Californication Insider

Remember that baby face and ever-present nasally voice? That’s Grace Sheffield, who looked cute and dropped some nice one-liners as she trailed behind the awful Fran Drescher in ‘The Nanny’ from 1993 to 1999. Well, at least she did in the one episode of that crock that I managed to endure!

And here she is now doing Kubrick’s Lolita!! … My hasn’t she grown!

Yap, Maddy’s really ditched the schoolgirl uniform and cutesy kid schtick to become a piece of hot, stacked, jailbait called Mia Lewis who’s hell-bent on either mounting or destroying poor Hank Moody (played by so-called ‘sex addict’ David Duchovny) in Showtime’s wonderful “Californication.”

She also therein spends time claiming to have written a novel with the great title “F*cking and Punching”! (coincidentally the working title of a new film based on the Rihanna and Chris Brown relationship!)

Although she plays a seventeen year old Mia, Zima’s actually 24! (or what, in Hollywood, is known as ‘Middle Aged’!)

MADELINE ZIMA as Mia.

Date of Birth: September 16, 1985

Birth Place: New Haven, Connecticut

Eye Color: Green

Height: 5′ 8″

Family: Parents: Dennis and Marie
Sisters: Vanessa and Yvonne

Education: Home-schooled

Actor Bio: Madeline became a child actor at an early age when she appeared in a Downey commercial. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, she grew up in Pennsylvania. She has 2 younger sisters, Vanessa and Yvonne, both of whom are also actresses and writers. In 1992, she landed a lead role in The Hand That Rocks The Cradle and has been working ever since. She is mostly known for her role as “Gracie” in the TV sitcom “The Nanny” and moved to LA when the show became a hit. The show enjoyed a 6 year run and it was during this period that she honed her comic timing. Over the past 12 years she has worked in numerous critically acclaimed projects. She has starred in TV films such as The Secret Path (1999)(TV) and The Sandy Bottom Orchestra (2000)(TV). Madeline was the choice to play Lucille Ball as a teenager, in the CBS mini-series, Redhead, after a world wide search.

When Not working, she sings and plays guitar, loves horseback riding, writes songs and screenplays. She loves to snowboard, paint, dance and swim and spends lots of time with her sisters.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Movies:
Legacy ( 2007 )
Dimples ( 2007 )
Looking for Sunday ( 2006 )
A Cinderella Story ( 2004 )
The Big Leaf Tobacco Company ( 2001 )
The Rose Sisters ( 1998 )
‘Till There Was You ( 1997 )
Mr. Nanny ( 1993 )
The Last Supper ( 1993 )
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle ( 1992 )

TV Shows:
Ghost Whisperer ( 2007, 1 Episode )
3 lbs ( 2006, 1 Episode )
Strong Medicine ( 2004, 1 Episode )
7th Heaven ( 2003, 1 Episode )
Lucy ( 2003, mini-Series )
Gilmore Girls ( 2001, 1 Episode )
The Nightmare Room ( 2001, 2Episodes )
King of the Hill ( 2001, 1 Episode )
The Sandy Bottom Orchestra ( 2000, TV Movie )
Lethal Vows ( 1999, TV Movie )
Chicken Soup for the Soul ( 1999, 1 Episode )
The Nanny ( 1993-1999, 126 Episodes )
The Secret Path ( 1999, TV Movie )
Second Chances ( 1998 )
Touched by an Angel ( 1997, 1 Episode )
JAG ( 1996, 1 Episode )
The Nanny Christmas Special: Oy to the World ( 1995 )
Law and Order ( 1993, 1 Episode )
30 Even Scarier Movie Moments ( 2006, Mini-Series )
The Nanny Reunion: A Nosh to Remember ( 2004 )
The Osbournes ( 2003, 1 Episode )
Rove Live ( 2007, Uncredited )

Best-known character: Gracie, from the sitcom, The Nanny.