Diane Venora: Celebrating the triumph of a stage, screen legend

Diane Venora boasts a career spanning over four decades and she is synonymous with versatility and emotional depth in the acting world But before the bright lights and critical acclaim, she was Diana Venora, a girl from East Hartford, Connecticut, harbouring a passion for storytelling that would blossom into a remarkable artistic journey.

Table of Content hide

1 Diane Venora biography

2 Diane Venora career

2.1 Awards and nominations

3 Diane Venora movies

3.1 Films

3.2 Television

4 Diane Venora’s net worth

5 Diane Venora family

6 Diane Venora Age

7 Diane Venora now

Diane Venora biography

Diane Venora was born on August 10, 1952, in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA, to Marie Brooks Venora and Robert P. Venora. Her father, who had Italian heritage, owned a dry-cleaning business, and she grew up with five siblings. Initially, Venora harboured aspirations of becoming a hairdresser, but her parents steered her towards pursuing acting.

From an early age, Venora showed a passion for singing and acting, actively participating in her school’s drama club and other cultural activities. After graduating from East Hartford High School in 1970, she pursued her musical studies at the Boston Conservatory of Music for two years.

Subsequently, Venora earned a scholarship to attend the esteemed Juilliard School in New York City, where she graduated in 1977. During her time at Juilliard, she was part of a drama group that included future American stars, such as Harriet Sansom Harris, Kelsey Grammer and Robin Williams.

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Diane Venora career

Venora began her theatre career in 1981 with a role in the off-broadway production ‘Penguin Touquet’. Renowned for her performances in Shakespearean works, Venora notably became one of the first women to portray the lead role in ‘Hamlet’ at the New York Shakespeare Festival in 1983. Subsequently, she took on the titular character of ‘Hamlet’ across various venues, establishing herself as a versatile actor in Shakespearean theatre.

Her foray into film began with the crime horror Wolfen in 1981, where she starred alongside Gregory Hines and Albert Finney. Venora continued to showcase her talent in films, such as The Cotton Club (1984), Terminal Choice (1985), and Ironweed (1987).

Venora’s career reached new heights in 1988, with her portrayal of ‘Chan Parker’ in Clint Eastwood’s biographical film Bird. Her performance earned her acclaim, including a New York Film Critics Circle award and a Golden Globe nomination.

In 1995, Venora received praise for her performance as ‘Justine Hanna’, alongside Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the crime thriller, Heat. Her versatility shone once again in the film ‘Self-Medicated’, where she portrayed ‘Louise Eriksen’. The movie won the award for the best ensemble cast at the Phoenix Film Festival.

In addition, Venora made notable appearances on television starting in the early 1980s. Her TV credits include roles in Getting There (1980), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1982), Great Performances (1990)and Law & Order (1993).

Throughout the 1990s, Venora’s TV career flourished with recurring roles in Thunder Alley (1994) and the Emmy-winning series Chicago Hope (1994–1995), where she portrayed Ed Asner’s daughter and a plastic surgeon, respectively.

Venora continued to grace the small screen with her presence until 2016, appearing in popular primetime series such as Criminal Minds (2006), Grey’s Anatomy (2010), The Wish List (2010), and The Victorians (2016).

Awards and nominations

Nomination – Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for “Best Actress” – Bird (1988).
Award win – New York Film Critics Circle Award for “Best Supporting Actress” – Bird (1988).
Award win – Sant Jordi Award for “Best Foreign Actress” (Mejor Actriz Extranjera) – Bird (1988).
Nomination – “Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture” – Bird (1988)
Nomination – Chicago Film Critics Association Award for “Best Supporting Actress” for her performance – Heat (1996)
Nomination – Circuit Community Award for Best Cast Ensemble in 1996 – “Romeo + Juliet” (1996).
Nomination – Blockbuster Entertainment Award for “Favorite Supporting Actress” – The Jackal (1998).
Award win – Copper Wing Award for “Best Ensemble” at the Phoenix Film Festival – Self-Medicated (2005).

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Diane Venora movies

Here are some of the movies Venora has featured in:

Films

Stiletto (2008)
Childless (2008)
Follow the Prophet (2009)
Little Hercules in 3-D (2009)
The Ministers (2009)
All Good Things (2010)
Star-Crossed: The Film (2021)
First Love (2022)

Television

Criminal Minds (2006): Venora guest-starred in this crime procedural series as “Doris” in the episode “The Fisher King: Part 1,” where the team investigates a series of murders inspired by the works of an imprisoned serial killer.
Medium (2007): Venora appeared as “Sarah Jane” Levitt in the episode “Very Merry Maggie” of this supernatural drama series, where the lead character uses her psychic abilities to help solve crimes.
Eleventh Hour (2008): In this science fiction procedural drama, Venora portrayed “Lea Muller” in the episode “Resurrection,” which follows a government agent investigating scientific mysteries and potential threats to humanity.
Private Practice (2009): Venora guest-starred as “Sharon” in the episode “Second Chances”, where the doctors of a private medical practice in Los Angeles deal with complex cases and personal struggles.
NCIS (2009): Venora appeared as “Shada Shakarji” in the episode “Outlaws and In-Laws” of the popular procedural drama “NCIS”, which follows a team of special agents investigating crimes involving the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel.
Grey’s Anatomy (2010): In this medical drama series, Venora portrayed “Audrey Taylor” in the episode “Push,” which revolves around the lives of surgical interns, residents and attending physicians as they navigate the complexities of their personal and professional lives.

Diane Venora’s net worth

According to reports, Venora has an estimated net worth of $2 million.

Diane Venora family

In 1980, Venora tied the knot with cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak, but their marriage ended in divorce in 1989. Following the split, she opted to step away from the entertainment industry to dedicate more time to her daughter Madzia, who was eight at the time.

Throughout her break, Venora resided in New York City, where she engaged in teaching underprivileged children and occasionally took to the stage for acting roles. By 1994, she relocated with her daughter to Los Angeles.

Upon Madzia turning 15, Venora relocated with her to Los Angeles where she secured prominent roles in television series, such as “Thunder Alley” (1994) and the Emmy award-winning “Chicago Hope” (1994).

Bartkowiak remarried but expressed willingness to contribute to the upbringing of their daughter. Despite his offer, Venora opted to navigate life independently with her daughter and two dogs.