Virginia Gardner: Movies & Box Office

Virginia Gardner, also credited as Ginny Gardner, was born on April 18, 1995 in Sacramento, California, U.S. She spent her childhood attending Sacramento Country Day School, where she discovered a love for performance through numerous middle‑school productions. Inspired by the 2001 Sean Penn drama I Am Sam, Gardner related deeply to the film’s portrayal of autism, a theme that resonated because her own brother is on the autism spectrum. This personal connection sparked her ambition to create emotionally resonant work that could help others feel seen. In 2011, she transitioned to online schooling to facilitate a move to Los Angeles, later completing the California High School Proficiency Exam that October. Alongside her acting aspirations, Gardner earned a black belt in taekwondo and pursued boxing and nunchaku training, disciplines that have informed her physicality on screen.  After initially living with her mother while establishing her career, Gardner secured an early television role on Disney Channel’s Lab Rats before taking a year off to focus on modeling. Her modeling work included campaigns for Kohl’s, Love Culture, HP, Hollister, LF, and Famous Footwear, an experience that almost led her to abandon acting until a timely audition for Glee redirected her path.  In 2015, she starred as Christina Raskin in the found‑footage sci‑fi thriller Project Almanac, a performance that helped cement her presence in Hollywood.  Two years later, she was cast as Karolina Dean in Hulu’s Marvel series Runaways (2017–2019), earning wide recognition for portraying the groundbreaking LGBTQ superhero.  She then appeared as Vicky in David Gordon Green’s 2018 horror sequel Halloween and later took on the role of Shiloh Hunter in the survival film Fall (2022).  Gardner describes herself as a feminist and, in August 2023, married bassist Jed Elliott of The Struts. Her career continues to evolve across film, television, and fashion, showcasing a blend of physical discipline, advocacy, and artistic versatility.