October is known for one thing – it’s the month of Halloween. It’s also the month we all sit down with our kids and force them to sit back and watch all the Halloween movies. No Halloween movie is more family-oriented, more amazing, and more fun than “Hocus Pocus,” with the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker and Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy. However, we often forget that one of the biggest stars of the hit film is Vinessa Shaw. After all, she’s the woman who played the role of young Allison, the girl Max had a crush on. She took Max and his sister Dani (played by the amazing Thora Birch) to the Sanderson Sister’s home, a museum, where Max lit the black flame candle, brought the witches back to life, and caused some serious havoc on the night of Halloween. Without Vinessa Shaw, this movie would not have happened, and with everyone tuning in for their annual viewing party, we’re also wondering what happened to her?
Vinessa Shaw’s Early Life
Vinessa Shaw was born in Los Angeles, California, on July 19, 1976. Her mother is actress Susan Damante. Her father, while not nearly as famous as her mother, did well for himself, too. Larry Shaw was a psychologist who also worked as a professor at Antioch University. When she was born, her parents chose to spell Vinessa with an “I” rather than the traditional “A” after her grandfather, Vincent. Shaw got her start in the business when she was all of 10. She attended the UCLA acting camp. It was her first official performance. However, it would not be until she was 13 that she would begin modeling. She was signed with the prestigious modeling company Elite Models, and that is where she really found her niche. She modeled, she starred in commercials, and she made a name for herself that allowed her to later land the role of Allison in “Hocus Pocus”. The movie was not meant to be a big one at the time. It was your average made-for-television Disney movie that blew up and became a huge hit.
She was 17 when she starred in “Hocus Pocus,” and the movie made her a star. It was big when it was released in 1993, but the movie has only grown in popularity over the course of the past 28 years. This movie made her so famous that we all still watch her every year when the seasons’ change and the movie is back in its prime. Before her role in HP, however, she didn’t have any exceptionally notable roles. She had a few television appearances, a few movie roles in small-budget films that never went anywhere, and she was a relatively unknown actress at the time. HP changed her life.
Where Has Vinessa Shaw Been?
Since she became a huge star in 1993, where has she been? Shaw had several impressive roles following this 1993 hit, and she continues to work. She went to college. She attended courses at Barnard College, and she kept working. She landed a role in the 1999 hit “Eyes Wide Shut,” and another in the 2002 hit movie, “40 Days and 40 Nights”. She starred in the 2006 Wes Craven movie “The Hills Have Eyes”. In terms of television work, some of her more notable television roles include her role in the Showtime hit “Ray Donovan,” as well as a few guest appearances in other shows. She didn’t do much work during the pandemic days of 2020, but she’s bringing it back in 2021 with several roles. She’s starring in the 2021 film “The Blazing World,” as well as “12 Might Orphans,” and the as-yet announced, “We Need to Do Something”. Sadly, while the sequel to “Hocus Pocus,” is underway, there is no confirmation as yet that she will have any part in the new movie. It is not a reboot, but the three main characters – the Sanderson Sisters – have all agreed to come back to film. The Disney Channel movie is rumored to be released exclusively to Disney+ in the fall of 2022. We can hope, however. Additionally, Shaw has focused on her personal life since her star was born. She began dating her husband, Kristopher Gifford, back in 2007. The couple became engaged in 2008, but they waited a staggering nine years to tie the knot. They officially wed in 2017, and they welcomed their first and only child in 2018. They have a son by the name of Jack, and she’s a proud mom.Ray Donovan
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