American actress Virginia Gardner has become a familiar face in TV and film, mainly due to her starring role in Marvel’s Runaways.
After taking part in countless middle school and high school drama productions, Gardner moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career. She was initially inspired by the film I Am Sam which stars Sean Penn as an autistic father. Gardner has said that she wanted to touch people with her acting in the same way the film moved her. Her career began with smaller roles in sitcoms and dramas such as Hart of Dixie, Lab Rats and Glee. She continued to work as a model alongside her early acting jobs, and has featured in campaigns for global brands such as Kohl’s, Hollister and Famous Footwear. Gardner moved into Hollywood films with her role in Project Almanac in 2015, and has since starred in other thriller movies including Halloween and Monster Party. Her most significant role came when she was cast as the LGBTQ hero Karoline Dean in Marvel’s Runaways, and she has received widespread acclaim for the role, both in terms of her acting and for the visibility she has brought to the community by playing a gay superhero character on mainstream television. The cast of the show won a Golden Issue award in 2017.
Gardner’s career shows no signs of slowing down, with a recent role in romantic comedy All the Bright Places in 2020. This young actress is quickly becoming one of the most sought after actresses in Hollywood.