Rosanna Arquette was born Rosanna Lauren Arquette on the 10th of August 1959 in New York to actress, teacher, poet, political activist and therapist Mardi Olivia Nowark and to actor Director Lewis Arquette. Her siblings are all famous actors, David, Particia, Alexis and Richmond. Her sister in law from David is actress Courtney Cox.
Though born in New York her family moved to Chicago when her father became the manager of The Second City Theatre. However when she was 11 her parents joined a commune in Virginia. The move to the commune was not very healthy to Rosanna and her school grades were eventually affected. In 1974, she then hitchhiked across the country, leaving Virginia and eventually settling to San Francisco. In San Francisco she landed a job at the Renaissance and Dickens fairs. In 1977, she debuted in the at the Story Theatre Musical Ovid’s The Metamorphoses. It was shown at the Callboard Theatre in Los Angeles.