Her other films include The Cotton Club (1984), Ironweed (1987), Heat (1995), Romeo + Juliet (1996), The Jackal (1997), The Insider (1999) and Hamlet (2000).
She studied at Boston Conservatory of Music and two years later won a scholarship to Juilliard School in New York City, where she graduated in 1977.
[2] At Juilliard she was a member of the drama department's Group 6 (1973–1977),[3] which included Kelsey Grammer, Harriet Sansom Harris and Robin Williams.
In 1994, after taking five years off to care for her daughter,[citation needed] Venora landed a starring role in the TV series Thunder Alley, followed by a recurring role as plastic surgeon Geri Infante in the TV series Chicago Hope.
During her hiatus, Venora lived in New York City, teaching disadvantaged children and acting in an occasional play.