| Vinessa Shaw Quick Info | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5 ft 8 in |
| Weight | 61 kg |
| Date of Birth | July 19, 1976 |
| Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
| Spouse | Kristopher Gifford |
Vinessa Shaw is an American actress and model who is best known for her work in films such as Ladybugs (1992), Hocus Pocus (1993), L.A. Without a Map (1998), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002), The Hills Have Eyes (2006), 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Two Lovers (2008), and Clinical (2017). She is also well recognized for her portrayal of the character of Kate McPherson in the crime drama TV series Ray Donovan (2014).
Born Name
Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw
Nick Name
Vinessa
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Los Angeles, California, United States
Residence
Los Angeles, California, United States
Nationality
Education
Vinessa, in 1998, enrolled at Barnard College of Columbia University, a private women’s liberal arts college in Manhattan, New York City. However, she later dropped out to continue pursuing acting.
Occupation
Actress, Model
Family
- Father – Larry Shaw (Psychologist, Former Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Antioch University)
- Mother – Susan Damante (Actress)
- Siblings – Natalie Shaw (Younger Sister) (Actress)
- Others – Nathan Shaw (Paternal Grandfather), Kathryn Grey Trapheagen (Paternal Grandmother), Vincent Damante (Maternal Grandfather), Marjorie Dolores ‘Margie’ Anderson (Maternal Grandmother), Vicki Damante (Maternal Aunt) (Model, Actress), Giavanna Whited (Cousin) (Actress)
Net Worth
Vinessa Shaw’s net worth had been $500 thousand according to CelebrityNetWorth.com.
Build
Slim
Height
5 ft 8 in or 173 cm
Weight
61 kg or 134.5 lbs
Boyfriend / Spouse
Vinessa has dated –
- Jonathan Brandis (1991-1992)
- Oliver Hudson (1998-2004)
- Kristopher Gifford (2007-Present) – Vinessa began dating graphic designer Kristopher Gifford in 2007 and the couple got engaged in 2008. They eventually got married about a decade later, in 2017, and have a son together named Jack Hiroki Gifford (b. February 20, 2018). Jack was born 3 weeks past his due date.
Race / Ethnicity
Multiracial (White and Hispanic)
She is of Ashkenazi Jewish (Russian) (paternal grandfather), Italian (maternal grandfather), Irish, Swedish, English, 1/16th Spanish/Mexican, Dutch, French, and distant German descent.
Hair Color
Blonde
Eye Color
Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Slender frame
- Center-parted, neck-length, straight hair
- Gleaming face
- Charming smile
Religion
Nichiren Buddhism
Brand Endorsements
Vinessa had been featured in a print advertisement for Calvin Klein Eyewear (2000).
She has also been featured in the TV commercials for –
- Noxzema (deep cleansing cream)
- Levi’s jeans
Vinessa Shaw Facts
- Her family’s original surname was ‘Schwartz’ which later got deformed into ‘Shaw’.
- Her first name, Vinessa, is spelled with an ‘i’ rather than an ‘a’ as it is a variation of Vincent, her maternal grandfather’s first name.
- Her first formal performance came in a short in a UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) acting camp when she was 10 years old. About a year later, she toured with children’s folk singer Peter Alsop.
- In 1989, aged 13, she signed up with Elite Model Management and did a few modeling assignments and commercial work, before the start of her acting career.
- Vinessa was raised a Buddhist and she embraced the Nichiren Buddhist philosophy as a member of the Soka Gakkai International (an international Nichiren Buddhist organization that was founded in 1975) when she was in her first year of college (1996).
- As it is a core practice of Nichiren Buddhism, she chants Daimoku daily. ‘Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō’ (Devotion to the Mystic Law of the Lotus Sutra) is a Japanese phrase that is chanted within all forms of Nichiren Buddhism. ‘Myōhō Renge Kyō’ refers to the Japanese title of the Lotus Sūtra. The mantra is referred to as Daimoku.
Featured Image by Vinessa Shaw / Instagram
