Virginia Gardner
Virginia Elizabeth Gardner (born April 18, 1995)[1] is an American actress who is known for playing Karolina Dean in the Hulu original series Marvel's Runaways (2017) and Vicky in David Gordon Green's horror film Halloween (2018).
Virginia Gardner | |
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Gardner at the Paradise City Comic Con in 2018 | |
Born | Sacramento, California, U.S. | April 18, 1995
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Actress, model |
Years active | 2011–present |
Life and career
Virginia Gardner was born Virginia Elizabeth Gardner on April 18, 1995, in Sacramento, California. She attended Sacramento Country Day School from kindergarten to eighth grade. She took part in many of her middle school's productions. Brian Frishman, head of the drama department, directed Gardner from sixth to eighth grade. In 2011, she did online schooling when she moved to Los Angeles, but then chose to take the California High School Proficiency Exam when she was allowed to. She took the test in October 2011 and found out she passed the following month.[2] Her desire to do acting was due to the release of the 2001 Sean Penn film I Am Sam; “In the movie, Dakota Fanning’s dad has autism, and I have a brother with autism and I remember watching that as a young girl and relating to her character and being affected by that,” Gardner explains. “That’s what made me want to get into this industry and make things that can affect people and that people can relate to.”[3] She is a black belt in taekwondo, and also took up boxing and nunchucks.[4]
Gardner initially lived with her mother to pursue acting full-time. Gardner lived with her mother for the first year; however, once she started to be more successful and able to handle herself, she moved into her own apartment and began to live on her own. After appearing on the Disney Channel series Lab Rats, she took a year off from acting to work on modeling. When she became absorbed in modeling, she was going to stop acting, but then heard about the audition for Glee. She has modeled for Kohl's, Love Culture, HP, Hollister, LF, and Famous Footwear.[2] In 2015, Gardner starred in the found footage science fiction thriller film Project Almanac as Christina Raskin, the main character's younger sister.[5] The movie helped Gardner to establish herself in Hollywood. In February 2017, it was announced that Gardner would star as Karolina Dean in Marvel's Runaways (2017), a Hulu original series.[6][7] She has received wide recognition for her portrayal of the LGBTQ hero.[3][4] In January 2018, it was announced that Gardner would star as Vicky in horror film Halloween (2018), a sequel to the 1978 film of the same name.[8][9]
Personal life
Gardner describes herself as a feminist.[3]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2015 | Project Almanac | Christina Raskin | |
2016 | Goat | Leah | |
2016 | Good Kids | Emily | |
2016 | Tell Me How I Die | Anna Nichols | |
2018 | Little Bitches | Kelly | |
2018 | Halloween | Vicky | |
2018 | Monster Party | Iris | |
2018 | Liked | Catlin | |
2019 | Starfish | Aubrey | |
2020 | All the Bright Places | Amanda |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Hart of Dixie | Young Lemon | Episode: "Hairdos & Holidays" |
2012 | Lab Rats | Danielle | Episode: "Leo's Jam" |
2013 | Glee | Katie Fitzgerald/Marissa | Episodes: "Shooting Star", "Feud" |
2013–2014 | The Goldbergs | Lexy Bloom | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
2015 | How to Get Away with Murder | Molly Barlett | Episode: "Skanks Get Shanked" |
2016 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Sally Landry | Episode: "Fashionable Crimes" |
2016 | Major Crimes | Brie Miller | Episode: "Family Law" |
2016 | Secrets and Lies | Rachel | Episode: "The Detective", "The Daughter" |
2017 | Zoo | Clem-2 | Episode: "No Place Like Home", "Diaspora" |
2017 | The Tap | Michelle Cuttriss | Episode: "Pilot" |
2017–2019 | Marvel's Runaways | Karolina Dean | Main role |
2019 | Heartstrings | Young Harper | Episode: "Sugar Hill"[10] |
2019 | The Righteous Gemstones | Lucy | Episode: "Is This the Man Who Made the Earth Tremble" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Hollywood Beauty Awards | New Beauty Award | Herself | Won | [11] |
2017 | Golden Issue Awards | Best Ensemble Cast (shared with the Cast) | Marvel's Runaways | Won | [12] |
References
- "Virginia Elizabeth Gardner was born on April 18, 1995 in Sacramento County, California". California Birth Index. California Office of Health Information and Research. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
- "Making it on the small screen: alumna Ginny Gardner joins cast of 'Glee'". 2013-03-19. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
- "VIRGINIA GARDNER SEEKS OUT UNHEARD VOICES". The Last Magazine. December 19, 2018. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
- Lawrence, Vanessa (November 21, 2017). "The Runaways' Virginia Gardner Is Breaking Superhero Taboos as Marvel's First Gay Character". W. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- "'Glee' star offers a few details on locally filmed 'Almanac'". 2013-07-31. Retrieved 2015-02-01.
- Strom, Marc (February 2, 2017). "'Marvel's Runaways' Finds Its Cast". Marvel.com. Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved February 2, 2017.
- Martin, Peter. "Superhero Buzz: 'Runaways' Casting, 'Black Lightning' Update". Movies.com. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
- Miska, Brad (2017-01-13). "More 'Halloween' Cast Announced As Filming Begins!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 2018-01-13. Retrieved 2017-01-13.
- "'Halloween' Behind-the-Scenes Photo Goes to Haddonfield High - Halloween Daily News". Halloweendailynews.com. 28 January 2018. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- Iannucci, Rebecca (February 11, 2019). "Sarah Shahi, Scandal's Bellamy Young, thirtysomething Alums and More Join Netflix's Dolly Parton Anthology". TVLine.
- "2015 Awards". Hollywood Beauty Awards. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
- Joseph Schmidt (December 28, 2017). "The 2017 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Ensemble Cast". Cominc Book. Retrieved December 30, 2017.