Vinessa Elizabeth Shaw was born on July 19, 1976, in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of Larry Shaw and actress Susan Damante.
Shaw’s father, a native of Los Angeles, is a psychologist and former adjunct professor of psychology at Antioch University.
She began her career as a child actor and had her break-out role in Disney’s 1993 Halloween comedy-fantasy film, Hocus Pocus. Shaw also appeared in Ladybugs.
Shaw was in the 2007 remake of the classic Western film 3:10 to Yuma with Russell Crowe and Christan Bale, the indie drama film Garden Party as well as having a leading role in Two lovers alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Gwyneth Paltrow.
In 2013, she had a supporting role opposite Jude Law’s character, playing his wife in Side Effects.