Marcia Cross was born on March 25, 1962, in Marlborough, Massachusetts. As a child, Marcia always wanted to be an actress, so she set out to have a career in acting. Cross graduated from Julliard School in New York, a naturally gifted girl. Her career began in 1984, when she joined the cast of the daytime soap opera The Edge of Night. After six months, the show ended its 28-year run. The following year, in 1985, she starred opposite 'Carroll O'Connor (I)' in the television film Brass. Then, in 1986 she landed the lead role in Pros & Cons with comedienne Sheryl Lee Ralph. She kept busy by starring in The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James with many famous figures in Hollywood - including June Carter Cash, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson. Marcia's career was looking up when she was cast as Kate Roberts in another daytime soap opera, One Life to Live, and as Tanya in Another World. Marcia was then seen opposite Tim Daly in the 1988 tear-jerker romance _Almost Grown (1988) (TV)_. _Almost Grown (1988) (TV)_ was a television pilot that never got picked up, but is still very acclaimed to this day. Marcia was then cast as Ruth Fielding in Bad Influence, a 1990 thriller that starred Cross, Rob Lowe, and James Spader. She joined the cast of Knots Landing - an incredibly famous nighttime soap opera in 1991. After a year, she left to do work on a new television series called Melrose Place.

She was cast as the psychotic Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the hit prime time drama series. The show was a pop culture phenomenon, going down in history as one of the most entertaining and memorable shows of the 1990s. Marcia, who was starring opposite Heather Locklear, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and others, emerged as the fan favorite of the show. Then, in 1993, her longtime companion and fiancé Richard Jordan died. Marcia reigned on, starring in films like Female Perversions opposite Tilda Swinton and Always Say Goodbye opposite Emmy-nominee Polly Draper, throughout her long run on "Melrose". In 1997, she left the show in order to get her Master's Degree in Psychology.

Well, Marcia succeeded and got her Master's in Psychology. From 1997 to 2003, she continued to act regularly. She starred in Dancing in September - a critically acclaimed film, got herself the lead role in Living in Fear, starred in The Wind Effect - a disturbing film about family, and even filmed Eastwick, a TV pilot that never was picked up. Eastwick was based on The Witches of Eastwick, a film made in 1987, and Marcia was cast in the Susan Sarandon role.

She got back into the public eye by joining the cast of the critically-acclaimed television series Everwood with Treat Williams. After a year on the show, she left it when she was auditioned for Desperate Housewives, a new TV series. In 2004, Marcia was cast as Bree Van De Kamp in Desperate Housewives, which went on to be a monster-hit with the critics and audiences. "Housewives" immediately became the number one show in America, earning Cross well-deserved critical kudos for her brilliantly convincing performance on the show. Her career was completely re-launched - she was appearing in the media, on the biggest show in America, and once again emerging as the fan and critics' favorite on the show. Marcia began to be nominated for very prestigious awards - including the Emmy award, Golden Globe, Golden Satellite award, and a Television Critics' Association Award. Marcia even won a Screen Actors Guild award in 2005. She continues to act on the hit show, and has become an A-lister and well appreciated actress.
Education: Was graduated from the Juilliard School in New York, and Earned master's degree in psychology at LA's Antioch University. Family: Father Mark, mother Janet, sisters Susan and Ellen Played a doctor on Melrose Place, Everwood and episode #9.7 of Seinfeld. Longtime companion of Richard Jordan, until his death in 1993; since then, she did not date anyone seriously, until her engagement in 2005. Nominated for her first awards in 2004 - Golden Globe, Golden Satelitte Award, TV Guide Award and SAG Award. Was the last of the four main actresses of Desperate Housewives to get married for the first time in real-life. She and her future Desperate Housewives co-star, Brenda Strong, both starred in Everwood. Strong guest-starred in a few episodes while Cross was a steady cast-member from 2003-2004. They never were in the same episodes. They also both guest-starred in different episodes of Ally McBeal. Placed 28 on VH1's List Of "The 40 Hottest People Over 40" In 2005. Engaged to stockbroker, Tom Mahoney (b. 1958), in August, 2005. Placed 20 on E! Television's List Of "The 50 Most Wicked Women of Primetime" for playing Kimberly Shaw on Melrose Place. She and Desperate Housewives co-star Teri Hatcher both made guest appearances on Seinfeld as prospective girlfriends of Jerry Seinfeld. Has suffered from migraine headaches since the age of 14. She is a paid spokesperson for GlaxoSmithKline's migraine medication. She says she takes the medication when the first signs of the onset of migraine occur. With the medication, the pain is bearable and rarely lasts more then five hours. Without the medication, the pain completely wipes her out for up to a full day. Placed 91 on People Magazine's List Of "The 100 Most Beautiful People In The World" In 2006. Was named The Most Beautiful Person At The 2005 Emmy Awards Married Tom Mahoney in San Gabriel, California at the Church of Our Savior Episcopal Parish Wore a wedding dress by Reem Acra Her sister Susan was maid of honor at her wedding to Mahoney and her nephew Jared the ring bearer. Her other sister Ellen sang the song "Only Love Remains" for Marcia and her husband. Among the 220 guests at her wedding were Eva Longoria Parker, Felicity Huffman, Brenda Strong and William H. Macy. She and her husband, Tom Mahoney, are expecting their first child in Spring 2007 During a 2005 interview with the Desperate Housewives stars, Marcia was visibly delighted when Jamie Theakston pronounced her name as "Mar- see-ah". The actress turned to her co-star, Eva Longoria Parker, and stated that she loves the way British people pronounce her name. It was revealed that although most Americans called her "Marsha", her co-star Longoria calls her "Mar-see-ah". Cross, along with her Desperate Housewives cast mates Brenda Strong and Teri Hatcher, has guest-starred on Seinfeld like the other two, though, Cross only appeared in one episode. She and her husband, Tom Mahoney, became the parents of fraternal twins daughters named Eden and Savannah, on February 20, 2007 in Los Angeles. Has an older sister named Susan and a younger sister named Ellen. Twin daughters Eden and Savannah were christened on Sunday 17th June 2007 in a family ceremony at Santa Barbara's Trinity Episcopal Church. Her favorite charity is the Panzi Hospital in East Congo.