Vera Farmiga is an actress.
Vera Ann Farmiga ( [ fɑrˈmiːɡə ] born August 6 , 1973 ) is an American actress , director and producer . She gained more critical acclaim for her role as Alex Goran in the 2009 comedy-drama Up in the Air , for which she was nominated for the Academy Award , BAFTA Award , Golden Globe Award , and Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Supporting Actress . From 2013 to 2017 , Farmiga starred as Norma Louise Bates in the A&E drama-thriller series Bates Motel , for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination . This role , along with her roles in Joshua , Orphan , and the two Conjuring films , has dubbed her as a contemporary scream queen .