’s difficult because it’s a huge school; I mean, it is an enormous student body.

The arts were so well funded. That’s what was really great about being at that school. There was this tremendous theater, and we rented our costumes from a Broadway costume house. We had makeup artists. The productions were huge.

I had this amazing teacher, Suzanne Adams. She is still my friend. She is just an amazing person and teacher who recognized my struggle. She recognized how special I was, and she let me know that I was beautiful on the inside and out, at a time when I was really being harassed and bullied and ostracized. As much as I struggled in that school, you know, socially, I had some incredible guidance from Suzanne and from The Center of Self-Directed Learning. That place was such a home for me, and I could be a total hippie and a complete artist, and they welcomed me there.”

•• All in the family
“We were all performers; my mother just wouldn’t let us do anything professional. We could do whatever we wanted in the backyard and in the living room. We could do as many homemade plays and shows as we wanted. So we were very much encouraged to be performers because we were really good at it, but she wouldn’t allow us to be in the business. She said you have to graduate high school and you have to go to college; you have to go to acting school.

When I got nominated for the Academy Award, [my brother] Michael was one of the first people to call me, and he was like, ‘Oh my God, Gina, we got nominated.’ Like as if it happened to him. I don’t know, maybe it would be different if I had a sister who was an actress, but I doubt it. We had a really good mom.”

•• About Sideways
“I just thought that it was a really beautiful supporting role. Sandra [Oh] and I both thought the same the way; we’re there to be the catalyst for change, we’re there to create conflict in the story. And, we’re very much supporting roles, especially when you would see those guys [Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church] work together and how amazing they are. My character [Maya] was so quiet; she was just a very quiet, gentle, understanding woman. She was a lot like I was at that time, and so I felt very certain that this part was mine. I felt kind of like he [director and screenwriter Alexander Payne] crawled inside my head and wrote it, ’cause it sounded like me. It was really uncanny.

I fought to get that role. They [the studio] wanted a name; business-wise it made sense, but Alexander said, ‘Fine, I won’t make it with you then; I want Virginia.’ Anytime something really good has happened in my career, it’s because somebody fought for me. He did and that turned out to be my big break—at 40!”

•• And, of course, Merlot
“This is the joke of the movie that no one caught, you know that prized wine in the movie? The’61 Cheval Blanc? That’s a Merlot! The great thing about that movie [Sideways] is that it changed the whole world of wine. It’s amazing that it changed something culturally.”

•• On kissing Morgan Freeman
“[The Magic of Belle Isle] is coming out in July. That’s right next to Sideways to me, that was so, so fun [to make]. And it’s a love story, you know? Morgan has never played a romantic lead. I get to kiss him and everything—it was excellent! If you saw me right now, I’m turning bright red. That man is so handsome. It was very natural because we fit together so well. We had excellent chemistry, and he’s so romantic that I had no problem going in for it. It’s a really beautiful movie.”

•• On staying ageless in young Hollywood
“Hot yoga. I’ve now been physically fit for about 12 years, and I think the key to whatever you do is consistency. I spent a lot of years lifting weights, and I also like Pilates. I like everything, but I find that at this stage in my life that Bikram yoga is the most fulfilling and beneficial workout. I have a lot more aches, pains, and herniated discs, so when I’m working out in a heated room, everything opens up and I don’t get hurt. I think that one of the benefits of getting older is that you start loving yourself more and that’s one of things that yoga brings.”

•• Advice for fellow working moms
“When they’re little, if you give all your focus to your child, then your career suffers, but if you give your focus to your career, your child suffers. It’s trying to keep all the plates in the air. It’s trying to divide yourself between all of these places and people. You have to ask for help. You have to be willing to say I need your help. Whether you’re a single mother or married, you must ask for assistance from everyone in your life. Don’t try and look like Superwoman.” —Kendall McKinven

•• Check out this wonderful teaser and featurette that Magnolia Pictures made for “The Magic of Belle Isle”. The film has been distributed by Magnolia Pictures and it’s now available to rent on iTunes,  Video On Demand since June 1st and will be available in theaters on July 6th. You can watch the trailer in High Definition over on Apple.

In an effort to tap into his original talent, a wheelchair-bound author moves to a rural town, where he befriends a single mother and her three kids, who help reignite his passion for writing.

•• The third annual Aruba International Film Festival kicks off June 22, running through June 28 and ahead of the debut, organizers have solidified the lineup for this year’s event. Rob Reiner’s The Magic of Belle Isle, starring Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen, will open the festival. Virginia Madsen will be on hand for the red carpet premiere and the presentation of the film at Paseo Herencia.

As for the competition lineup, AIFF artistic director Claudio Masenza and founder Jonathan Vieira announced films from 18 different countries, several of which will make their international and South American debuts.

In addition to the competition, AIFF announced selections for its local, sidebar platform: the Caribbean Spotlight Series. The CSS jury will be led by last year’s Audience Award winner, Bahamian filmmaker Kareem Mortimer. The full lists for the competition series and the CSS series are listed below: The full lists for the competition are listed below:

•• The official AIFF 2012 competition
A Few Best Men (Country: Australia/UK / Director: Stephan Elliott)
A Gang Story (Country: France/Belgium / Director: Olivier Marchal)
Anton Corbijn Inside Out? (Country: Netherlands/Germany/UK/Italy/Sweden / Director: Klaartje Quirijns)
Bringing Up Bobby (Country: USA / Director: Famke Janssen)
Easy! (Country: Italy / Director: Francesco Bruni)
Easy Money (Country: Sweden / Director: Daniel Espinosa)
Electrik Children (Country: USA / Director: Rebecca Thomas)
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (Country: Japan/UK / Director: Takashi Miike)
Hollywood Invasion (Country: Italy / Director: Marco Spagnoli) American Premiere
In the Land of Blood and Honey (Country: USA / Director: Angelina Jolie)
Kryptonite! (Country: Italy / Director: Ivan Cotroneo)
Redlegs (Country: USA / Director: Brandon Harris)
Reveron (Country: Venezuela / Director: Diego Rísquez)
Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir (Country: UK/Italy/Germany / Director: Laurent Bouzereau)
Sex of the Angels (Country: Spain/Brazil / Director: Xavier Villaverde)
Stolen (Country: USA / Director: Simon West) (World Premiere)
Take This Waltz (Country: Canada/Spain/Japan / Director: Sarah Polley)
The Magic of Belle Isle (Country: USA / Director: Rob Reiner)
The Hunter (Country: Australia / Director: Daniel Nettheim)
War of the Buttons (Country: France / Director: Christophe Barratier)
Where Do We Go Now? (Country: France/Lebanon/Egypt/Italy / Director: Nadine Labaki)

•• Watch stars the stars of JAN: Caitlin Gerard (Jan), Virginia Madsen (Mel) and Laura Spencer (Vanessa) along with the series creator, Jon Avnet in the Jan Google+ Hangout recorded today.

•• Brian from “The Morning After” show sits down with Virginia Madsen to talk about her career and play the Logline Pop Quiz. Screencaptures have been added to the photogallery and watch the interview below, enjoy!

•• See how it’s all resolved in the Season 1 Finale of JAN. Watch the last espisode below. “Jan is left alone with Robbie and an erotic dance ensues with the camera as the object of much affection. Robbie takes Jan to see his world and photograph it.”

•• Finale of JAN is tomorrow! Who’s excited for this? Plus, high definition screencaptures of today’s episode (number 14) of JAN have been added in the photo gallery. Don’t forget – tomorrow, after the JAN finale, the show’s creator and some of the stars will be in a Google+ Hangout LIVE on Young Hollywood at 11am PDT/2pm EDT. Want to be one of the lucky fans to join? Submit a question for the stars and we may use it in the Hangout, tweet all your questions via twitter @WIGS or @YoungHollywood.

•• Here’s a little behind the scenes from “The Hot Flashes”, courtesy of Entertainment Tonight!

•• Finale of JAN is in two days and to celebrate the season finale, Caitlin Gerard, Virginia Madsen and Jon Avnet (writer/director of JAN) will be in a Google+ Hangout LIVE this Friday at 11am PDT/2pm EDT. Want to be one of the lucky fans to join? Submit a question for the stars and you may have a chance to participate in the Hangout, tweet all your questions via twitter @WIGS or @YoungHollywood.

•• Finale of  JAN is in two days! Who can’t wait? And what do you think will happen next? Plus, high definition screencaptures of today’s episode (number 13) of JAN have been added in the photo gallery. Watch the episode below and a behind the scenes video. Enjoy!

•• Episode 11 and 12 of JAN are online in WIGS’ youtube channel! Watch it below and if you have not seen previous episodes, you can watch them via youtube on http://www.youtube.com/WIGS and http://www.youtube.com/WIGSespanol. You can also watch behind the scenes with cast of JAN here!

•• “The Magic of Belle Isle”, starring Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman & Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen is now available to rent on iTunes, on demand and in theaters on July 6th.

••  High definition screencaptures of today’s episode (number 8) of JAN have been added in the photo gallery. You can also watch the episode below and remember new episode is coming on monday, enjoy!

•• Producer Jon Avnet, known for legendary films such as Black Swan and Risky Business has teamed with actress Virginia Madsen, Academy Award-nominated for Sideways to create WIGS, or “Where It Gets Interesting”, a premium YouTube channel that produces high-end scripted series, short films, and docs, centered around quality roles for women.

•• The idea germinated at a lunch between Avnet and Rodrigo Garcia (Albert Nobbs, In Treatment), where they bonded over the desire to create quality entertainment and complex roles for women, stemming from their individual work with female-centric films, such as Avnet’s acclaimed Fried Green Tomatoes.

“On our show, the men are the eye candy,” Avnet quips.With an experienced pool of “currently unemployed and very employable friends,” this idea grew into a fully operating channel. Internet culture at its best!

“It’s also great because we were able to get female directors and female writers. And for years, as many people in Hollywood know, this was an all boys club,” Avnet adds.

That’s a strong part of Ms. Madsen’s motivation to join such a project, along with the compelling new media aspect. “I believe that this is clearly where our industry is going,” she says. “I think that we’re on the ground floor of what is going to become the centerpiece of the entertainment industry.”

Madsen also beamingly admits that she’s wanted to work with Avnet since she auditioned for Risky Business when she was roughly 17 years old. ”This gave us an opportunity to work in a really free, creative environment with his beautiful writing,” Madsen says. “And I have to say it’s hard to find great material. That’s a common thing that women say, but it’s very true.”

The WIGS audience will see that the videos are divided between different storylines, which is a testament to the innovation that the YouTube platform provides.

“We spent so much time and effort trying to compete on a quality level with cable and network, and we think what we shot is quite good, so we wanted to show it in as pristine an environment as possible,” Avnet says.

What’s also impressive about WIGS is that it boasts traditionally successful talent who recognize that online entertainment is emerging as a prime source for content. Avnet points out that Jennifer Garner and Alfred Molina’s piece aired on Tuesday, with Julia Stiles and Jeanne Tripplehorn’s segment launching on June 11.

The first handful of episodes available now feature Caitlin Gerard, Madsen, Stephen Moyer, Kyle Gallner, Jaime Murray, and Laura Spencer.

“Can YouTube combat sexism in Hollywood?” Shira asked. “No, but we can make fun of it and we can play with and use it our advantage!” Madsen jokes.

Avnet notes that half of the directors working on the first 100 episodes that they shot are female — an unheard of gender ratio in Hollywood. “Instead of complaining about what isn’t, we tried to create a world of what is. And what is is WIGS.”

•• Episode 6 and 7 of JAN are online in WIGS’ youtube channel! Watch it below and if you have not seen previous episodes, you can watch them via youtube on http://www.youtube.com/WIGS and http://www.youtube.com/WIGSespanol.

•• Virginia Madsen was celebrity guest star on the new web series “Luke Reichle’s Style Secrets of the Red Carpet”, an ultimate Hollywood stylemaker’s guide to dressing with ease, power and maximum allure. Pictures have been added to the photo gallery, enjoy!

- Gallery Link:
May 19, 2012 » Luke Reichle’s Style Secrets of the Red Carpet

•• Episode 4 and 5 of JAN are online! Watch it below and if you have not seen previous episodes, watch them on http://www.youtube.com/WIGS and http://www.youtube.com/WIGSespanol (dubbed into spanish). Watch behind the scenes with cast of JAN here and check the HD screencaptures from episodes here!

•• Today, award-winning filmmakers Jon Avnet and Rodrigo Garcia launch JAN, the first WIGS series from a comprehensive slate of new, original programming.The digital channel’s premiere series JAN is written and directed by Jon Avnet. The series stars Caitlin Gerard, Virginia Madsen, Stephen Moyer, along with Alexandra Holden, Jaime Murray, Kyle Gallner, Iddo Goldberg, Laura Spencer, Dorothy Davis, Allison McAtee, Andrea De Oliveira, John Ales and Cass Castelow.

Jan (Caitlin Gerard) wins a national competition that allows her to assist acclaimed photographer, Mel Karpova (Virginia Madsen). It’s a dream first job, but a series of blunders make it feel more like a nightmare. An unlikely upside is the attention of a movie star, Gerald Noth (Stephen Moyer) at a photo shoot. However, his constant knight-in-shining-armor attempts to help Jan often cause even more trouble for her. Jan’s journey becomes increasingly chaotic when her deeply troubled ex-boyfriend Robbie (Kyle Gallner) enters her life again.

The first three episodes are currently available worldwide in English and Spanish on youtube.com/wigs, youtube.comwigsespanol and watchwigs.com. In total, the series is comprised of 15 episodes and will be distributed online over the next four weeks with new episodes premiering on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Watch the first three episodes below!

•• WIGS are quality scripted dramas that are written, performed and directed by world class talents. We’re telling stories of women in 5-8 minute installments, chapters, short movies and little segments. With a plethora of of well known names flocking to the project including Virginia Madsen, Julia Stiles, Dakota Fanning, Allison Janney, America Ferrera to name a few, WIGS is a brilliant new Youtube channel dedicated to bringing the stories of women to the forefront of cultural consciousness.

Jan premieres May 14th. Watch how Jan (Caitlin Gerard) gets the first job of her dreams but the boss (Virginia Madsen) of her nightmares. What happens when your dream first job becomes a nightmare?

•• Magnolia has debuted the official trailer for Rob Reiner’s latest film “The Magic of Belle Isle”, which stars Morgan Freeman as a famous novelist burderned by alcoholism who moves to a small rural town called Belle Isle in an attempt to reignite his passion for writing. The cast also includes Virginia Madsen as Mrs. O’Neil, Kenan Thompson, Madeline Carroll and Fred Willard, who all have an effect on the man. The movie will be distributed by Magnolia Pictures and be released on Video On Demand starting June 1st and will be available in theaters on July 6th. You can watch the trailer below and in High Definition over on Apple.

•• Hornet’s Nest is set to air Saturday March 31st in US at 8 pm (ET/PT) on TNT. Sherry Stringfield and Virginia Madsen Track a Ruthless Serial Killer in TNT Original Movie Adaptation of Patricia Cornwell’s Hornet’s Nest.

- The chart-topping bestseller by America’s #1 crime novelist, Patricia Cornwell, comes to TNT with Sherry Stringfield and Virginia Madsen leading the cast. Robbie Amell, Michael Boatman and Michael Silver co-star in the first in this adaptation of the first novel in Cornwell’s series of mysteries featuring reporter Andy Brazil (Amell), Police Chief Judy Hammer (Madsen) and her top deputy, Virginia West (Stringfield). Boatman has been cast as Richard Panesa, and Silver will play Deputy Chief Adam Goode. Set in Charlotte, N.C., the story opens with everyone desperate to solve the latest crisis: a serial killer is specializing in out-of-town businessmen. Hammer and West make the murder investigation their top priority. But West is less than pleased when Hammer pairs her up with Brazil, a cub reporter assigned to cover the police department. Hornet’s Nest is being adapted by screenwriter Dee Johnson and directed by Millicent Shelton. Jim Head serves as executive producer, along with Cornwell.

••  TNT has released some images from the film, including production and promotional stills, you can check them out below!

- Gallery Links:
Television Films & Series > Hornet’s Nest > On-Set Photos
Television Films & Series > Hornet’s Nest > Posters & Key-Art
Television Films & Series > Hornet’s Nest > Promotional Stills
Television Films & Series > Hornet’s Nest > Production Stills

- Gallery Links:
Feature Films > Father of Invention > On The Set
Feature Films > Father of Invention > Posters & Key-Art
Feature Films > Father of Invention > Production Stills
Feature Films > Father of Invention > DVD Screencaptures
Feature Films > Father of Invention > Official Trailer
Feature Films > Father of Invention > Official Site

•• New movie project for Virginia Madsen has been confirmed! She has joined the cast of “The Hot Flashes”, the already announced cast are Daryl Hannah, Eric Roberts, Brooke Shields and Wanda Sykes. The film is directed by Susan Seidelman and the synopsis reads as:

An unlikely basketball team of unappreciated middle-aged Texas women, all former high school champs, challenge the current arrogant high school girls’ state champs to a series of games to raise money for breast cancer prevention. Sparks fly as these marginalized women go to comic extremes to prove themselves on and off the court, and become a national media sensation.

The production has started filming in New Orleans and please check back for further information about this movie!

•• As previously posted, the gorgeous Virginia Madsen attended the 2012 Oscar ceremony past sunday (February 26th) and two videos getting interviewed on the red carpet and other posing for the photographers have been to the video archive. Plus, +350 high definition screencaptures from both videos can be seen in the gallery. Enjoy!

•• Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen attended the Academy Awards ceremony last night, looking  absolutely amazing in a purple asymmetrical one-shoulder gown by Kevan Hall, accessorized with large emerald and diamond earrings, diamond bracelets and a diamond ring by Loree Rodkin and carried a minaudiere by Judith Leiber. About 390 pictures from the red carpet with actor Nick Holmes have been added to the photo gallery. Video files will be added tomorrow! Enjoy the new additions!

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2012 > February 26th » The 84th Annual Academy Awards

•• TV movie “Hornet’s Nest” will air at 8 p.m. March 31, according to TNT officials. Sherry Stringfield (“ER”) and Virginia Madsen (“Sideways”) star in the movie, an adaptation of the Charlotte-based novel of the same name by Patricia Cornwell.

“Hornet’s Nest” filmed last December at the StarNews Media newsroom on 17th Street and other Port City locations, such as the New Hanover County courthouse.

The movie features reporter Andy Brazil (Robbie Amell), Police Chief Judy Hammer (Madsen) and her top deputy, Virginia West (Stringfield). The story begins with everyone desperate to solve the latest crisis: a serial killer targeting out-of-town businessmen. Hammer and West make the murder investigation their top priority.

“Hornet’s Nest” will premiere as part of the TNT Mystery Movie Night, the network’s new film series adapted from contemporary crime novels.

- Gallery Links:
Feature Films > The Magic of Belle Isle > Production Stills

✿ Rosmarie (Olympia Dukakis) and Abigail (Virginia Madsen) are the last survivors of an ancient line of mystics. When Abigail’s teenage daughter Rhea (Zosia Mamet) falls in love with a poetically inclined boy (Sam Underwood), she begins to develop magical powers that lead her to discover the truth about the mysterious women in her family and the prophecy they have awaited for generations. But when her magical secret is revealed, Rhea is torn between her desire to live a normal life and the responsibility she has to embrace her gifts and help a world teetering on the edge of disaster.

- Gallery Links:
Feature Films > The Last Keepers > Production Stills

•• Magnolia Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to “The Magic of Belle Isle” once titled “Summer at Dog Dave’s, starring Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Madeline Carroll, Kenan Thompson and Fred Willard. Greenwood Lake served as Belle Isle during the summer shoot, with residents serving as extras in the film. Rob Reiner directed the drama, which will receive a summer 2012 release in theaters and through Ultra VOD.

In an effort to tap into his original talent, Monte Wildhorn (Morgan Freeman), a wheelchair-bound authormoves to a rural town – a Belle Isle cabin, where he befriends a single mother (Virginia Madsen) and her three kids, who help reignite his passion for writing.

- Gallery Links:
•• Firewall (2006):
Feature Films > Firewall > Theatrical Trailer
Feature Films > Firewall > DVD Main Titles
Feature Films > Firewall >  DVD Screencaptures [High Quality]
Feature Films > Firewall > DVD Screencaptures [Low Quality]
Feature Films > Firewall > Special Features » Firewall Decoded
Feature Films > Firewall > Special Features » Writing A Thriller

•• Ripple Effect (2007):
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > Trailer
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > DVD Main Titles
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > DVD Screencaptures
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > Bonus Features » Thoughts From The Director
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > Bonus Features » Behind The Scenes
Feature Films > Ripple Effect > Bonus Features » Actor Bios

•• Three HQ photos of Virginia Madsen leaving a VIP party in Zuma Beach on January 6th have been to the photo gallery and enjoy!

- Gallery Link:
Candids in 2012 > January 06tth » Leaving a VIP party in Zuma Beach

•• Star gazing was the order of the evening last nite as scores of celebs checked into the Banff Springs Hotel for the Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational hosted by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and friends. The two-day, three-night event benefited Waterkeeper Alliance, the fastest growing environmental movement in the world.

For many, the event’s highlight was Saturday evening’s Awards and Gala Dinner, which raised an impressive $885,000 through live and silent auction items. A fave event was the Saturday evening performance by Grammy Award-winner Michael McDonald of Doobie Brothers fame who was joined on stage by fellow Grammy winner Kenny Loggins. Talk about rocking the house!

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2012 > January 12th » The Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational

•• Two men reaching middle age with not much to show but disappointment, embark on a week long road trip through California’s wine country, just as one is about to take a trip down the aisle.

Be sure to click on the previews below to see all the screen captures from the film including deleted scenes, behind the scenes featurette and more.

- Gallery Links:
Sideways > DVD Screencaptures [High Quality]
Sideways > DVD Screencaptures [Low Quality]
Sideways > DVD Screencaptures » Main Menu
Sideways > DVD Screencaptures » Behind The Scenes Featurette
Sideways > DVD Screencaptures » Deleted Scenes

••  Here’s an exclusive message from Virginia Madsen wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Enjoy!!

•• The cast of the locally filmed TNT movie “Hornet’s Nest” arrived late last month, and the stars will be popping up around the Port City at various shoot locations and area haunts through Dec. 24. The following are some of the actors you’ll see on the screen next spring and possibly around town through the end of the week.

•• Virginia Madsen: Perhaps best known for her role as Maya in the 2004 movie “Sideways,” Virginia Madsen is no stranger to Wilmington. This is the third TV movie she has done in this area. The others were “Linda” in 1993 and “Ambushed” in 1997. She also appeared on the 2003 season finale of “Dawson’s Creek.”

Madsen plays Police Chief Judy Hammer in “Hornet’s Nest.” Clad in a knee-length black dress and sheer wrap and sporting bright-white sneakers between takes during a ballroom scene at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside last week, she gushed about the Port City.

“It’s just a beautiful place,” Madsen said with a sense of sincerity and warmth. “I’m very happy that they haven’t built it up too much. This town is such a wonderful combination of small-town feeling but with show business.”

In fact, she loves it here so much she asked to stay in the heart of downtown rather than being in a more remote location away from the city’s center. You’re likely to find Madsen sitting at the bar at Caffe Phoenix, an eatery she confessed she’d visited almost every day during her stay thus far. She recalls it fondly from her previous visits.

“I like the staff, and the food is wonderful,” Madsen said. “I’ve never had a bad meal there.”

She’s also a fan of Tower 7 in Wrightsville Beach. Madsen’s sentiment for the local film community matches her love for the area. She beamed when talking about the “Hornet’s Nest” crew.

“They just know how to do it here,” Madsen said. “The crews have an ease with one another and so they work faster. They really are professional, and they know what they’re doing.”

•• Tuesday night, Shawn and Larry King hosted the 4th Annual Children’s Action Network (CAN) Holiday Party. Charitable celebrities, designers, artists, and activists joined forces to raise awareness and find homes for more than 107,000 youth in the foster care system in need of adoptive families. The night centered around beautiful and ornate handcrafted wreaths made by Todd Williamson, Kelly Wearstler, Virginia Madsen, Teri Hatcher and Antwone Fisher, to name a few, which were auctioned with proceeds benefiting CAN.

The Children’s Action Network (CAN) and The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption are spreading more holiday cheer with “A Home For The Holidays” which premieres on CBS December 23 and 8PM ET/PT. No Doubt, Sheryl Crow, Mary J. Blige, MYA, Enrique Iglesias, and Train are just some of the special guest performances expected.

For more information on the Children’s Action Network (CAN) please reference the website. If you’d like to help, donations are excepted online. An alternative is giving someone on your personal Christmas list this year a charitable holiday gift. Proceeds from Rachel Miriam’s black pave diamond necklace ($350) benefit the Children’s Action Network as well.

•• TNT has greenlit an original movie adaptation of the chart-topping bestseller Hornet’s Nest, a novel by America’s #1 crime novelist, Patricia Cornwell, whose works have sold more than 100 million copies worldwide. Virginia Madsen and  Sherry Stringfield have been cast to star in Hornet’s Nest, which will premiere next spring as part of the TNT Mystery Movie Night, the network’s new showcase of movies adapted from contemporary crime novels.

“Hornet’s Nest” was a No. 1 New York Times best-seller. It is the first in Cornwell’s series of mysteries featuring reporter Andy Brazil, as well as Police Chief Judy Hammer and her top deputy, Virginia West.

“Set in Charlotte, N.C., the story opens with everyone desperate to solve the latest crisis: a serial killer is specializing in out-of-town businessmen. Hammer and West make the murder investigation their top priority. But West is less than pleased when Hammer pairs her up with Brazil, a cub reporter assigned to cover the police department”.

•• Happy Thanksgiving y’all!! Be thankful everyday but today especially remember and appreciate everything and everyone in your life!!!

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > November 15th » “The Descendants” Los Angeles Premiere

✿ Here at official Virginia Madsen’s site, we wanted to wish you all a Happy and Safe Halloween. Keep coming back here for more great Virginia Madsen news, videos and more information.

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > October 17th » Moda Operandi hosts Party to Celebrate Derek Blasberg’s “Very Classy”

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2011 > October 2nd » Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show
Talk Shows > October 2nd » Kevin Pollak’s Chat Show

Hollywood glitz and glamour was showcased in Temecula on Sunday night as the Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival capped off its festivities with a star-studded awards gala at the Pechanga Resort and Casino.

Several big names in film and music were honored as an audience of more than 200 people, including many of the filmmakers and musicians who debuted their work during the five-day event, looked on.

Among the honorees was film star Virginia Madsen, who praised film festivals as venues for creativity and good moviemaking. Madsen, who has starred in numerous films and received an Oscar nomination for “Sideways,” was honored Sunday with the founder’s award for outstanding career achievement.

“Film festivals are the lifeblood of independent filmmaking nowadays,” Madsen said in an interview. “It’s very hard now to get your film made and distributed and seen… The more interesting, artistic films are just not getting out there.”

That’s where film festivals such as Temecula’s come in, she said. “It’s a great gathering place for creative thinking, for creative minds,” Madsen said. “It’s also a wonderful place to meet the newcomers.”

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > September 18th » Temecula Valley International Film & Music Festival

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > September 14th » Spring 2012 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week

Kevin Spacey (The Men Who Stare at Goats), Camilla Belle (10,000 B.C.) and Heather Graham (Son of Morning) star in Father of Invention, a 2011 comedy that is on DVD and Blu-ray less than two weeks after the movie’s premiere as a limited release in theaters on Oct. 14.

Spacey stars as eccentric inventor turned ego-driven infomercial guru Robert Axl. After one of his inventions, the “Ab-Clicker,” maims thousands of customers, a class-action lawsuit lands him in jail for the next 10 years. Newly released, Axle is ready to redeem his name and hopefully rebuild his billion-dollar empire. But first he must convince his estranged 22-year-old daughter (Belle) to let him live with her and her roommates, as well as find that one “fabrication” that will redeem him.

✿  Release Date: Oct. 25, 2011
✿  Price: DVD $26.98, Blu-ray $29.99
✿  Studio: Anchor Bay

Directed and co-written by Trent Cooper (Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector), the movie co-stars Johnny Knoxville (TV’s Jackass), John Stamos (TV’s ER), Craig Robinson (Hot Tub Time Machine) and Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Red Riding Hood).

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > September 8th » “A Kiss And A Promise” Los Angeles Screening

✿ Virginia Madsen celebrates her 50th birthday today and we at her official website would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday!! Please stop by and leave your birthday wishes by commenting here or write them at her official facebook page!

New upcoming project for Virginia Madsen has been confirmed! She has joined the cast of Smokewood Entertainment’s  “Long Time Gone”. Virginia will star in Sarah Siegel-Magness’ drama film, joining the already announced cast of Amanda Crew, Aly Michalka, Madeline Zima and Zach Gilford.

✿ “Precious” producer Sarah Siegel-Magness makes her directorial debut with the pic, which stars Virginia Madsen as Augusta,  a woman who suffers a nervous breakdown after her cheating husband leaves her. Zach Gilford and Graham Rogers co-star as her two sons who, along with the latter’s live-in girlfriend (Amanda Crew), attempt to comfort Ryan in her time of need.

Production will start filming this month in Los Angeles. Please check back for further information!

Directed by Trent Cooper (“Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector”), the film co-stars Camilla Belle, Heather Graham, Virginia Madsen, Craig Robinson and Johnny Knoxville.

The official synopsis: “Kevin Spacey is Robert Axle, an eccentric inventor turned egomaniacal infomercial guru, who loses it all when one of his inventions maims thousands of customers. After eight years in a maximum security prison, Axle is ready to redeem his name and rebuild his billion dollar empire. But first, he must convince his estranged 22-year old daughter (Belle) to let him live with her and her quirky, over-protective roommates.”

After premiering at the Berlin Film Festival in February 2010, the film ran into trouble finding a domestic distributor, although it did land a TV and DVD deal in Italy.

- Gallery Link:
Miscellaneous Photos > Personal Photos

Earlier than reported here, filming for “Summer at Dog Dave’s” began Thursday in Greenwood Lake. At center, pointing, is director Rob Reiner (“When Harry Met Sally,” “The Bucket List”). The film stars Morgan Freeman and Virginia Madsen.

Jim Moore, husband of Greenwood Lake Mayor Barbara Moore, is pulling an antique boat through the scene Reiner is directing in this photo. The film is taking place in the fictional Belle Isle Village, reason for the sign on the sidewalk.

“Summer at Dog Dave’s” will be filming in Greenwood Lake until Aug. 10.

As if the new amazing layout wasn’t enough at Virginia Madsen’s official website, over 500  blu-ray quality screencaptures from Red Riding Hood have been uploaded to the photo gallery. This movie is a really great production, so if you haven’t seen it yet, buy it or rent it today! Be sure to check out all the screen captures in High Definition by clicking on the preview below, as per usual and hope everyone enjoys them.

With all the recent additions, the gallery now has over 34,000 photos, and a lot more to come!!



- Gallery Link:
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > Screen Captures [Blu-Ray]

Virginia Madsen graced the cover of “New York  Moves” Magazine on December 2009 (Issue #42), outtakes have been already uploaded previously in the photo gallery. Links and previews are below for the scans and stay tuned for more scans additions!

- Gallery Links:
Studio Photoshoots > Set 061 to Set 090 > Session #80
Magazine Scans > Scans in 2009 > December 2009 » New York Moves

Several new scans from magazines published earlier have been to the photo gallery. Among them are Malibu Times, Healthy Living, LIFE, Entertaiment Weekly, Chicago and more. All them autographed by Virginia Madsen, so please be sure to check them out right away!

- Gallery Links:
Scans in 1987 > June 1st » US Magazine
Scans in 2004 > October 29, 2004 » Entertainment Weekly
Scans in 2005 > February 2005 » LIFE
Scans in 2006 > February 2006 » Chicago
Scans in 2010 > February-March 2010 » Ability
Scans in 2010 > November-December 2010 » Malibu Times
Scans in 2011 > 2011 » Healthy Living (Volume 15, Number 2)

Virginia Madsen attended the red carpet at the AFI Life Achievement Awards Honoring Morgan Freeman, held at Sony Pictures Studios on Thursday (June 9th) in Culver City, California. Pictures can now be viewed in the photo gallery!

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > June 9th » The 39th AFI Life Achievement Award Honoring Morgan Freeman

Virginia Madsen is in talks to join Morgan Freeman in the cast of Summer At Dog Dave’s.

Virginia, who was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Sideways, and Saturday Night Live regular Kenan Thompson are in negotiations to join the Rob Reiner film, Variety reports. Morgan Freeman has already signed up to play a disabled author whose drinking is hampering his ability to write.

Virginia is in line to play Morgan’s character’s new neighbour who inspires him to give up drinking, while Kenan might play the writer’s nephew. would make a turn as Freeman’s new neighbor, a single-mother of three who befriends the author and inspires him to, well you can probably guess the outcome (hint: he starts writing again).

Virginia Madsen recently co-starred in Catherine Hardwicke’s “Red Riding Hood” and signed on to produce Hardwicke’s adaptation of “The Bitch Posse” through her shingle Title IX, which optioned Martha O’Connor’s book.

Production is scheduled to start this July in Greenwood Lake, NY and to be released in 2012.

On May 25th, Virginia Madsen attended the launch party for Virgin America’s first flight from Los Angeles to Chicago. There’s also other pictures of Virginia with Sir Richard Branson after the first flight from Los Angeles to Chicago inaugural flight on Virgin America at Chicago O’Hare Airport  in Los Angeles, California. For your viewing pleasure all pictures can be found in the photo gallery as usual so please enjoy!

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2011 > May 25th » Launch Of Virgin America’s 1st Flight
Events in 2011 > May 25th » Virgin America Chicago O’Hare Launch Party

Virginia Madsen is featured in a video for “Funny or Die” titled “Marriage Drama with Virginia Madsen”. You can now find 174 HQ captures at the gallery from this video and you can also watch it below! On the video, you can see Steve and Linda’s marriage is falling apart. But Virginia Madsen has a bigger issue to deal with. Enjoy!

Doin’ It With Ethan stopped by Virginia Madsen’s bachelor pad on April 15th to make some egg rolls. Host Ethan Mechare talked to Virginia about the Oscars, her amazing performance in Sideways, her documentary I Know A Woman Like That and her famous egg roll recipe. You can watch the full interview below.

Virginia Madsen wrote a blog entry for The Daily Love: “Sometimes we find ourselves depressed, stressed or discouraged – stuck in a dark place that seems impossible to escape, almost reflecting the last grey of winter before the seasonal changes that signal the dawn of springtime. It may be the simple everyday problems that build up over time or it can be something much larger and more serious that buries us in spirit. I believe negative energy is like stagnant air that needs but a window opened to shake it all out. Changing the energy within ourselves can affect the outward energy around us.

Try something new to excite, or wake up your inner self. Try yoga, cycling or raising your heart rate with a simple walk around the block. With simple “baby steps” we can transform our own energy. By doing so we create momentum that can affect ourselves, and those around us. I think of this as a kind of “spring cleaning” of the body mind and spirit. Think of a summer vacation house, locked up and closed for the winter, being opened and cleaned out. How transformed the summer house becomes with the windows open and the cobwebs swept out. We too can spring clean ourselves and prepare for the seasonal changes that will renew our lives.

Open your doors and windows, dust things off and shed your winter blues. The time is now. Spring has sprung. Prepare to embrace the sun and start anew.

You may be surprised at what blooms within you.”
Love,
Virginia

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2011 > March 21st » “Super” Los Angeles Premiere

East Coast Independent Film has started a new program at UConn that helps independent filmmakers find an audience. This is the second screening of a Connecticut made film for this new “Screening & Talk Back Program” started by “East Coast Independent Film” director Alexander J. Andriulli.

On Monday, March 28, from 6-9 p.m., there will be a screening of the Connecticut-made independent film “Being Michael Madsen” which features the actors Michael Madsen, Virginia Madsen, and Daryl Hannah at the UConn Student Union Theater. This event will be open to the public.

The program is hosted by the UConn student union body of government film committee. Purpose for this program: To help generate tangible growth for the film industry on the East Coast. This program is similar to what a major film studio would do to help promote its upcoming films. It connects the filmmakers to college students who can help spread the word about their film, which gives the filmmakers access to a larger audience. The more revenue the company makes the more likely they are to make more projects here on the East Coast.

Episode 1×11: President Martinez and his longtime Chief of Staff charge the intelligence community with decrypting Thomas’s satellite message, but more importantly determining to whom it was sent. While they are distracted, Thomas unveils a surprise attack, but he does not anticipate a heroic stand-off with Blake Sterling, who learns an important lesson about Sleepers from Maya. 

Episode 1×12: Meanwhile, newly appointed Alaskan Senator Catherine Lewis threatens to divulge information about the Mt. Inostranka detention facility on an episode of “HARDBALL with Chris Matthews.” Elsewhere, Sean and Leila get a fresh lead on the whereabouts of Samantha, but it leads them to a dramatic turn in their lives. James Dempsey foresees that he and Sean will once again cross paths.

Hi Vmad fans! Yesterday, Virginia Madsen made an appearance at The Talk to promote her latest movie Red Riding Hood so I just uploaded over 300 captures being interviewed by Sharon Osbourne and Julie Chen into the photo gallery. Virginia discussed several topics such as her character in Red Riding Hood which opens March 11th, her family and more . I am also excited to announce that we now feature +28, 000 photosin the gallery and there is always being more added constantly! For now, you can watch the interview below. Hope you enjoy!!

- Gallery Link:
Talk Shows > March 9th, 2011 » The Talk

The Event will return for the remainder of its first season this Monday at 8 p.m. for a two-hour premiere on NBC. Make sure to watch these two duke it out in the Oval Office. If you’re taking bets, I’m not putting money down anywhere. One’s the president and all, but from the sounds of it, that senator’s got something up her sleeve. Stay tuned to find out what. The Event airs Mondays on NBC.

Keshaunta Moton for Poptimal.com: You two star on NBC’s The Event. So Blair, how is it being President?
Virginia Madsen: (laughs) Yeah, I saw that. There’s a whole protocol around you. You’re very presidential. I think you could be president, for real. I’ll campaign for it.

Poptimal: I’ll vote for you. And Virginia you play Senator Catherine Lewis. Can you tell me how it felt for you to join an already established series?
Virginia Madsen: I was a fan of the show. I’ve watched every episode since the pilot. So I felt, the first day, very nervous being around everybody. But I was so excited to be a part of it. Walking into the Oval Office, it was so realistic. But being a senator and having my hair all tucked up and everything it took a little bit for me to step into her shoes.Poptimal: And do you find that you take your roles off-screen as well? Do you walk around off-set like you’re president?
Virginia Madsen: I don’t know, but I’m a method actor.

Poptimal: What does Catherine bring to the show that wasn’t there before?
Virginia Madsen: I think I cause a lot of trouble for you. That part’s really fun.

Poptimal: And what’s coming up for the remaining episodes of this season?
Virginia Madsen: I kind of hold all the secrets of the aliens; who they are, where they are. And this two hour [episode] coming up is just so exciting. It’s full of action and suspense and great drama. It’s wonderful storytelling. Even if you didn’t watch the other episodes earlier on it holds you off.

Poptimal: Any secrets from the season?
Virginia Madsen: The aliens, they’re originally from here.

Poptimal: Are there any of your mannerisms that you find pop into your characters?
Virginia Madsen: I had to be less fidgety as a senator of Alaska. I had to be more conservative, somehow. So my physicality is a little different for this character.

Poptimal: What do you love about The Event?
Virginia Madsen: Particularly I like Blair. I like the scenes I do with Blair. And there’s just a wonderful atmosphere. As he said, it’s very fast-paced which took some getting used to. But it’s really fun to go to work everyday.

Poptimal: You both have long and distinguished careers, is there anything that still manages to surprise you about acting, or even your characters?
Virginia Madsen: I love going to work. I think the first thing to start a new job -  it’s still hard for me to sleep the night before. There’s always something new that happens; always something new to learn.

Poptimal: I want to thank you both for taking the time to speak with us.
Virginia Madsen: Thank you.

- Gallery Links:
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > Interview with Virginia Madsen
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > B-Roll I
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > B-Roll II
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > B-Roll III

Virginia Madsen, who was a 2004 Oscar nominee for Sideways for her role as Maya, said she chose her Romona Keveza gown for the 2011 Oscars because, “It really reminded me of the classic glamour of old Hollywood, and I always love the opportunity to dress up.” “There’s always somebody standing on the train.”

Over 350 photos of Virginia from the arrivals and audience have been added into the photo gallery! You can see all the images by clicking on the preview links below as usual. Enjoy!

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2011 > February 27th » The 83rd Annual Academy Awards: Arrivals
Events in 2011 > February 27th » The 83rd Annual Academy Awards: Show

In the film, Valerie (Amanda Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider Peter (Shiloh Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Max Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie’s older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Gary Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon’s arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. Panic grips the town as Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast–one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect and bait.

Wishing you Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year 2011 to all of the VMad Fans!!

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2010 > December 6th » “The Fighter” Los Angeles Premiere

Foster care advocate and Sideways actress Virginia Madsen was also there to lend her support to the organization, and spoke openly about how she considered adopting a child through the foster care system. Though she ended up deciding not to go that route in the end, Madsen’s certification as a foster care parent made her a strong advocate for the “fost-adopt” process. She described attending an adoption ceremony for 130 children in Los Angeles with her friend Nia Vardalos (who underwent the fost-adopt process last year): “It was so heart-wrenching. It was so moving. I couldn’t stop crying the whole day… As cynical as people can get about this world and where we’re going, when you see people really putting themselves out there, to get so deeply involved in a child that they would adopt them and bring them into their family–I don’t know how to describe it. It was extraordinary.”

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2010 > November 18th »”Chill” Ice Skating Rink Grand Opening

Virginia has been cast for four episodes of the American science fiction political thriller television series created by Nick Wauters called The Event. The show’s plot centers on the presence of extraterrestrial people who have been detained by the United States Government for sixty-six years and who may now become exposed to the general populace. More information will be posted when it becomes available!

Virginia Madsen had plenty to celebrate this Thanksgiving. Last month, she was an official honoree of Hollywood’s LA Femme International Film Festival, an annual celebration of films written, directed or produced by women, for her achievements during 27 years in TV and film, and also for her recently formed production company’s maiden offering: I Know a Woman Like That, an acclaimed documentary about the lives of women 64 and older whose youthful vigor remains defiantly undiminished.

In March, she will be seen starring opposite Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried in Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke’s live-action adaptation of Little Red Riding Hood. Later next year she’ll be playing Aidan Quinn’s goddess-worshipping wife in the romantic drama The Art of Love. Yet on this evening, the Chicago-born Madsen, 49, has not come to the city’s Sundance Kabuki Cinemas simply to discuss the future, but to revisit her Oscar-nominated turn in Alexander Payne’s 2004 comedy Sideways.

In person, Madsen is friendly, forthright and refreshingly candid about a career that’s had its share of highs – including award-winning performances in Candyman (1992) and the heist drama Artworks (2003) – and lows. Tonight, as part of a Chase Sapphire rewards program that entitles cardholders to participate in unique meet-and-greets with stars of stage, screen and sport, she seems eager to talk about the movie that landed her back in the spotlight, and which has made her a magnet for autograph seekers.

On Sideways, and its effect on her personal life and career:
“It’s a wonderful film, but the fact that the movie was successful, too – what are the odds? These days, it seems like one in a million. Was it the most memorable experience of my career? It was one of them, but it certainly stands out the most in terms of how it changed my life. It brought me opportunities, and I was at a place in my life where I knew what to do with them. I made the right choices. And as an actor, to be given opportunities is so rare.“I was aware how fortunate I was – not lucky, because luck had nothing to do with it. It also gave me something on a personal level. It allowed me to travel a lot, but to travel in a meaningful way, not just supporting some bad movie. It gave me the chance to meet new people and to talk to them, to do press, just like I’m doing tonight. And it allowed my son and I to move out of L.A. to a cool new place.

“Most of all, it gave me confidence. Getting that kind of recognition, if you’re prepared for it, can bring confidence. With other people, it makes them self-conscious and breaks them down, but I wasn’t 22 when I had this experience. Having a lot of people praise you when you’ve been unsuccessful for a long time, it didn’t make me bitter or indignant or conceited. It made me feel confident, and I’m still so grateful for that. It made me stronger.”

On the challenges women of a certain age face in Hollywood:
“Nobody was going to discard me because I wasn’t going anywhere. You can’t be discarded if you refuse to go – they might shut the door on me, but if you want to get somewhere, you have to be willing to kick that door down. I have no control over what anyone thinks of me or who casts me, but once I get in that room, I bring a lot to the table. The one thing I do have control over is my product and myself, what I can bring to a meeting and a movie.

“It doesn’t matter if they – the collective they – don’t want me right now. I don’t care. I’m going to create myself. I got stronger and better, and I did a lot of work to get back through those doors that were closed. So I don’t buy into that idea of being discarded. It’s up to me, not anyone else.”

On running her Title IX production company:
“Our first mission was to get I Know a Woman Like That made, and secondly there were movies I wanted to make, movies that deserved to be made, that didn’t necessarily involve me as the star. You have to be extremely patient, and you have to have balls to produce – I can see why most actors don’t want to do it. But it’s a process that I really came to enjoy, and I’ll keep doing it as long as it makes sense because it’s a major financial commitment. If I can afford it, I’ll do it.

“I know what I do best, and besides being a mom, it’s acting. I’m not kidding myself that I’m the kind of producer who’s going to make that the primary focus of my career. I’m always an actress first. I have to surround myself with true business people – suits – because I’m a creative producer, and I’m very much hands on and very, very involved. I’m not just wearing a producer’s hat. But I’ve never lost sight of what I do best.”

On the upcoming Red Riding Hood:
“It’s a dark thriller and it’s absolutely beautiful. It was sometimes difficult being on the set because the movie is all about technical shots – the camera is the real star, not the actors. But I play Amanda’s mother, and Gary plays a wolf hunter. Everyone realizes that the wolf is someone in the village, and I’m a suspect, but I’m bound by contract not to tell you the wolf’s secret identity.”

On the aquamarine ink stains on her index finger:
“That’s so typical Virginia – I got this signing an autograph, which I always appreciate doing. That’s another thing Sideways brought me. Nobody ever asked for my autograph before that, except for the sci-fi fans. [Madsen previously starred in David Lynch's Dune (1984) and Russell Mulcahy's 1991 sequel to Highlander.] Any kind of acknowledgment of your work is wonderful.

“When you do theater, you receive applause, and it’s a direct relationship between the actor and audience. When you do film, you don’t have that. The best you can do is sneak into the theater and feel the reaction. So when someone asks for an autograph or wants to talk about a movie like Sideways, I bow to them. That’s my applause, that’s the connection and how I feel it. Sure, there’s an occasional weirdo, but I know how to freeze them out. I can be pretty mean, without saying much. Otherwise, I can’t really articulate, though I’ve tried, how deeply I appreciate it.”

Source: 7×7.com

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producer-director Francis Ford Coppola and Honorary Awards to historian and preservationist Kevin Brownlow, director Jean-Luc Godard and actor Eli Wallach. The Thalberg Award, a bust of the motion picture executive, is given to “a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.” The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given to an individual for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2010 > November 13th » AMPAS 2nd Annual Governors Awards

LA Femme Film Festival’s Founder Leslie LaPage announced today that the 6th Annual LA Femme Film Festival 2010, October 14-17, 2010 will be honoring Angela Bassett (What’s Love Got to do with it, Green Lantern), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Scoundrels), Angela Kinsey (The Office), Loretta Devine and Maggie Wheeler (Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond) at the festival’s Awards Ceremony on October 17, 2010.

LA Femme’s full program of films screening is available on line. Some selected films screening at the festival include: “Truth About Kerry”, Stana Katic (Castle); “ I Know a Woman Like That” Rita Moreno (Westside Story), Virginia Madsen (Sideways), Eartha Kitt (Batman), Lauren Hutton (American Gigolo); “Mountains that Take Wing” Angela Davis (Political Activist) & Yuri Kochiyama (Japanese American Human Rights Activist); “ Assisting Venus”, Michael Steger (90210), Jordan Bridges (Rizzoli & Isles), Julian Sands (24), Kirsten Gronfield (10 Items or Less); “Nothing Special” , Karen Black (Five Easy Pieces); “B-Girl” Jonathan Wesley (Roll Bounce), Jules “Lady Jules” Urich (America’s Best Dance Crew, Beat Freaks), Ivan “Flipz” Velez (Step Up 3D), Rynan “Rainen” Paguio (America’s Best Dance Crew, Jabbawockeez (Winner), Jonathan “Legacy” Perez (So You Think You Can Dance).

For more information, please visit the website at www.lafemme.org

The Savannah Film Festival is currently scheduled to host Academy Award-nominated actress Virginia Madsen, who will present the documentary “I Know a Woman Like That,” directed by her mother Elaine Madsen, who will also be in attendance.

Liam Neeson, Sir Ian McKellen and Isabella Rossellini will be honored as part of the 13th Annual Savannah Film Festival, which will take place Oct. 30 to Nov. 6.

Virginia will star in Maggie Greenwald’s next film, joining the already announced cast of Aidan Quinn, Olympia Dukakis and Zosia Mamet.

“The Las Keepers” is produced by Jonathan Burkhart and Brice Dal Farra. The film is currently in pre-production (starts filming in October) set for release in 2011 and the synopsis reads as:

The story centers a teenage daughter of a reclusive family of artists falls in love with an unusual boy at school, she awakens mysterious powers and discovers ancient family secrets that will change her life forever.

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2010 > September 16th » An evening out at Premiere club

- Gallery Links:
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > On The Set – (July 23, 2010)
Feature Films > Red Riding Hood > Model FX in Vancouver, CA

Virginia celebrates her 49th birthday today, and we at her official website would like to wish her a very Happy Birthday!! Please stop by and leave your birthday wishes by commenting in the fanbook!!

Once again, Virginia is giving up her birthday (September 11th) to charity: water and she is asking your donation as her birthday gift from all you. This year her campaign goal is $15,000 so please join and make your donation here! 100% of your donation directly funds clean water projects in developing nations.

In Virginia’s words:

Dear Friends! Last year was the best birthday because of the well all your donations helped to build. It was better than a present wrapped in pretty paper, better than a box of candy or a picture frame and any other ‘stuff’ I don’t need in my beautiful home. The only thing I really truly need is for my son to be happy, healthy and well cared for…ok so, that means I do need a job! But the point is, what if my child could not have a simple glass of clean water? What if my son had no way to take a shower or brush his teeth? Just the simple act of washing his hands could mean he might get sick, and in some places in our world, not only does lack of water mean illness, it means death. We don’t have that danger here. We are fortunate.
So I am giving up my birthday and asking you to give JUST WHAT YOU CAN to help build a well. Simple right? Let’s do it! 100% of the money raised goes to building the well! A village gets clean water and we all get to be a part of something that changes lives.
Thank you.

- Gallery Link:
Television Films & Series > Scoundrels > Episode Stills

- Gallery Link:
Studio Photoshoots > Session #83

- Gallery Link:
Television Films & Series > Scoundrels > Episode Stills

Virginia Madsen, 48, plays married-to-the-mini-mob mom Cheryl West who tries to make her family go straight in “Scoundrels,” ABC’s new summer dramedy in ” Desperate Housewives’” Sunday evening slot. The veteran film actress talks about why network television has been a great place to land at this point in her career — much to her own surprise.

How did your role in “Scoundrels” come about?

I did a series with Ray Liotta called “Smith.” That was three or four years ago, and that was canceled right away. It was another show of criminals, but it was real bad guys — larceny, murder and explosions and all this stuff. It just wasn’t, for either one of us, creatively satisfying. So it was like, OK, I tried that, I’m not interested in that anymore.

So when this show came along I was like, I don’t know about network TV. I have friends who work on shows like that, and they were like, ‘Oh, my God, you don’t want to do this job.’ The hours are insane. And network TV is very corporate — you’re very much a hired hand. I just put all the negatives on the table.

So it was a leap of faith. And man, it paid off. Because I had so much fun making this show. I found my hours weren’t crazy. My favorite way to work is in an ensemble. When I was doing lead roles, when I was an ingénue, that wasn’t a comfortable place for me to be. I don’t necessarily need to be the star. And when you work in an ensemble, it’s exciting and it’s fun and it’s creative, and I work really well as a team. I like the family feeling.I noticed that you did a few episodes of “Monk.”

“Monk” was like that. There wasn’t any mean competition. There were no divas on the set. It was a real feeling of family. That was another thing we talked about at the beginning: I said we’ve got really young people on this show, and I want you guys to support me in making a family, so I want to do stuff together and I want to bond, and they were like, “Cool.”

So you’re setting the tone for this?

Yeah. And when everyone arrived, another great thing that happened was that, the kids — well, they’re not little. I call them the kids — they all allowed me in, and we became very close and they came over to my house Sunday nights for dinner. And they allowed me to mother them, and not every young person wants that.

Moms are of course a staple of television, but Cheryl is a pretty contemporary take on a mom. Not only is it a family of criminals, which isn’t the first time this has happened, but there’s the dark comedy aspect. And you’re hot.

Thank you. I’m not having hot flashes yet, but I feel hot.

The first scene is the parents having sex.

Well, it’s a key part of Cheryl and Wolf’s [ David James Elliott] relationship. They’re very sexual, and they’re still very much in love. He’s my strongest weakness — she can’t say no. He’s been such a powerful presence in her life, and when he’s removed from the home, she learns to stand on her own. And they are very much equals. I love that about them. Cheryl is by no means a fragile flower trying to stand on her own. She’ll shout it from the mountaintops, and don’t cross her. She might knock you out. Cheryl can do things I can’t do.

Yeah, but you have people, so you don’t need to do all those things.

We do, though. As women, we all have battles we have to fight and things we have to overcome, and many of those things are labels, what we’re labeled as women, being the fairer sex instead of the equal partner. And we’ve demanded this position for so long that it’s kind of astounding when you’re expected to be something else.

It’s what’s happened to our presence in feature films. We’re becoming invisible in feature films, and I mean females of all ages.

And I certainly found better roles when I was older, because younger girls may have the abundance of work, but we have the stronger characters to play. It’s really hard for young girls, because not only are they judged and shamed and objectified and put into these ingénue roles which are not at all what real girls are like — and God forbid they should open their mouth and have an opinion about anything — but now they’re even more so. I feel we’re becoming so Victorian in our society and we’re all out of balance in that way, so we have this bizarre juxtaposition where you can get famous from making a private sex tape and it accidentally coming out, yet you’re labeled a certain way if you show your breasts on screen.

The films are so male right now that it’s becoming misogynistic, and [most of] the stories aren’t about us. So many actresses like myself are flocking to television because they’re still telling our stories.

Source: Los Angeles Times

- Links:
Video Archive > Talk Shows  > KTLA Morning News – (June 29, 2010)
Screen Captures  > Talk Shows  > KTLA Morning News – (June 29, 2010)

Hey VMad fans, join the official facebook page. Go on and join if you have a facebook account, so you can stay up to date with all the latest news & updates on Virginia Madsen!!

- Links:
Video Archive > Talk Shows  > Good Morning America – (June 23, 2010)
Screen Captures  > Talk Shows  > Good Morning America – (June 23, 2010)

- Links:
Screen Captures  > Talk Shows  > Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Video > Talk Shows  > Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

Join Virginia Madsen with a party of four for a fun-filled wine tasting at Mel & Rose! For more information, please visit www.melandrose.com. The proceeds for this item benefit Waterkeeper Alliance. Place your bid here!

Canadian broadcaster CTV has picked up the ABC summer dramedy “Scoundrels” for its primetime schedule.

The new hour-long series SCOUNDRELS premieres Sunday, June 20 at 9 p.m. ET on CTV. A humorous look at a family of small-time criminals who try to turn their lives around after their father is sent to prison, SCOUNDRELS stars Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways, The Astronaut Farmer) as matriarch Cheryl West and Toronto-native David James Elliott (CLOSE TO HOME) as Wolfgang “Wolf” West. Following broadcasts on CTV, SCOUNDRELS will also be available on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

Based on the New Zealand hit series OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE, SCOUNDRELS also stars Patrick Flueger (THE 4400) as Logan West and twin brother Calvin “Cal” West; Leven Rambin (GREY’S ANATOMY) as Heather West; Vanessa Marano (GILMORE GIRLS) as Hope West; and Carlos Bernard (24) as Sergeant Mack.

Great News!!! ABC has launched the official website for “Scoundrels” with some features. They released a character section photo, a discuss forum, videos and more!!Pay a visit to the site at http://abc.go.com/shows/scoundrels

Scoundrels will be premiering next June 20 at 9|8c!

- Video Link:
Scoundrels First Promotional Video

The week started off on a sad note as news surfaced of actress Lynn Redgrave’s death after a seven-year battle with breast cancer. The talented Brit, 67, was the sister of actress Vanessa Redgrave and the aunt of actress Natasha Richardson who passed away last year from a skiing accident.

Virginia has publicly expressed her condolences to the family of british actress Lynn Redgrave on her Twitter account.

@madlyv Brava Lynn Redgrave. U shall be as celebrated as u r missed!

Follow on Twitter: Virginia and Virginia-Madsen.org

Virginia Madsen is a Golden Globe- and Academy Award-nominated actress known for her work in Sideways, The Astronaut Farmer, and The Number 23. Her mother, writer-director Elaine Madsen, has a wide range of creative projects on her list of achievements, including a new book of poetry and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary. In their new collaboration, I Know a Woman Like That, the mother-daughter duo join forces to take a close look at grace, age, vitality, and what it means to be a woman. ABILITY Magazine’s Chet Cooper and Nancy Villere caught up with the Madsens to discuss this ambitious and personal project.

Chet Cooper: Your film does a nice job of making a viewer more aware of a relationship between women as they age and their degree of invisibility in society. And, in many ways, I see that parallel how we tend to address social understanding and awareness about disability.

Elaine Madsen: Oh, yeah, I think there’s an attitude towards age that treats it as a disability. But in reality, aging involves recognition of abilities you didn’t know that you had, abilities that you have to find within yourself in order to deal with society. Bookshelves are filled with titles about how to stay young, and telling us all that there’s something wrong with not being young. But the purpose of this film, I think, is to show that the experience of aging can be wonderful, if you don’t get sucked into that mentality.

Virginia Madsen: My mother’s level of activity, of productivity, was exactly why I thought a project like this would work. Originally, when we put the idea together, she had said, “I’m far too busy. I’m going to Holland, and then I’m going here and there and I’m writing my book.” But that’s really what it’s about.

Elaine: One of the most important things at any age is finding how to stay engaged. It seems like some people get to a certain age and sort of sink into a kind of psychic rocking chair. Suddenly they are made to feel that their time is done and that it’s time to get off the stage. Our movie has 17 women in it who are all between the ages of 65 and 95, and every one of them is engaged in life in a particular way. Age is not inhibiting them.

Cooper: Most of the people you interviewed seemed to like the fact that they were at the age that they were, and seemed happy with the wisdom they had acquired.

Elaine: You know, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy as I am now. At my age, there are all kinds of things you don’t have to battle anymore.

That being said, we’re not glossing over the fact that there are changes in these people. One of the people we spoke with uses a walker, and we do feature people who have overcome cancer as well as some of the other things that come along with age. So we’re not glossing over the fact that these issues are a part of aging. But hopefully, we are advancing an attitude.

Virginia: It’s universal. Inevitably, every single person we talked to about this project had said, “I know a woman like that. My mom’s like that, my grandma, my aunt, my wife, the lady down the block who’s out in the garden every day.” That’s what led us to our title: I Know a Woman Like That. We began to realize how far-reaching this story is. It’s not just about my mother, but about women.

What’s also interesting to me is that, in trying to find a throughline among the interviews, I realized that we never actually fully answer the question of what makes a woman “like that”: an active and happy and independent woman. But I think a commonality that exists among all of the women we spoke with is curiosity: a capability of remaining curious and adventurous at every age. Dorothy, one of the women we spoke with, has physical disabilities now. It’s harder for her to get around, yes, but her life remains adventurous and she continues to work and she continues to be curious about life.

Cooper: One of the things that struck me was how many times the women in the film were talking about how sex is great. You just dove right into that subject matter, showing that there’s still life, no matter what the age might be.

Elaine: Well, the usual sense, particularly among younger people, is that if you’re not perfect, if your body isn’t perfect and you’re not getting whistled at on the street, sex disappears. But it doesn’t, and I think intimacy is a thing you learn to value and to engage with over time. Intimacy is one of the richest things you can have in your life.

Virginia: I think it would be really interesting to show the film at an elementary school or at a high school. Not a junior high, because we are all screwed up in junior high. (laughs) In junior high they’d probably just be like, “Eeew, old people!” But in elementary school and in high school, I think students would really be interested in these people we take a look at.

Cooper: It would be great to do a poll of these kids and see what they think after seeing the film. The media push so many expectations about youthfulness and beauty, especially on the young, so one is left to wonder how much of that sort of thing really influences the psyche.

Virginia: Yeah, it’s pretty interesting, actually. There were five or six guys at the screening who were all late twenties and early thirties, and they loved the movie. My friend called me and said that the whole group of them was into it. She was like, “They won’t shut up about the movie.” And I guess these guys were never talking about the age of these women. They were talking about how smart these women were and how interesting and how passionate they were.

Elaine: One girl, a teenager, came up to me at a screening and said, “I can’t wait to get old!” I don’t know how long she’ll feel that way, though, but I hope she takes away that there is plenty of life to live.

Cooper: Plus, it’s worth mentioning that once you get to a certain age, you get all of those senior discounts.

Elaine: (laughs) You know what? I’ll tell you, when I first moved to California, I was 55, and I was absolutely astounded that somebody considered me a senior citizen. But if people want to give me discounts, I don’t care…

Cortesy: Ability Magazine

- Gallery Link:
Television Films & Series > Scoundrels  > One The Set

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2010 > March 7th » Getting ready for the Oscars
Events in 2010 > March 7th » The 82nd Annual Academy Awards Arrivals
Events in 2010 > March 7th » The 82nd Annual Academy Awards “People Magazine” Arrivals
Screen Captures  > Award Ceremonies > The 82nd Annual Academy Awards

Scoundrels” will start production on March 16 for the first eight episodes, which will premier on ABC TV this summer. The production will continue through June and will hire about 75 New Mexico crew members and about 1,500 extras.

The comedy/drama stars Virginia Madsen and focuses on a family of small-time criminals who attempt to go straight after their father is sent to prison. It’s based on the New Zealand series “Outrageous Fortune and the show is being written by Lyn Greene and Richard Levine, the team behind Nip/Tuck.

Most of the core cast of Scoundrels is confirmed, and the show is due to screen on the ABC in the northern summer.

Robyn Malcolm, who stars as tough-as-nails matriach Cheryl West, is predicting the US version will use the essence of the story – “a working-class criminal family trying to cope with their dad being put away and going straight”.Her ex, career criminal Wolf, will be played by Neal McDonough, who starred as Desperate Housewives’ baddie Dave Williams. The couple’s chalk-and-cheese teenage daughters Pascalle and Loretta – whose names will be changed to Vanessa and Hope – will be played by Leven Rambin, who has appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, and Vanessa Marano, who has been on the Young and the Restless and Gilmore Girls.

Twins Van and Jethro, played by Antony Starr on Outrageous, will be given the all-American names of Cal and Logan and be brought to life by Patrick Flueger, who has a Kiwi connection through his appearance in The World’s Fastest Indian.

Carlos Bernard will play cop Wayne Judd, who will be renamed Detective Sergeant Mack. Madsen aside, Malcolm is unfamiliar with the cast but reckons Bernard is “seriously sexy”.

She’d like to see veteran actor Robert Duvall playing the only main role yet to be cast – the hilarious Grandpa.

It’s ABC’s second attempt at adapting the Kiwi favourite. A pilot of the first version, Good Behavior, was filmed but no series was commissioned.

Malcolm can’t predict whether Scoundrels will be more successful than its short-lived predecessor, which she never saw, but she believes with two very experienced writers and a great cast, there’s no reason it shouldn’t be a hit.

Source: Nzherald.co.nz

- Gallery Links:
Events in 2010 > The 60th Berlin Film Festival: “Father Of Invention” Photocall
Events in 2010 > The 60th Berlin Film Festival: “Father Of Invention” Premiere

Virginia is in Berlin to promote her new movie “Father of Invention” which co-stars an impressive cast including Kevin Spacey, Heather Graham and Camilla Belle.

Here’s the Programme for “Father of Invention” Screenings at  Berlin International Film Festival.

Mon Feb 15 17:00 International
Thu Feb 18 21:30 Zoo Palast 1
Fri Feb 19 13:00 CinemaxX 7
Sat Feb 20 14:30 Cubix 9

A synopsis of the movie according to IMDB tells: “Robert Axle, an eccentric inventor turned ego maniacal infomercial guru, loses it all when one of his inventions maims thousands of customers. After 8 years in maximum security prison, Axle is ready to redeem his name and rebuild his billion dollar empire. But first he must convince his estranged 22 year old daughter to let him live with her and her quirky, over protective roommates. ”

- Gallery Link:
Candids in 2010 > February 14th » Arrives at Berlin-Tegel Airport

Virginia has landed the lead in Scoundrels, an ABC dramedy about a family of small-town criminals who attempt to go straight after the patriarch is sent to prison.

Virginia would play the mom. The show which has been picked up for eight episodes (all of them slated to air this summer) is based on the New Zealand series “Outrageous Fortune”.

Richard Levine and Lyn Greene (“Nip/Tuck“) wrote “Scoundrels” and will serve as executive producers/showrunners on the ABC Studios-produced series.

More information will be posted as soon it’s available!

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2010 > January 18th » The Fairmont Banff Springs Sports Invitational

- Gallery Link:
Studio Photoshoots > Session #80

Here at Virginia-Madsen.org would like to wish everyone Happy Holidays and all the best wishes for the New Year 2010! Hope everyone has a great time with family and loved ones. Virginia tweeted about the Holiday’s, so head over to her twitter account to see what she said about this lovely season.

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2009 > “Avatar” Hollywood Premiere

- Gallery Link:
Events in 2009 > 2009 Governors Awards Gala – Arrivals – (November 14)

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > The Shepard Fairey Equality Project Launch Party – (November 12)

With 35 releases since Fire with Fire in 1986 thus far, Virginia is a busy actress and has played a variety of roles which further enhance her reputation as a fantastic actress who can adapt to any kind of role. Virginia belongs to an acting family with her brother Michael Madsen, also an actor, and her mother, Elaine Madsen, an Emmy-winning writer and producer. She is still one of the Hollywood’s most beautiful and captivating actresses today.

Place your BID

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > The 6th Annual Moves Power Women Awards – (November 06)

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Kooza’ – Opening Night GaLa – (October 16)

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > Chicago Premiere of Documentary ‘I Know a Woman Like That’ – (October 13)

- Gallery Link:
TV Photography > Monk > [Episode Stills] – “Happy Birthday, Mr. Monk” Episode 8010

On November 4th, 2008, Proposition 8 passed, amending the state Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

In the wake of the defeat, there has been a groundswell of initiative from within the community at a grassroots level. Seizing this opportunity, new political and protest organizations are forming almost daily. The NO H8 Campaign is a photo project and silent protest created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska (http://bouska.net) and partner Jeff Parshley in direct response to the passage of Proposition 8.

The campaign started with portraits of everyday Californians who support Marriage Equality and soon rose to celebrities, military personnel, brothers and sisters, law enforcement, lesbian mothers, directors, politicians, newlyweds, and more. Photos feature subjects with duct tape over their mouths symbolizing their voices not being heard and “NO H8″ painted on one cheek in protest.

A lot of celebrities joined fans for a tribute to the band, which featured an outdoor screening of Ramones concert movie It’s Alive and horror classic Night of The Living Dead. Johnny Ramone’s widow, Linda Ramone has been staging the annual tribute at the cemetery since her husband lost his battle with cancer in 2004.

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > Johnny Ramone Tribute held at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery – (October 03)

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > Virginia’s 2nd Annual Birthday And Charity Water Benefit Party – (Sept. 25)

- Gallery Link:
Public Events from 2009 > Chicago/LA Link Reunion Event – (September 21)

Click here to access our special birthday page with the messages from fans around the world and if you’re not there you can post your message in comments here.

Send your message with your photo or fanarts to LaLa@virginia-madsen.org or you can also submit your entry via web form on this link:
http://virginia-madsen.org/specials/bday2009/submit/

The deadline for submissions is September 9, 2009.