Marcia Anne Cross was born on March 25, 1962, in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and as a child, she always had a strong desire to pursue a career in acting.
She graduated from the prestigious Juilliard School in New York, showcasing her natural talent.
Her acting career began in 1984 when she joined the cast of the daytime soap opera The Edge of Night, which unfortunately ended its 28-year run after six months.
In 1985, she starred alongside Carroll O'Connor in the television film Brass, followed by a lead role in Pros & Cons with comedienne Sheryl Lee Ralph.
She continued to work steadily, starring in The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James alongside notable figures such as June Carter Cash, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson.
Marcia's career took off when she was cast as Kate Roberts in the daytime soap opera One Life to Live and as Tanya in Another World.
She then appeared in the tearjerker romance Almost Grown opposite Tim Daly, which although never picked up as a series, remains highly acclaimed.
Marcia's next role was as Ruth Fielding in the thriller Bad Influence, alongside Rob Lowe and James Spader.
She joined the cast of Knots Landing in 1991, but left after a year to star in the prime-time soap opera Melrose Place, where she played the iconic and psychotic Dr. Kimberly Shaw.
Marcia's performance earned her the title of fan favorite, and she remained on the show until 1997, during which time she also appeared in films like Female Perversions and Always Say Goodbye.
After leaving Melrose Place, Marcia pursued her Master's Degree in Psychology, and from 1997 to 2003, she continued to act regularly in films and television shows.
She starred in Dancing in September, a critically acclaimed film, and got the lead role in Living in Fear, as well as appearing in The Wind Effect and Eastwick, a television pilot based on the film The Witches of Eastwick.
Marcia then joined the cast of the critically-acclaimed television series Everwood, before auditioning for and being cast as Bree Van De Kamp in the hit television series Desperate Housewives.
Her performance in Desperate Housewives earned her numerous award nominations, including the Emmy Award, Golden Globe, Golden Satellite Award, and a Television Critics' Association Award, and she even won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2005.
