Victoria Hemingson

Victoria Hemingson
Born
Victoria Morsell

(1963-09-11) 11 September 1963
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Alma materAntioch University Los Angeles (MFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • author
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
(m. 1998)​
Children2

Victoria Hemingson (née Morsell; born September 11, 1963) is an American actress and author.[1] She is best known for her starring role as Adrienne Delaney in the 1995 horror video game Phantasmagoria and for her appearances on various 1990s television series, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and The Outer Limits.[2] In her second career as a writer, she has received critical acclaim, including a Grand Prize from Book Pipeline Contest in 2021.[3]

Early life and education

Morsell was born in Madison, Wisconsin and attended Ventura High School in California.[3] After a decade-long career in Hollywood, she transitioned to academia and creative writing, eventually earning a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles.[3]

Career

Morsell's acting career was defined by her ability to play both dramatic and comedic roles on television and films.[4] Morsell began her acting career in the late 1980s, appearing in the horror-comedy Saturday the 14th Strikes Back (1988).[5] Throughout the 1990s, she became a frequent star on major television networks.[6]

In 1995, Morsell gained international recognition among the gaming community for her lead role in Sierra On-Line's Phantasmagoria.[7] Written by Roberta Williams, the game was a pioneer in the "Full Motion Video" (FMV) genre, requiring Morsell to film extensively in front of blue screens.[8] Her portrayal of Adrienne Delaney, a novelist trapped in a haunted mansion, remains a cult favorite in the survival horror genre.[9]

As the lead character Adrienne Delaney, she spent months filming in front of blue screens for what was then one of the most expensive and ambitious video games ever made.[10] Morsell has noted that while she enjoyed the craft of acting, she became disillusioned with the "business" of Hollywood, specifically the long waits for brief auditions.[3] She chose to leave the industry shortly after her final television roles in 1997 to focus on her family and education.[3]

Morsell transitioned to professional writing under the name Victoria Hemingson.[11] Her writing process is heavily influenced by her acting background, focusing on deep character exploration and psychological tension.[3] She wrote Awful Necessary Things her primary literary work, this novel won the Grand Prize in the Mystery/Thriller category of the 2021 Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest.[3]

She wrote essays and short fiction, such as the personal nonfiction piece Lifesavers, have been published in Hippocampus Magazine, Shondaland, and Santa Monica Review.[11]

Personal life

Morsell started dating David Homb, her co-star of Phantasmagoria in the late 1990s; they broke up on mutual terms and remained close friends.[12] Morsell married to screenwriter David Hemingson on September 19, 1998.[3] They live in Los Angeles and have two children.[13]

In her personal writing, she has been open about her past struggles, including an eating disorder she faced during her early years as a receptionist and actress.[3] She is an active member of the retro-gaming community and frequently collaborates with fellow Phantasmagoria cast members for charity streams and fan events.[3]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Deceptions Sandwich Girl TV movie
1992 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Lydia Marshall Episode: "A Night at the Oprah"
1992–1993 Martin Secretary; Woman in Crowd 3 episodes
1993 Down the Shore Girl Episode: "Life's a Drag"
At Home with the Webbers Stripper TV movie
1995 The Wayans Bros. Stewardess Episode: "First Class"
Computer Chronicles Victoria Morsell; Adrienne Delaney Episode: "Greatest Computer Games"
Night Stand with Dick Dietrick Jamie LeFarr Episode: "Frivolous Lawsuits"
1996 Renegade Angela Baskin/Mary Polisokowski Episode: "Hound Downtown"[14]
The Outer Limits Candace Episode: "Falling Star"
Hot Line Rachel Davis Episode: "Sleepless Nights"
1997 Dangerous Minds Judy Sloan Episode: "Everybody Wants It"
The New Adventures of Robin Hood Gillian Episode: "Percy's Ghost"

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2023 Game Grumps Victoria Episode: "Phantasmagoria 2 with the actors from the games!!!"

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Saturday the 14th Strikes Back The Vampirettes Debut[15]
1989 Wizards of the Lost Kingdom II Maiden
1995 The Random Factor Jen Anders
1996 Savage Julie Verne [16]

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Phantasmagoria Adrienne Delaney PC[17]

Awards and nominations

Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / Work Result Ref.
Book Pipeline Unpublished Contest 2021 Grand Prize in the Mystery/Thriller Awful Necessary Things Won [3]

References

  1. ↑ Poets & Writers - Volume 30. Georgia State University. 2001. p. 90.
  2. ↑ The Video Source Book: A Guide to Programs Currently Available on Video in the Areas. Thompson Gale. 2006. p. 4084.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Interview Victoria Morsell". Pipeline Artists. March 8, 2025.
  4. ↑ Video Hounds Golden Movie Retrievee: The Complete Guide to. Visible Ink Press. 2001. p. 826.
  5. ↑ Science Fiction, Horror & Fantasy Film and Television Credits Supplement 2: through 1993 · Volume 4. McFarland. 1994. p. 572.
  6. ↑ Movies Made for Television, 1964-2004: 1990-1999. University of Michigan. 2005. p. 129.
  7. ↑ Game Dev Stories Volume 2: More Interviews About Game Development and Culture. CRC Press. 2021. p. 48.
  8. ↑ What Is Your Quest? From Adventure Games to Interactive Books. University of Iowa Press. 2014. p. 65.
  9. ↑ What Is Your Quest? From Adventure Games to Interactive Books. University of Iowa Press. 2014. p. 66.
  10. ↑ Adventure Games: Playing the Outsider. Bloomsbury Publishing. 2020. p. 4.
  11. 1 2 "Lifesavers by Victoria Morsell Hemingson". Hippocampus Magazine. October 10, 2025.
  12. ↑ Shannon, p. 131
  13. ↑ "Watkinson School to Present "An Evening with David Hemingson"". West Hartford News. January 20, 2026.
  14. ↑ TV Guide - Volume 44. Indiana University. 2010. p. 66.
  15. ↑ VideoHound's DVD Guide - Volume 2. Pennsylvania State University. 2002. p. 404.
  16. ↑ VideoHound's Golden Movie Retriever: 2002. Visible Ink Press. 2001. p. 623.
  17. ↑ Gamer Girls: 25 Women Who Built the Video Game Industry. Running Press. 2022. p. 1961.
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