Diane Venora is an American stage, television and film actress. She 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 Bird (1988). Her other films include The Cotton Club (1984), Ironweed (1987), Heat (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Jackal (1997), The Insider (1999) and Hamlet (2000).
Early life Venora is one of six children of Marie (née Brooks) and Robert P. Venora, who owned a dry cleaning business. She graduated from East Hartford High School (class of 1970), where she was active in musicals and plays. She studied at Boston Conservatory of Music and two years later won a scholarship to Juilliard School in New York City, where she graduated in 1977. At Juilliard she was a member of the drama department's Group 6 (1973–1977), which included Kelsey Grammer, Harriet Sansom Harris and Robin Williams.
Career After graduation, Venora performed extensively on the stage, particularly in Shakespearean plays. She made her film debut alongside Albert Finney and Gregory Hines in Wolfen (1981). In 1983, she starred in Joseph Papp's production of Hamlet at the New York Shakespeare Festival in the lead role, the first woman to play the role at the prestigious showcase. She has a long history with Hamlet, having played the title role, as well as Ophelia opposite Kevin Kline, and Gertrude onscreen opposite Ethan Hawke.
In 1994, after taking five years off to care for her daughter, Venora landed a starring role in the TV series Thunder Alley, followed by a recurring role as plastic surgeon Geri Infante in the TV series Chicago Hope.
In 1995 she starred opposite Al Pacino in Heat, earning high regard from critics and audiences for her portrayal of Justine Hanna, the Pacino character's troubled wife. Her other performances include Gloria Capulet [Juliet Capulet's mother] in Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Jackal (1997), The 13th Warrior (1999), The Insider (1999), and All Good Things (2010).
Personal life Venora married cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak in 1980; they divorced in 1989. That year, she took time off from show business to spend more time with her daughter Madzia, then eight. During her hiatus, Venora lived in New York City, teaching disadvantaged children and acting in an occasional play. In 1994, she and her daughter moved to Los Angeles.
Stage credits Year Title Role Notes1981Penguin TouquetOther (Same) WomanMiss Julie1982A Midsummer Night's DreamHippolytaHamletPrince Hamlet1983Uncle VanyaYelyna1984Peer GyntGreen WomanMessiahRachel1985Tomorrow's MondayDora Allen1986Largo DesolatoLucyA Man for All SeasonsLady Margaret MoreThe School for ScandalLady Teazle1989The Winter's TaleHermione1990HamletOphelia1998Tongue of a BirdMother1999-2000HamletGertrude2000The SeagullAs directorMacbethLady Macbeth2001CelebrationThe Room2001-02Necessary TargetsZlata2002God of VengeanceSara2003The Burning Deck2012As You Like ItJaques2016110 Stories
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1979All That JazzExtraUncredited1980Getting ThereMelanieShort film1981WolfenRebecca Neff1984Gloria Swanson1985Terminal ChoiceAnna Lang1986F/XEllen Keith1987IronweedMargaret 'Peg' Phelan1988BirdChan ParkerNew York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting ActressSant Jordi Award for Best Foreign ActressNominated- Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress– Motion PictureNominated- Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress1995Three WishesJoyceHeatJustine HannaNominated- Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress1996Jane HetzkoSurviving PicassoJacqueline RoqueRomeo + JulietGloria Capulet1997Seed: A Love StoryJuliaShort filmMaj. Valentina Koslova1999True CrimeBarbara EverettQueen WeilewCelesteGiovannaLiane Wigand2000HamletGertrudeLooking for an EchoJoanne Delgado2001Megiddo: The Omega Code 2Gabriella Francini2002Heartbreak HospitalSunday Tyler / Andrea Harmon2004StatesideMrs. Hengen2005Self MedicatedLouise EriksenPhoenix Film Festival Copper Wing Award for Best Acting EnsembleTouchedCarole Davis2008StilettoSylvia VadalosChildlessMary2009Follow the ProphetRedLittle Hercules in 3-DHeraGina Santana2010All Good ThingsJanice Rizzo 2021 Star-Crossed: The Film House Mother / School Administrator / Demonstrator 2022 First Love Aunt Irene
Television Year Title Role Notes1981NurseEllen BrillEpisode: "Rivals"1982Rehearsing HamletSelfA television documentary about Joseph Papp's stage production of Hamlet with Diane Venora in the lead role.1982HippolytaTV movie1983Cook & Peary: The Race to the PoleMarie Fidele Hunt1985A.D.CorinnaTV movie1990Great PerformancesOpheliaEpisode: "Hamlet"1993Law & OrderMara FederEpisode: "Night & Fog"1994Thunder AlleyBobbi TurnerRecurring role1994–95Chicago HopeDr. Geri InfanteRecurring role1996Special Report: Journey to MarsLt. Tanya SadavoyTV movie2000Race Against TimeDr. Helen SteeleMargaret WakefieldEpisode: "Appeal and Denial"2004Class ActionsJustine HarrisonTV movieLaw & Order: Special Victims UnitMarilyn NesbitEpisode: "Home"2005ThresholdAndrea Hatten / Angela Hatten4 episodesC.S. Lewis: Beyond NarniaJoy GreshamTV movie2006Criminal MindsDorisEpisode: "The Fisher King: Part 1"2008Eleventh HourLea MullerEpisode: "Resurrection"2009Private PracticeSharonEpisode: "Second Chances"NCISShada ShakarjiEpisode: "Outlaws and In-Laws"2010Grey's AnatomyAudrey TaylorEpisode: "Push"BrendaTV movie2016Mary Rutherford
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