Marcia Cross

Marcia Cross
Cross in April 2008
Born	Marcia Anne Cross (1962-03-25) March 25, 1962 Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States
Education	Juilliard (1984)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1984–present
Television	Edge of Night, TheThe Edge of Night, One Life to Live, Another World, Melrose Place, Everwood, Desperate Housewives
Spouse	Tom Mahoney (2006–present)
Partner	Richard Jordan (1985–1993; his death)
Children	Eden Mahoney Savannah Mahoney

Marcia Anne Cross (born March 25, 1962) is an American television actress, best known for her roles as Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC comedy-drama series Desperate Housewives, and as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the Fox soap opera Melrose Place.

Early life and education

Cross is of English descent^{[citation needed]} and was born in Marlborough, Massachusetts, the daughter of Janet, a teacher, and Mark Cross, a personnel manager. Her parents raised her in the Roman Catholic religion. She grew up with sisters Susan (age 51–52), a teacher, and Ellen (age 45–46), a singer and songwriter.

Raised in Marlborough, she graduated from Marlborough High School in 1980. Having received a half scholarship to Juilliard at the age of 17, she moved to New York City at the age of 18 to study at the school where she graduated in 1984. Cross returned to school in 1997 to earn a master's degree in psychology, which she received from Antioch University Los Angeles in 2003.

Career

She began her television career in 1984 on the soap opera The Edge of Night. She then moved from New York to Los Angeles, and soon landed roles in television movies such as The Last Days of Frank and Jessie James, co-starring with Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. In 1986 she joined the cast of the ABC daytime Soap opera One Life to Live, where she played Kate Sanders, until 1987.

In 1991, Cross guest-starred on the 13th season on the soap opera Knots Landing as the wife of Pierce Lawton (Bruce Greenwood). She spent a lot of her screen-time on the show confronting Paige Matheson, played by her future Desperate Housewives co-star Nicollette Sheridan.

In 1992, Cross gained widespread recognition, cast as Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the FOX's primetime soap opera Melrose Place. Initially cast for one episode, she so impressed the producers that they kept bringing her back. By the second season, her character was emerging as the mentally unbalanced antagonist of the show. She left in the season five.

Cross guest-starred on series such as Seinfeld, where she played Jerry's dermatologist girlfriend Dr. Sitarides (whom he mocked as "Pimple Popper M.D."), and Cheers, where she portrayed Susan Howe, the younger sister to Kirstie Alley's character, Rebecca Howe. She also appeared on the episides of sitcoms, such as Boy Meets World, Ally McBeal, Spin City, It's Garry Shandling's Show and King of Queens. Her dramatic roles include appearances on CSI, Profiler and Touched by an Angel. Her film credits include independent movies Bad Influence (1990), Always Say Goodbye (1996) and Just Peck (2009).

In 2003, prior to her role on Desperate Housewives, Cross spent a season co-starring as Linda Abbott on WB's critically acclaimed series, Everwood.

In 2004, Cross landed the role of Bree Van de Kamp on the ABC dramedy series Desperate Housewives. For this role she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series in 2005, and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2005—2007).

From late 2009 onwards, Cross fronted various television advertising campaigns in the United Kingdom for the country's Albert Barlett Rooster Potatoes company. Cross appeared in the indie movie Bringing Up Bobby in 2011.

Personal life

Cross was the long-time companion of actor Richard Jordan, who was 25 years older than her. Jordan died from a brain tumor in 1993.

Cross and Tom Mahoney (b. 1958), a stock broker whom she had been dating for six months, were married on June 24, 2006, in front of 200 guests at the Church of Our Savior Episcopal Parish in San Gabriel, California. Cross underwent in vitro fertilization soon after her wedding. On January 11, 2007, she was placed on precautionary bedrest, requiring her to suspend her Desperate Housewives acting duties. Cross did not want to give up working, even bringing the entire cast and crew to her home to shoot some scenes in her bedroom, which was painted to look like Bree's. On February 20, 2007, Cross gave birth to fraternal twin daughters, Eden and Savannah, at a Los Angeles hospital, shortly before Cross's 45th birthday. Both children were baptized at Trinity Episcopal Church.

In November 2005, Cross appeared on the cover of the newly launched Psychologies magazine in the United Kingdom where she discussed her passion for psychology and therapy. In September 2008, Cross stated in an interview that she was "in heaven right now" looking after her newborn twins, but also stated that she has a desire to adopt a child in the near future. In December 2008, Cross became the face of Mott's apple sauce; commercials began airing in March 2009. On January 20, 2009, it was announced that Cross's husband had been diagnosed with cancer.

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1984	Edge of Night, TheThe Edge of Night	Liz Correll	Soap opera
1985	Brass	Victoria Willis	Television film
1985–1986	One Life to Live	Kate Sanders	Soap Opera
1986	Pros & Cons	Lynn Erskine	Television film
1986	Tales from the Darkside	Marie Alcott	1 episode
1986	Last Days of Frank and Jesse James, TheThe Last Days of Frank and Jesse James	Sarah Hite	Television film
1986	Another World	Tanya	Soap opera
1988	Almost Grown	Lesley Foley	1 episode
1989	Cheers	Susan Howe	1 episode
1989	Just Temporary	Amy	Television film
1990	Storm and Sorrow	Marty Hoy	Television film
1990	Quantum Leap	Stephanie Heywood	1 episode
1991–1992	Knots Landing	Victoria Broyelard	7 episodes
1992	Murder, She Wrote	Marci Bowman	1 episode
1992–1997	Melrose Place	Kimberly Shaw	114 episodes
1996	All She Ever Wanted	Rachel Stockman	Television film
1997	Seinfeld	Dr. Sara Sitarides	1 episode
1997	Ned and Stacey	Diana Huntley	4 episodes
1998	Target Earth	Karen Mackaphe	Television film
1999	Boy Meets World	Rhiannon Lawrence	4 episodes
1999	The Outer Limits	Kate Woods	1 episode
2000	Dancing in September	Lydia Gleason	Television film, Supporting role
2000	Profiler	Pamela Martin	1 episode
2000	Spin City	Joan	Season 5 episode 1
2001	Living in Fear	Rebecca Hausman	Television film
2001	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Julia Fairmont	1 episode
2002	Eastwick	Jane Spofford	TV pilot
2002	King of Queens	Debi	2 episodes in season 5
2003–2004	Everwood	Dr. Linda Abbott	18 episodes
2004–2012	Desperate Housewives	Bree Van de Kamp	Main cast, 174 episodes, Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy (2006) Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2005,2006) Nominated – Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress - Comedy Series (2005) Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy (2005—2007) Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2007,2009) Nominated – Television Critics Association Award (Individual Achievement in Comedy) (2005) Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Television Series - Musical or Comedy (2005) Nominated – Prism Award (Performance in a Comedy Series) (2005, 2007, 2009)

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1990	Bad Influence	Ruth Fielding	Supporting role
1996	Ripple	Ali	Short film
1996	Always Say Goodbye	Anne Kidwell	Lead role
1996	Female Perversions	Beth Stephens	Small role
2003	Wind Effect, TheThe Wind Effect	Molly	Short film
2009	Just Peck	Cheryl Peck	Supporting role
2011	Bringing Up Bobby	Mary	Supporting role

External links

• Marcia Cross at the Internet Movie Database