With her luxurious blonde hair, almond-shaped hazel eyes and comely figure, Virginia Madsen initially specialized in playing either femme fatales or imperiled heroines in various made-for-cable movies, but her consistently strong performances ultimately earned her a career second act that included an Oscar nomination for her subtle, touching portrayal of the confident waitress Maya in Alexander Payne’s critically acclaimed film, “Sideways” (2004). With this part, Madsen’s career moved to a whole new level, including being directed by such greats as Robert Altman and co-starring opposite some
