Madeline Zima

Madeline Zima is a American actress who played Jo Bennett in the series Out of this World.

Madeline Zima began her acting career at the age of seven and has developed into a seasoned and diverse actress. Equally skilled at comedy and drama, she has worked continuously for several decades, in critically-acclaimed projects. She was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents Dennis and Marie, and is the sister of actresses Vanessa Zima and Yvonne Zima. "Zima", a Polish surname, is her mother's maiden name; Madeline's maternal grandfather was of Polish descent, while her other ancestry is Italian, German, and Irish. She grew up in Pennsylvania and, early on, had a New York agent for modeling and commercials.

She and her sister Vanessa were discovered by Woody Allen for his movie, Alice (1990). She actually quit show business, the week when she was urged to come in for her sixth call back for The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992). She came back for one more audition and booked the role of "Emma". She booked the movie and has never stopped working since. It was both Madeline and Julianne Moore's first film and was directed by Academy Award-winning director and writer, Curtis Hanson. Madeline won critical notice for her first film role.

Madeline followed that dramatic thriller with a short film that Daryl Hannah directed. It was a Sundance favorite called The Last Supper (1995), where Madeline, as a tiny wily child, scared away her mother's abusive boyfriend by convincing him that she and her mother were cannibals. She followed that with the comedies, Mr. Nanny (1993), Our Song, a pilot with George Hamilton, and finally The Nanny (1993). On The Nanny (1993), where writing changed daily, Madeline honed her comic timing on the six-year CBS comic hit that is now a linchpin of the Lifetime daily programming. By this time, the pilot of The Nanny (1993) was picked up and Madeline moved from the New York to L.A., when The Nanny (1993) became a hit show.

She has starred in TV films: The Secret Path (1999). Her sister, Yvonne Zima played the seven-year-old counterpart to her characters. She played the daughter of the late John Ritter and Marg Helgenberger on Lethal Vows (1999). The Sandy Bottom Orchestra(2000) was a starring role where she learned virtuoso violin pieces, which were so impressively played, even the music consultant on the movie, thought Madeline was a professional violinist.

After a worldwide search in all English-speaking countries, Madeline was the choice to play Lucille Ball as a teenager, in the CBS mini-series, Lucy (2003) (aka "Redhead"). She followed that up playing the wicked stepsister of Hilary Duff in A Cinderella Story (2004). Madeline took up sketch comedy-writing with hopes of one day being on SNL.

In the pilot, 3 lbs. (2006), produced by Peter Ocko, she plays a violinist again, this time with a brain tumor. Reviews in Entertainment Weekly said her performance was the only reason to watch the show.

In a return to television, she agreed to play the mysterious and destructive character "Mia" on the hit Showtime series, Californication (2007).

When not working on movies, Madeline sings and plays guitar, writes songs, screenplays. She loves to snowboard, paint, dance and spends lots of time with her sisters, who are also actresses and writers, Vanessa Zima and Yvonne Zima.

Trivia
Older sister of actresses Vanessa Zima and Yvonne Zima Was cast to play a teen-aged Lucille Ball in a movie/mini-series for CBS for 2003. This was a period piece were Madeline would play the I Love Lucy (1951) star from ages 13 to 18 and was scripted to film a scene with a teen-aged Bette Davis, with whom Ball attended drama school. For the role, Madeline would have to cut her long hair in a bob. The movie was tentatively-titled the "I Love Lucy" movie or "Redhead". The movie's final title was Lucy (2003). Played a character named Rachel Green in the movie The Sandy Bottom Orchestra (2000) - her little sister Yvonne played the first Rachel Greene on the television series, ER (1994). Parents: Dennis and Maria She and her sisters have their own website, The ZIMA Sisters' Official Home Page. Fan letters can be sent via email from the site, and Miss Zima answers as many of them as she can. Was considered for the lead role in The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005). Voted #64 in FHM's "Sexiest Women in the World" (2009). Voted #5 "Sexiest Women in the World" FHM Online (2009). Madeline sings, plays guitar, horseback rides, writes songs, and she writes screenplays. She loves to snowboard, paint, dance and swim and spends lots of time with her sisters who are also actresses and writers. Madeline learned to play a violin for her role in the made-for television movie "The Sandy Bottom Orchestra". Describes herself as very shy and says her sisters usually have to talk to guys for her. Is set to begin filming the television show, Californication (2007), in June and which will air in August 2007. [May 2007] Lives in Santa Clarita, CA and is being home-schooled through the Laurel Springs Home School program. Continues to act. Is set to begin filming the movie Legacy (2008), due in theaters in 2006, in Los Angeles, CA. [November 2005] Lives in Los Angeles, California. Continues to act and write screenplays. [March 2006]