My Take
Vinessa Shaw is one of those actresses who lodged herself in your brain before you even knew her name — if you grew up in the early 90s, you absolutely remember her as Allison in Hocus Pocus, the cool older girl who actually believed in witches before it was too late. She started out as a child actress, which is a rough road for anyone, and somehow came out the other side with real range and a Barnard College degree to boot. Her career has been a long, steady slow-burn rather than a flash-in-the-pan — popping up in Eyes Wide Shut, Two Lovers, and a memorable run on Ray Donovan — and there's something genuinely refreshing about a talent who just keeps working without chasing celebrity. She's never been loud about herself, which is probably why she's underrated, but her instincts on screen are always sharp.
Overview
Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw (born July 19, 1976) is an American film actress and model. She began her career as a child actress, making her feature film debut in the slasher film Home Sweet Home (1981). She had her breakout role in Disney's Halloween comedy-fantasy film Hocus Pocus (1993). Shaw also appeared in Ladybugs (1992) and L.A. Without a Map (1998).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Vinessa Shaw
- Name (Japanese)
- ヴィネッサ・ショウ
- Reading
- ゔぃねっさ・しょう
- Born
- July 19, 1976 (age 49)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Cancer / Dragon
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- actor / television actor / model / film actor / film director
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Barnard College
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.