Rosanna Arquette

Rosanna Arquette

Active - 1977 - 2022  |   Born - Aug 10, 1959 in New York, New York, United States  |   Genres - Drama, Comedy, Romance

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Biography by AllMovie

Actress Rosanna Arquette, the granddaughter of actor Cliff Arquette (aka "Charley Weaver"), was born into a theatrical family; her father was a founding member of the Committee, an improvisational theater troupe. As a youth she moved often with her family. At age 17 she appeared on the Los Angeles stage in Metamorphosis. Her family settled in Virginia, where she worked in local theater where she was spotted by a casting director. She soon had much work in TV movies in the late '70s. She debuted onscreen in More American Graffitti (1979). Her breakthrough came with her portrayal of condemned murderer Gary Gilmore's girlfriend in the TV movie The Executioner's Song (1982), which earned her much praise. That success led to a lead role in John Sayles's Baby, It's You (1983). She gained her greatest fame in the hit film Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), co-starring Madonna. From there she has maintained a steady screen career, usually playing kooky, off-beat, spacey, slightly eccentric women. She is the sister of actress Patricia Arquette.

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Factsheet

  • Paternal grandfather was humorist Cliff Arquette, who was best known for his Charley Weaver character; maternal grandfather was a Polish Holocaust refugee; her father, Lewis Arquette, was an improvisational comedian and actor who played J.D. Pickett on The Waltons.
  • First movie role (a walk-on) was as a hippie in 1979's More American Graffiti.
  • The rock group Toto's Grammy-winning 1982 song Rosanna is about her, as is In Your Eyes, Peter Gabriel's 1986 hit. Both Gabriel and Toto bandmember Steve Porcaro were romantically involved with Arquette.
  • Sued Playboy magazine for publishing unauthorized nude photos of her in 1990.
  • Made her directorial debut with Searching for Debra Winger, a 2003 made-for-Showtime documentary exploring problems actresses face as they age.