Trivia

Vinessa is named after her grandfather, Vincent.

Is also a model.

In 2017 she married her boyfriend of 9 years Kristopher Gifford.

Grew up in Topanga Canyon in California.

Vinessa's paternal grandfather was of Russian Jewish descent. The surname "Shaw" was originally "Schwartz". Vinessa's maternal grandfather was of Italian descent, with his family being from Calabria and Naples, Italy. Vinessa's other ancestry is Irish, German, English, 1/16th Spanish/Mexican, Swedish, Dutch, and French.

Attended Pitzer College, but never graduated.

Daughter of Susan Damante, with whom she appeared in Indomptables (1996).

Has a son, Jack Hiroki Gifford (b. February 20, 2018 three weeks past his due date), with her estranged husband Kristopher Gifford.

Ranked #66 in Stuff magazine's "102 Sexiest Women In The World". (2002)

Auditioned for the part of Jenny Everdeane in Gangs of New York (2002).

In the summer of 1990, Vinessa, then just 14 years old, participated with her mother Susan Damante in a directing workshop in Maine run by Peter Werner, during which Vinessa performed a brief but very dramatic scene. Especially because she was so young, her talented performance impressed and even stunned many of the student attendees, one of whom was 26-year-old Blair Underwood.

Niece of Vicki Damante.

Sister of Natalie Shaw.

Born on the same date as Benedict Cumberbatch.

Cousin of Giavanna Whited.