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Quick Facts
Biography
Amy Marie Madigan (born September 11, 1950) is an American actress, producer, and singer. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1985 film Twice in a Lifetime. Her other film credits include Love Child (1982), Places in the Heart (1984), Field of Dreams (1989), Uncle Buck (1989), The Dark Half (1993), Pollock (2000), and Gone Baby Gone (2007). Madigan won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her portrayal of Sarah Weddington in the 1989 television film Roe vs. Wade.
Early life
Madigan was born in Chicago. Her father, John J. Madigan (1918–2012), was a well-known journalist who worked for Newsweek magazine and provided political commentary on programs such as Meet the Press and Face the Nation. He interviewed a range of political figures, from Richard Nixon to Martin Luther King Jr., and hosted his own show with WBBM (AM). Her mother was Dolores (née Hanlon; 1921–92), an administrative assistant and amateur actress who performed in community theatre. She has two brothers, Jack and Jim.
Madigan attended Aquinas Dominican High School in Chicago and performed in school plays. In the 1960s, she studied piano at the Chicago Conservatory of Music, and went on to graduate from Marquette University with a degree in philosophy. She moved to Los Angeles in 1974. Madigan later studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Career
Music
In the 1970s, Madigan pursued a career as a musician, singing lead vocals for the band Jelly, whose only album, A True Story (1977), was released by Asylum Records. Madigan appeared in Playboy (June 1978) nude and covered in jelly, to promote her band. She toured across the United States performing for several bands throughout the late 1970s.
Acting
In the 1980s, Madigan transitioned from a singing career to acting, and studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Her first television role was as the character Adele on an episode of Hart to Hart in 1981. She followed this guest starring role with a role in the television film Crazy Times. The following year, Madigan made her film debut as Terry Jean Moore in Love Child, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. In 1983, she starred as Alison Ransom in the television film The Day After.
In 1984, she portrayed McCoy in the film Streets of Fire, and also had a supporting role as Viola Kelsey in Places in the Heart. In 1985, she starred in the television film The Laundromat written by Marsha Norman, opposite Carol Burnett. She won a CableACE Award for her performance as Deedee Johnson. She then co-starred as Glory Scheer, alongside her husband Ed Harris, in Alamo Bay, directed by Louis Malle. Also in 1985, she portrayed Sunny Mackenzie-Sobel in Twice in a Lifetime, for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
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Madigan made her Off-Broadway debut in 1987, portraying Sue Jack Tiller in The Lucky Spot by Beth Henley, for which she won a Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. In 1988, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance in The Prince of Pennsylvania. That same year, she performed in A Lie of the Mind at the Mark Taper Forum. In 1989, Madigan played the wife of Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. That same year, she played Chanice Kobolowski, the girlfriend of John Candy's character, in the John Hughes film Uncle Buck. Also in 1989, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance as Sarah Weddington in the television film Roe vs. Wade.
In 1990, Madigan starred opposite Paula Kelly in Stevie Wants To Play The Blues by Eduardo Machado, for which she won a Drama-Logue Award. In 1991, she starred opposite Olympia Dukakis in the Emmy-nominated television film Lucky Day. Madigan made her Broadway debut in the role of Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire in 1992, opposite Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin. She was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut Performance for her role in the play. In 1996, she and Harris produced and starred in the television film Riders of the Purple Sage. Madigan then starred with Tilda Swinton in Female Perversions. In 1997, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance as Brett Armerson in the film Loved. In 2000, she portrayed Peggy Guggenheim in the film Pollock, which her husband directed, produced, and starred in.
In 2002, she had a supporting role as Reggie Fluty, the officer who first responded to the call for aid for a dying Matthew Shepard, in the television film The Laramie Project.In 2003-2005, Madigan played the supporting role of Iris Crowe/Irina, sister of villain Justin Crowe, in HBO's series Carnivále. In 2005, Madigan starred as Lori Lansky in Winter Passing, directed by Adam Rapp. The following year, she had a supporting role as Patricia Carver, a CIA headquarters analyst, in the Emmy-winning television film The Path to 9/11. In 2007, Madigan played the sister-in-law of Helene (Amy Ryan), Beatrice "Bea" McCready, in the film Gone Baby Gone, directed by Ben Affleck. In 2008, she played Dr. Katharine Wyatt on several episodes of ABC's medical drama series Grey's Anatomy. She then guest starred on TNT's crime drama series Saving Grace as Gretchen Lagardi. In 2011, she guest starred in the final episode of TNT's drama series Memphis Beat. In 2016, Madigan starred in the revival of Sam Shepard's play Buried Child for The New Group at the Pershing Square Signature Center. The show transferred to the West End's Trafalgar Studios in November 2016, where Madigan reprised her role as Halie.
Personal life
Madigan has been married to actor Ed Harris since November 21, 1983. They have one daughter. Madigan and Harris have been frequent collaborators during their careers.
Filmography
Film
Year | Film | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1982 | Love Child | Terry Jean Moore | |
1983 | Travis McGee | Billy Jean Bailey | |
1983 | Love Letters | Wendy | |
1984 | Places in the Heart | Viola Kelsey | |
1984 | Streets of Fire | McCoy | |
1985 | Alamo Bay | Glory Scheer | |
1985 | Twice in a Lifetime | Sunny Mackenzie-Sobel | |
1986 | Zeisters | Woman at Funeral | |
1987 | Nowhere to Hide | Barbara Cutter | |
1988 | The Prince of Pennsylvania | Carla Headlee | |
1989 | Field of Dreams | Annie Kinsella | |
1989 | Uncle Buck | Chanice Kobolowski | |
1993 | The Dark Half | Liz Beaumont | |
1996 | Female Perversions | Maddie Stephens | |
1996 | Riders of the Purple Sage | Jane Withersteen | |
1997 | Loved | Brett Armerson | |
1998 | With Friends Like These... | Hannah DiMartino | |
2000 | Pollock | Peggy Guggenheim | |
2002 | A Time for Dancing | Jackie Russell | |
2004 | The Discontents | Beth Walker | |
2004 | Admissions | Martha Brighton | |
2004 | In the Land of Milk and Money | Arlyne | |
2005 | Winter Passing | Lori Lansky | |
2007 | Gone Baby Gone | Bea McCready | |
2007 | Doppelgänger | Victor's Mom | |
2010 | Once Fallen | Rose Ryan | Also executive producer |
2010 | Virginia | Roseanna Tipton | |
2011 | That's What I Am | Principal Evelyn Kelner | |
2012 | Future Weather | Grandma Greta | |
2013 | The Lifeguard | Justine London | |
2013 | Sweetwater | Madame Bovary | |
2014 | Shirin in Love | Rachel Harson | |
2014 | Frontera | Olivia McNary | |
2015 | Grey Lady | Lola | |
2016 | Sensitivity Training | Nancy Wolfe | |
2016 | Rules Don't Apply | Mrs. Bransford | |
2017 | Stuck | Sue | |
2017 | A Crooked Somebody | Joyce Vaughn | |
2018 | American Woman | Peggy | |
2019 | The Last Full Measure | Donna Burr | |
2020 | The Hunt | Miranda Ma | |
2021 | Antlers | Principal Booth | Post-production |
TBA | The Ploughmen | Filming | |
TBA | School for the Blind | Announced |
Television
Year | Show | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1981 | Hart to Hart | Adele | Episode: "Slow Boat to Murder" |
1981 | Crazy Times | Marilyn | Television film |
1981 | CHiPs | Jewel Bennett | Episode: "Finders Keepers" |
1982 | The Ambush Murders | Molly Slavin | Television film |
1982 | Victims | Chloe Brill | Television film |
1983 | The Day After | Alison Ransom | Television film |
1983 | Travis McGee | Billy Jean Bailey | Television film |
1984 | Eureka Stockade | Sarah Jamieson | 3 episodes |
1985 | The Laundromat | Deedee Johnson | Television film |
1988 | American Playhouse | Sarah Penn | Episode: "The Revolt of Mother" |
1989 | Roe vs. Wade | Sarah Weddington | Television film |
1991 | Lucky Day | Kari Campbell | Television film |
1994 | And Then There Was One | Roxy Ventola | Television film |
1994 | Frasier | Maggie (voice) | Episode: "Flour Child" |
1994 | Crocodile Shoes | Carmel Cantrell | 2 episodes |
1996 | Riders of the Purple Sage | Jane Withersteen | Television film; also executive producer |
1998 | A Bright Shining Lie | Mary Jane Vann | Television film |
1999 | Having Our Say | Amy Hill Hearth | Television film |
2000 | In the Name of the People | Connie Murphy | Television film |
2001 | Shot in the Heart | Bessie Gilmore | Television film |
2002 | Just a Dream | Cindy Wilder | Television film |
2002 | The Laramie Project | Reggie Fluty | Television film |
2003–2005 | Carnivàle | Iris Crowe | 22 episodes |
2004 | The Ranch | Mary Larkin | Television film |
2006 | Murder on Pleasant Drive | Aunt Sherrie Davis | Television film |
2006 | The Path to 9/11 | Patricia Carver | 2 episodes |
2007 | Criminal Minds | Jane Hanratty | 2 episodes |
2008 | Saving Grace | Gretchen Lagardi | Episode: "A Little Hometown Love" |
2008 | Living Proof | Fran Visco | Television film |
2008–2009 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Katharine Wyatt | 9 episodes |
2009 | ER | Mary Taggart | 2 episodes |
2010 | Law & Order | Emily Ryan | Episode: "Innocence" |
2010–2011 | Fringe | Marilyn Dunham | 3 episodes |
2011 | Memphis Beat | Kate Murphy | Episode: "The Feud" |
2012 | The Dust Bowl | Sanora Babb | Episode: "Reaping the Whirlwind" |
2016 | Grace and Frankie | Elaine Millstein | Episode: "The Loophole" |
2016 | How to Get Away with Murder | Irene Crawley | Episode: "There Are Worse Things Than Murder" |
2018 | Ice | Diane Pierce | 3 episodes |
2020 | Penny Dreadful: City of Angels | Adelaide Finnister |
Stage
Year | Film | Role | Location |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | The Lucky Spot | Sue Jack Tiller | New York City Center, Off-Broadway |
1992 | A Streetcar Named Desire | Stella Kowalski | Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway |
2013 | The Jacksonian | Susan Perch | Theatre Row, Off-Broadway |
2016 | Buried Child | Halie | The New Group, Off-Broadway |
2016–2017 | Trafalgar Studios, West End |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Nominated work | Result |
---|---|---|---|
1983 | Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress | Love Child | Nominated |
1984 | Sitges Film Festival Award for Best Actress | Streets of Fire | Won |
1985 | ACE Award for Best Actress in a Theatrical or Dramatic Special | The Laundromat | Won |
1986 | Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress | Twice in a Lifetime | Nominated |
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
1987 | Theatre World Award | The Lucky Spot | Won |
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play | Nominated | ||
1989 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female | The Prince of Pennsylvania | Nominated |
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie | Roe vs. Wade | Nominated | |
1990 | Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Won | |
Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress | Field of Dreams | Nominated | |
1992 | Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut Performance | A Streetcar Named Desire | Nominated |
1993 | Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress | The Dark Half | Nominated |
1995 | CableACE Award for Best Actress in a Movie or Miniseries | And Then There Was One | Won |
1996 | Bronze Wrangler for Television Feature Film | Riders of the Purple Sage | Won |
1998 | Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female | Loved | Nominated |
1999 | Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | A Bright Shining Lie | Nominated |
2002 | OFTA Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | The Laramie Project | Nominated |
2003 | Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Just a Dream | Nominated |
2004 | Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama | Carnivàle | Nominated |
2007 | Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble | Gone Baby Gone | Nominated |