Vinessa Shaw

**Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw** (born July 19, 1976) is an esteemed American film actress and model. Originally from Los Angeles, California, she began her acting career as a child artist, breaking into the mainstream with her role in Disney's comedic fantasy, Hocus Pocus, in 1993. Simultaneously, Shaw made appearances in other films such as _Ladybugs_ (1992) and _L.A. Without a Map_ (1998). While attending Pitzer College, she bagged a supporting role in Stanley Kubrick's _Eyes Wide Shut_ (1999), a pivotal point that motivated her to extend her acting career into adulthood. Subsequent roles include her performances in the comedy _40 Days and 40 Nights_ (2002), the drama _Two Lovers_ (2008), and the 2006 remake of Wes Craven's horror film _The Hills Have Eyes_. Over the years, she has also been a supporting cast member in the Showtime drama _Ray Donovan_, and led the 2017 horror thriller _Clinical_ as Dr. Jane Mathis. Shaw made her film debut in a slasher film, _Home Sweet Home_ in 1981, making headway in various television roles. She, later on, went on to work with numerous reputable figures in the film industry, including the likes of Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, and Omri Katz among others. In 1998, she dabbled in education at Barnard College in New York City, but decided to focus her energies on her burgeoning acting career. An interesting trivia about her is that Shaw's original surname, 'Schwartz', traces back to her Ashkenazi Jewish heritage.