Vera Farmiga

American actress

Vera Ann Farmiga (born August 6, 1973 in Passaic County, New Jersey) is an American actress and director. She is known for her role as Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring (2013) and The Conjuring 2 (2016).

Vera Farmiga
Farmiga at the Hugo premiere, New York City, 21 November 2011
Born
Vera Ann Farmiga

(1973-08-06) August 6, 1973 (age 51)
Occupation(s)Actress, director
Years active1996–present
Spouses
(m. 1997; div. 2005)
(m. 2008)
Children2
RelativesTaissa Farmiga (sister)

Early life

change

Farmiga comes from an immigrant family from Ukraine. She grew up with her six brothers and sisters in a Ukrainian community and learned with six years old the English language. In her youth she was in a Ukrainian folk group. In the beginning she went to a Ukrainian Catholic school and then, she studied at the School of Visual and Performing Arts of the Syracuse University.

Career

change

In 1996 she debuted in the Broadway theater play, Return to Paradise with Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche and Joaquin Phoenix in 1998. 2000 she played in the film drama Autumn in New York as Lisa Tyler. She played in the action film called 15 Minutes.

In 2004 she got an extra price of the Sundance Film Festival. 2005 the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards and the Independent Spirit Award for her performance in the film Down to the Bone.

She became famous thanks to the film 2006: The Departed. The film won four Academy Awards. In Up in the Air from the year 2009, she got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She had her directing debut with the film Higher Ground (2011). Since 2013 she plays the main role as Norma Louise Bates on the series Bates Motel.

Personal life

change

From 1997-2005 she was married with the actor Sebastian Roche. In 2008 she married Renn Hawkey. They have a son Fynn (*2009) and a daughter Gytta (*2010).

She has also a sister called Taissa Farmiga.

Television and movie roles

change
Year Movie/Program Role Notes
1997 Roar Caitlin
1998 Return to Paradise Kerrie
2000 Autumn in New York Lisa Tyler
The Opportunists Miriam Kelly
2001 15 Minutes Daphne Handlova
Snow White Josephine
2002 Dummy Lorena Fanchetti
2004 Iron Jawed Angels
Touching Evil
Down to the Bone Irene Marrakech International Film Festivals
Sundance Film Festival: Special Jury Prize for Acting
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
Los Angeles Film Critics Association for Best Actress in a Supporting Role
The Manchurian Candidate Jocelyne Jordan
2005 The Hard Easy
Neverwas Eleanna
2006 Running Scared Teresa Gazelle
The Departed Madolyn Madden
Breaking and Entering Oana
2007 In Tranzit
Joshua
2008 Nothing But the Truth Erica Van Doren Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Actress
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas Elsa British Independent Film Award for Best Performance by an Actress
2009 Orphan Katherine „Kate“ Coleman
Up in the Air Alex Goran Nominated — Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - Motion Picture
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role
Nominated — Broadcast Film Critics Association for Best Supporting Actress
2010 Henry’s Crime Julie Ivanova
Higher Ground
2011 Source Code Colleen Goodwin
2012 Safe House Catherine Linklater
2013 The Conjuring Lorraine Warren
2013–2017 Bates Motel Norma Louise Bates