Elizabeth Perkins

Infobox actress

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birthname =
birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1960|11|18
birthplace = Queens, New York, U.S.
deathdate =
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occupation =
spouse = Julio Macat (June 17, 2000-Present)
Terry Kinney (March 27, 1984, divorced October 10, 1988; 1 child)

Elizabeth Perkins (born November 18, 1960) is an Emmy- and Golden Globe award-nominated American film, television and theater actress.

Biography

Early life

Perkins was born in Queens, New York City, the daughter of Jo Williams, a drug treatment counselor and concert pianist, and James Perkins, a farmer, writer and businessman. [ [http://www.filmreference.com/film/56/Elizabeth-Perkins.html Elizabeth Perkins Biography (1960?-) ] ] Her paternal grandparents were Greek immigrants from Salonika who anglicized their surname from "Pisperikos" to "Perkins" when they immigrated to the United States. [ [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4023736.html `Big' star relates to `Avalon' role | Article from Chicago Sun-Times | HighBeam Research ] ] [ [http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/contributor/1800012200/bio Elizabeth Perkins Biography - Yahoo! Movies ] ] [ [http://www.playboy.com/magazine/20q_archive/elizabeth-perkins.html Playboy.com - 20Q - Elizabeth Perkins - Interview With Elizabeth Perkins ] ] Perkins was raised in Vermont; her parents divorced in 1963. After finishing high school at Northfield Mount Hermon School she spent three years in Chicago studying acting at the famous Goodman School of Drama. In 1984, she made her theatrical debut on Broadway in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs", and afterward worked in a number of ensemble companies, including The New York Shakespeare Festival and the Steppenwolf Theater. She has always considered theater work to be a priority in her career.

Career

She was listed as one of the twelve "Promising New Actors of 1986" in John Willis' Screen World, and she has since landed numerous film roles. Perkins made her film debut in 1986 in Edward Zwick's "About Last Night..." and had a career breakthrough co-starring with Tom Hanks in "Big". She received critical acclaim for her performance in Barry Levinson's "Avalon", and was the stand-out actor opposite William Hurt in "The Doctor" (1991), in which she received critical acclaim for her performance as a terminal cancer patient.

In 1993, Perkins made her television debut in "For Their Own Good". She later starred in the comedy series "Battery Park" and "If These Walls Could Talk", and has since regularly appeared in television films. Recently, Perkins appeared as a psychiatrist in the 2005 suspense thriller, "The Ring Two", starring Naomi Watts.

Since 2005, Perkins has played Celia Hodes, upstanding PTA mother, alongside Mary-Louise Parker and Justin Kirk on the Showtime series "Weeds". Thanks to her work on "Weeds", Perkins has received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series, Miniseries or Made for TV Motion Picture (in 2006 and 2007). She has also been nominated for an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. At a screening of the season 2 finale of "Weeds", at the Museum of TV and Radio on October 25, 2006, Perkins said that she considers playing Celia Hodes her favorite role in her career because she is so different from characters she is usually cast. The show's fourth season aired in 2008, with two more seasons recently confirmed by Showtime.

Personal life

Perkins' first husband was Chicago actor Terry Kinney, but later divorced. She has one daughter, Hannah Phillips. In 2000, she married her present husband, Argentinian-born cinematographer Julio Macat, gaining three stepsons: Maximillian, Alexander and Andreas. [According to "Parade" Magazine (August 5, 2007)]

Awards and nominations

Primetime Emmy Awards
*2006 Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for "Weeds" (nominated)
*2007 Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for "Weeds" (nominated)Golden Globe Awards
*2006 Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Mini-series, or TV Movie for "Weeds" (nominated)
*2007 Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series, Mini-series, or TV Movie for "Weeds" (nominated)Satellitte Awards
*2005 Best Actress in a Comedy Series for "Weeds" (nominated)
*2006 Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-series, or TV Movie for "Weeds" (nominated)Screen Actors Guild Awards
*2007 Best Acting Ensemble in a Comedy Series for "Weeds" (nominated)

Filmography

*"About Last Night" (1986)
*"From The Hip" (1987)
*"Big" (1988)
*"Avalon" (1990)
*"Love at Large" (1990)
*"The Doctor" (1991)
*"He Said, She Said" (1991)
*"Miracle on 34th Street" (1994)
*"The Flintstones" (1994)
*"Moonlight and Valentino" (1995)
*"From the Earth to the Moon" (1998)
*"Crazy in Alabama" (1999)
*"28 Days" (2000)
*"What Girls Learn (film)" (2001)
*"Cats & Dogs" (2001)
*"Try Seventeen" (2002)
*"Finding Nemo" (2003)
*"Speak" (2004)
*"Weeds" (2005) (TV series)
*"The Ring Two" (2005)
*"Hercules" (2005) (TV miniseries)
*" Fierce People" (2005)
*"Must Love Dogs" (2005)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=0001610|name=Elizabeth Perkins
*ibdb name|id=115045|name=Elizabeth Perkins
* [http://www.elizabeth-perkins.org/ Elizabeth Perkins Fansite]
* [http://www.elizabethperkinsmedia.org/ Elizabeth Perkins Media Archive]