Ginnifer Goodwin Biography

Ginnifer Goodwin
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Ginnifer Goodwin

Goodwin at the Spider-Man 3 premiere, 2007
Born Jennifer Goodwin
May 22, 1978 (1978-05-22) (age 31)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 2001—present

Ginnifer Goodwin (born May 22, 1978) is an American television and film actress, best known for her role as Margene Heffman on the HBO series Big Love.

Contents

Personal life

Goodwin was born Jennifer Goodwin in Memphis, Tennessee, the daughter of Linda, a Federal Express worker, and Tim Goodwin, who formerly owned and operated a recording studio.1 She changed her name from "Jennifer" to "Ginnifer", because that is how she and her family pronounced it in their regional dialect.2 Her younger sister, Melissa Goodwin, is a prominent stop motion animator on shows such as the Emmy Award winning Robot Chicken, on which Ginnifer has also appeared as voice talent.

Goodwin was affiliated with the North American Federation of Temple Youth and was active in BBYO at the Jewish Community Center in Memphis growing up; she had a bat mitzvah.3 After graduating from Lausanne Collegiate School in 1996, Goodwin attended Hanover College (majoring in Theatre) for one year before moving on to Boston University's College of Fine Arts, where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting, with honors, in 2001.1

She dated actor Chris Klein for two years; they broke up in December 2008.4

Career

Goodwin first had roles in the popular NBC television programs Law & Order and Ed before appearing in the Comedy Central television movie Porn 'n Chicken. She later had substantial roles in the films Mona Lisa Smile, Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!, Walk the Line, in which she portrayed Vivian Liberto, Johnny Cash's first wife, and Birds of America. She also played Dori Dumchovic in the dark comedy Love Comes to the Executioner.5 Goodwin is currently in a leading role as Margene Heffman, the third wife in a polygamous family, on the HBO original series Big Love.

Goodwin starred in He's Just Not That into You, which was released in February 2009. In April 2009, she began filming Ramona and Beezus (playing Ramona's favorite person, Aunt Bea), co-starring with John Corbett, Bridget Moynahan, and Selena Gomez.6

In 2008, MaxMara honored Goodwin with a "Face of the Future" award, an award recognizing up and coming women in film.7 Also, Goodwin was one of the celebrities featured in Gap's Fall 2008 ad campaign.8

Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
2003 Mona Lisa Smile Connie Baker
2004 Win a Date with Tad Hamilton! Cathy Feely
2005 Walk the Line Vivian Cash
2006 Love Comes to the Executioner Dori Dumchovic
2007 Day Zero Molly Rifkin
In the Land of Women Janey
2008 Birds of America Ida
2009 He's Just Not That Into You Gigi
A Single Man Mrs. Strunk Post-production
2010 Ramona and Beezus Aunt Bea Filming
Television
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Law & Order Erica Episode: "Myth of Fingerprints"
Ed Diane Snyder 2001-2004 (25 episodes)
2002 Porn 'n Chicken Maya Television film
2005 Robot Chicken Various 2005-2007 (7 episodes)
2006 Big Love Margene Heffman 2006-present (34 episodes)

References

External links