Biography
Virginia Newcomb is a performer and filmmaker recognized for her standout role in A24's The Death of Dick Long (2019), directed by Daniel Scheinert of Oscar-winning duo The Daniels. Justin Chang of the LA Times praised her portrayal of Lydia, describing it as "a terrific energy—fiercely protective, vulnerable, and angry simultaneously—as she grapples with a situation both absurd and impossible. Her disbelief is contagious, and her performance utterly convincing."
Her work on this film and others took her back to her home state of Alabama, where she produced Lynn Shelton's Sword of Trust (2019) alongside numerous award-winning short films. Virginia’s credits also include Peacock (2010) with Cillian Murphy, Reparation (2015) with Marc Menchaca, and The Beta Test (2021) by Vanishing Angle, starring opposite Jim Cummings; this film premiered at Berlinale and Tribeca ’21 and was released by IFC. She participated in Julian Rosefeldt's large-scale video installation, Euphoria, featuring Cate Blanchett and Giancarlo Esposito, showcased at New York’s Park Avenue Armory and toured internationally.
Virginia is actively involved in arts education and advocacy, collaborating with organizations such as the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Alys Stephens Center, Girls Rock, and the ACLU. She has performed alongside the punk protest group Pussy Riot at a Planned Parenthood benefit. In 2021, she was selected for the inaugural Constellation Incubator, a program focused on applying design thinking to create a more sustainable and equitable filmmaking ecosystem. She continues to explore innovative methods to enhance artist support.
Drawing from a broad theatre background, Virginia’s creative work is inspired by boundary-pushing, multimedia mashups. Her Broadway debut was in Jay Scheib’s live-cinema production of Chekhov’s Platonov, which was live-streamed to Times Square and BAM Rose Cinemas. She adopted a similar immersive approach as the creator of the Cucalorus Film Festival’s annual commissioned Blue Velvet installation, Bus To Lumberton. Whether infusing dynamic movement into film or subtle nuance into theater, Virginia excels at blending these artistic worlds.
Her television appearances include roles in Law & Order: SVU, The Walking Dead, The Office, Halt & Catch Fire, and the Netflix series From Scratch opposite Zoe Saldana. She stars as an injured coal miner in the Appalachian eco-body horror film Occupational Hazard, available on Hulu. Virginia has contributed to numerous award-winning shorts like Three Fingers (Raindance), The Recycling Man (Leeds), and the Belgian sci-fi Wasteland with Jan Bijvoet, which won Best Performances at the Blue Planet Film Festival in China. Across all roles and mediums, Virginia is committed to telling bold, evocative stories through deeply collaborative projects that portray women authentically, especially within nontraditional Southern narratives.
