Diane Venora (born August 10, 1952) is an American stage, television and film actress.Venora graduated from The Juilliard School in 1977 and made her film debut in 1981 opposite Albert Finney in Wolfen. She won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the 1988 film Bird directed by Clint Eastwood. Her other films include, The Cotton Club (1984), Heat (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Jackal (1997), The Insider (1999) and Hamlet (2000).
She has a remarkable relationship with Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the 1982-1983 season, she appeared on stage at the Public Theatre under the direction of Joseph Papp in the title role, making her the only female performer to take on the role in the history of the New York Shakespeare Festival. In 1990, she played "Ophelia" opposite Kevin Kline's "Hamlet". In 1999, she assailed the role of Hamlet's mother, "Gertrude", to Liev Schreiber's woeful prince. And, most recently, she again played "Gertrude" to Ethan Hawke's "Hamlet" in the 2000 film, Hamlet (2000).
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Attended and graduated from the Juilliard school of music.
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Was replaced on the TV sitcom Thunder Alley (1994) because the producers said that she was playing her role (Bobbi Turner) as if she were still on Broadway.
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Victorians
2016
TV Movie
Mary Rutherford
All Good Things
2010
Janice Rizzo
The Wish List
2010
TV Movie
Brenda
Grey's Anatomy
2010
TV Series
Audrey Taylor
NCIS
2009
TV Series
Shada Shakarji
The Ministers
2009
Gina Santana
Little Hercules in 3-D
2009
Hera
Silver Street
2009
Short
Private Practice
2009
TV Series
Sharon
Follow the Prophet
2009
Red
Eleventh Hour
2008
TV Series
Lea Muller
Childless
2008
Mary
Stiletto
2008/II
Sylvia Vadalos
Medium
2007
TV Series
Sarah Jane Levitt
Criminal Minds
2006
TV Series
Doris
C.S. Lewis: Beyond Narnia
2005
TV Movie documentary
Joy Gresham
Touched
2005/I
Carole Davis
Threshold
2005
TV Series
Andrea Hatten / Angela Hatten
Self Medicated
2005
Louise Eriksen
Breaking Dawn
2004
Mother
Stateside
2004
Mrs. Hengen
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
2004
TV Series
Marilyn Nesbit
Class Actions
2004
TV Movie
Justine Harrison
Heartbreak Hospital
2002
Sunday Tyler / Andrea Harmon
Megiddo: The Omega Code 2
2001
Gabriella Francini
Looking for an Echo
2000
Joanne Delgado
The Practice
2000
TV Series
Margaret Wakefield
Race Against Time
2000
TV Movie
Dr. Helen Steele
Hamlet
2000
Gertrude
The Insider
1999
Liane Wigand
The Young Girl and the Monsoon
1999
Giovanna
The Joyriders
1999
Celeste
The 13th Warrior
1999
Queen Weilew
True Crime
1999
Barbara Everett
The Jackal
1997
Major Valentina Koslova
Seed: A Love Story
1997
Short
Julia
Romeo + Juliet
1996
Gloria Capulet
Surviving Picasso
1996
Jacqueline
The Substitute
1996
Jane Hetzko
Special Report: Journey to Mars
1996
TV Movie
Lt. Tanya Sadavoy
Heat
1995
Justine
Three Wishes
1995
Joyce
Chicago Hope
1994-1995
TV Series
Dr. Geri Infante
Thunder Alley
1994
TV Series
Bobbi Turner
Law & Order
1993
TV Series
Mara Feder
Great Performances
1990
TV Series
Ophelia
Bird
1988
Chan Parker
Ironweed
1987
Margaret 'Peg' Phelan
F/X
1986
Ellen Keith
Terminal Choice
1985
Anna Lang
A.D.
1985
TV Mini-Series
Corinna
The Cotton Club
1984
Gloria Swanson
Cook & Peary: The Race to the Pole
1983
TV Movie
Marie Fidele Hunt
A Midsummer Night's Dream
1982
TV Movie
Hippolyta
Nurse
1981
TV Series
Ellen Brill
Wolfen
1981
Rebecca Neff
Getting There
1980
TV Short
Melanie
Producer
Title
Year
Status
Character
Disappearing Bakersfield
2012
consulting producer
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
Disappearing Bakersfield
2012
grateful thanks
The Lady and the Taxi Driver
2011
very special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
To Her Own Rhythm
2015
Documentary short post-production
Herself
Academy Event: Heat
2016
Video short
Herself
Biography
2008
TV Series documentary
Herself - Co-Star, Romeo & Juliet
The Making of Self-Medicated
2007
Video documentary
Herself
RSC Meets USA: Working Shakespeare
2005
Video documentary
Herself
The Making of 'Heat'
2005
Video documentary
Herself
The Directors
2001
TV Series documentary
Herself
The Making of 'The Jackal'
1998
Video documentary
Herself
Won Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
2006
Copper Wing Award
Phoenix Film Festival
Best Ensemble
Self Medicated (2005)
1989
Sant Jordi
Sant Jordi Awards
Best Foreign Actress (Mejor Actriz Extranjera)
Bird (1988)
1988
NYFCC Award
New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Bird (1988)
Nominated Awards
Year
Award
Ceremony
Nomination
Movie
1998
Blockbuster Entertainment Award
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards
Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense
The Jackal (1997)
1996
ACCA
Awards Circuit Community Awards
Best Cast Ensemble
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
1996
CFCA Award
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards
Best Supporting Actress
Heat (1995)
1989
Golden Globe
Golden Globes, USA
Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture