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Dianne Wiest

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Dianne Wiest
Wiest in 2009
Born
Dianne Evelyn Wiest

(1948-03-28)March 28, 1948(age 76)
Kansas City, Missouri,U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Maryland
OccupationActress
Years active1970–present
Children2
AwardsFull list

Dianne Evelyn Wiest[1](/wiːst/;[2]born March 28, 1948)[3][4][5][6]is an American actress. She has won twoAcademy Awards for Best Supporting Actressfor 1986’sHannah and Her Sistersand 1994’sBullets Over Broadway(both directed byWoody Allen), oneGolden Globe AwardforBullets over Broadway,the 1997Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama SeriesforRoad to Avonlea,and the 2008Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesforIn Treatment.In addition, she was nominated for anAcademy Awardfor 1989’sParenthood.

Other film appearances by Wiest includeFootloose(1984); Woody Allen'sThe Purple Rose of Cairo(1985),Radio Days(1987), andSeptember(1987);The Lost Boys(1987),Bright Lights, Big City(1988),Edward Scissorhands(1990),Little Man Tate(1991),The Birdcage(1996),Practical Magic(1998),Dan in Real Life(2007),Synecdoche, New York(2008),Rabbit Hole(2010),The Mule(2018),Let Them All Talk(2020) andI Care a Lot(2020). She also appeared in the television seriesLaw & Order(2000–02), and theCBScomedyLife in Pieces(2015–2019).

Early life[edit]

Wiest was born inKansas City, Missouri.Her mother, Anne Stewart (néeKeddie), was a nurse. Her father, Bernard John Wiest, was a college dean and former psychiatric social worker for theU.S. Army.Her parents met inAlgiers.[7][8][9]Wiest has two brothers, Greg and Don. She attended high school atNurnberg American High Schoolin Germany. Her ambition was to be a ballet dancer, but she switched her goal to theater during her senior year.[10]Wiest graduated from theUniversity of Marylandin 1969 with a degree in Arts and Sciences.[11]

Career[edit]

Stage[edit]

Wiest at the 1990 Academy Awards

Wiest left her theater studies in Maryland after the third term in order to tour with a Shakespearean troupe. Later, she had a supporting role in aNew York Shakespeare Festivalproduction ofAshes.[12]She also acted at theYale Repertory Theatrein New Haven, Connecticut, playing the title role inHenrik Ibsen'sHedda Gabler.She was an understudy both off-Broadway and on Broadway, inKurt Vonnegut'sHappy Birthday, Wanda Junein 1970.[13][14]

She made her Broadway debut inRobert Anderson'sSolitaire/Double Solitaire,taking over in the role of the daughter in 1971.[15]She landed a four-year job as a member of theArena StageinWashington, D.C.,[16]in such roles as Emily inOur Town,Honey inWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,and leading roles inS. Ansky'sThe Dybbuk,Maxim Gorky'sThe Lower DepthsandGeorge Bernard Shaw'sHeartbreak House.She toured theUSSRwith the Arena Stage.[17] In 1976, Wiest attended theEugene O'NeillNational Playwrights Conference and starred in leading roles in Amlin Gray'sPiratesandChristopher Durang'sA History of the American Film.AtJoe Papp'sPublic Theatershe took over the lead inAshes,and playedCassandrainAgamemnon,directed byAndrei Șerban.In 1979, she originated the role of Agnes inAgnes of Godin its first production in Waterford, Connecticut.[18]

She appeared in two plays byTina Howe:MuseumandThe Art of Dining.In the latter, Wiest's performance as the shy and awkward author Elizabeth Barrow Colt won three off-Broadway theater awards: anObie Award(1980), aTheatre World Award(1979–1980), and theClarence Derwent Award(1980), given yearly for the most promising performance in New York theatre.[19][20][21][22]

On Broadway she appeared inFrankenstein(1981), directed by Tom Moore, portrayedDesdemonainOthello(1982) oppositeJames Earl JonesandChristopher Plummerand co-starred withJohn Lithgowin Christopher Durang's romantic screwball comedyBeyond Therapy(1982), directed byJohn Madden.[15](She played opposite Lithgow again in theHerbert RossfilmFootloose). During the 1980s, she also performed inHedda Gabler,directed byLloyd RichardsatYale Repertory Theatre,[23]and inHarold Pinter'sA Kind of Alaska(1984, Manhattan Theatre Club),[24]Lanford Wilson'sSerenading Louie(1984),[25]andJanusz Glowacki'sHunting Cockroaches(1987, Manhattan Theater Club).[26] As Wiest became established as a film actress through her work inWoody Allen's films, she was less frequently available for stage roles. However, she did appear onstage during the 1990s, inIn the Summer House,Square One,Cynthia Ozick'sThe Shawl,andNaomi Wallace'sOne Flea Spare.In 2003, she appeared withAl PacinoandMarisa TomeiinOscar Wilde'sSalome.In 2005, she starred in Kathleen Tolan'sMemory House.She also starred in a production ofWendy Wasserstein's final playThird(directed byDaniel Sullivan) atLincoln Center.[27]

Later New York theater roles include performances as Arkadina in an off-Broadway revival ofThe Seagull(oppositeAlan Cumming's Trigorin) and as Kate Keller in a Broadway revival ofArthur Miller'sAll My Sons,oppositeJohn Lithgow,Patrick Wilson,andKatie Holmes.[28]In 2009, Wiest appeared in theNational Memorial Day Concerton the Mall in Washington, D.C. in a dialogue withKatie Holmescelebrating the life of an American veteran seriously wounded in Iraq, José Pequeño.[29] Wiest spent September 2010 as a visiting teacher at Columbia University's Graduate Acting Program,[30]working with a group of 18 first-year MFA Acting students on selected plays byAnton ChekhovandArthur Miller.

In 2016, Wiest took on the role of "Winnie" in TheYale Repertory Theatre's production ofSamuel Beckett's,Happy Days.[31]She reprised the role forTheatre for a New Audienceindowntown Brooklyn,New York, in the spring of 2017,[32]and theMark Taper Forumin Los Angeles in 2019.[33]

Film and television[edit]

Her early screen roles include small roles inIt's My Turn(credited onscreen as Diane Wiest) andI'm Dancing as Fast as I Can,both starringJill Clayburghin the lead roles. In 1984, she starred inFootloose,as the reverend's wife and Ariel's mother. Under Woody Allen's direction, Wiest won anAcademy Award for Best Supporting ActressforHannah and Her Sistersin 1987 andBullets over Broadwayin 1995.[16][34]She also appeared in three other Woody Allen films:The Purple Rose of Cairo(1985),Radio Days(1987) andSeptember(1987).[35]

Wiest (left) in 2011

She followed her first Oscar success with performances inThe Lost Boys(1987) andBright Lights, Big City(1988). She also starred withSteve Martin,Mary Steenburgen,Jason Robards,Keanu ReevesandMartha PlimptoninRon Howard'sParenthood,for which she received her second Oscar nomination. Other major film roles includeTim Burton'sEdward Scissorhands(1990),Jodie Foster'sLittle Man Tate(1991) andThe Birdcage(1996),Mike Nichols' remake ofLa Cage aux Folles.

On television, her performance on the seriesRoad to Avonleain 1997 brought her her firstEmmy AwardforOutstanding Guest Actress in a Dramatic Series.She received another nomination for her performance in the 1999 telefilmThe Simple Life of Noah Dearborn,co-starringSidney Poitier.She starred in thetelevisionmini-seriesThe 10th Kingdomin 2000. From 2000 to 2002, Wiest portrayed interim District AttorneyNora Lewinin theNBCcrime dramaLaw & Order.She also played the character in two episodes ofLaw & Order: Special Victims Unitand thepilot episodeofLaw & Order: Criminal Intent.

Wiest starred alongsideSteve CarellandJuliette BinocheinDan in Real Life(2007) and had a key supporting role inCharlie Kaufman's 2008 filmSynecdoche, New York.In 2008, she also appeared asGabriel Byrne's therapist,Gina Toll,on theHBOtelevision seriesIn Treatment,for which she received her secondEmmy Award,for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. She received another nomination (in the same category) for the second season, in 2009, but did not win.

She starred alongsideNicole KidmaninRabbit Hole(2010), which debuted at theToronto International Film Festival.Wiest also co-starred inLawrence Kasdan's 2012 comedyDarling Companion,alongsideKevin KlineandDiane Keaton.In 2020, Wiest starred inSteven Soderbergh's dramaLet Them All TalkalongsideMeryl Streep,andCandice Bergen.That same year she also starred oppositeRosamund Pikein the action thrillerI Care a Lot.[36]

Personal life[edit]

Wiest was in a relationship with her talent agentSam Cohnfor three years in the mid-1980s.[37][38]She adopted two daughters: Emily and Lily.[17]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1980 It's My Turn Gail as Diane Wiest
1982 I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can Julie Addison
1983 Face of Rage Rebecca Hammil
1983 Independence Day Nancy Morgan
1984 Falling in Love Isabelle
1984 Footloose Vi Moore
1985 The Purple Rose of Cairo Emma
1986 Hannah and Her Sisters Holly
1987 Radio Days Bea
1987 September Stephanie
1987 The Lost Boys Lucy Emerson
1988 Bright Lights, Big City Mrs. Conway
1989 Parenthood Helen Buckman
1989 Cookie Lenore Voltecki
1990 Edward Scissorhands Peg Boggs
1991 Little Man Tate Jane Grierson
1994 Bullets Over Broadway Helen Sinclair
1994 Cops & Robbersons Helen Robberson
1994 The Scout Doctor H. Aaron
1995 Drunks Rachel
1996 The Associate Sally Dugan
1996 The Birdcage Louise Keeley
1998 Practical Magic Aunt Bridget 'Jet' Owens
1998 The Horse Whisperer Diane Booker
2001 I Am Sam Annie Cassell
2002 Merci Docteur Rey Elisabeth Beaumont
2005 Robots Lydia Copperbottom (Paramount Pictures) Voice
2006 A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Flori Montiel
2007 Dedication Carol
2007 Dan in Real Life Nana Burns
2008 Passengers Toni
2008 Synecdoche, New York Ellen Bascomb/Millicent Weems
2009 Rage Miss Roth
2010 Rabbit Hole Nat
2011 The Big Year Brenda Harris
2012 Darling Companion Penny Alexander
2012 The Odd Life of Timothy Green Ms. Crudstaff
2014 The Humbling Carol Stapleford
2015 Five Nights in Maine Lucinda
2015 Sisters Deana Ellis
2018 The Mule Mary Stone
2020 I Care a Lot Jennifer Peterson
2020 Let Them All Talk Susan
2022 My Father's Dragon Iris the Rhinoceros Voice
2024 Apartment 7A TBA

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1975 Zalmen: or, The Madness of God Nina Television film
1978 Great Performances: Out of Our Father's House Elizabeth Gertrude Stern Television film
1997 Road to Avonlea Lillian Hepworth 1 episode
1999 The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn Sarah McClellan Television film
2000 The 10th Kingdom The Evil Queen/Christine White Miniseries, 5 episodes
2000–02 Law & Order D.A.Nora Lewin Lead role, 46 episodes
2001 Law & Order: Criminal Intent D.A. Nora Lewin 1 episode
2001–02 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit D.A. Nora Lewin 2 episodes
2004 The Blackwater Lightship Lily Devereux Breen Television film
2004 Category 6: Day of Destruction Secretary of Energy Shirley Abbott 2 episodes
2008–09 In Treatment Dr. Gina Toll Main role, 17 episodes
2008 The Return of Jezebel James Talia Tompkins 2 episodes
2011 Woody Allen: A Documentary Herself 2 episodes
2014 The Blacklist Ruth Kipling 1 episode
2015–19 Life in Pieces Joan Short Main role, 79 episodes
2021–present Mayor of Kingstown Miriam McClusky Main role, ongoing series
Key
† Denotes films that have not yet been released

Stage[edit]

Year Title Role Venue
1970 Happy Birthday, Wanda June Understudy: Penelope Ryan, Mildred[39] Edison Theatre
1971 Solitaire / Double Solitaire Daughter[40] John Golden Theatre
1977 Agamemnon Cassandra Delacorte Theatre
1979 The Art of Dining Elizabeth Barrow Colt Joseph Papp Public Theatre
1981 Frankenstein Elizabeth Lavenza Palace Theatre
Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler Yale Repertory Theatre
1982 Othello Desdemona Winter Garden Theatre
Beyond Therapy Prudence Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Three Sisters Masha Manhattan Theatre Club
1983 Ivanov Anna Petrovna[41] Williamstown Theatre Festival
1984 Serenading Louie Gaby[42] Second Stage
After the Fall Maggie Playhouse 91
A Kind of Alaska Deborah Manhattan Theatre Club
1987 Hunting Cockroaches Anka[43] Manhattan Theatre Club
1988 Les Liaisons Dangereuses La Marquise de Merteuil[44] Williamstown Theatre Festival
1993 In the Summer House Gertrude Eastman Cuevas[45] Vivian Beaumont Theater
1997 One Flea Spare Mrs. Darcy Snelgrave The Public Theater
2003 Salome Herodias Ethel Barrymore Theatre
2005 Memory House Maggie[46] Playwrights Horizons
Third Laurie Jameson Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre
2008-2009 All My Sons Kate Keller Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
2008 The Seagull Arkadina CSC Theatre
2010 The Forest Raisa Pavlovna Gurmyzhskaya[47]
2011 The Cherry Orchard Madame Ranevskaya
2015 Rasheeda Speaking Ileen[48] The New Group
2016-2019 Happy Days Winnie Yale Repertory Theatre
Theatre for a New Audience
Mark Taper Forum
2023 Scene Partners Meryl Kowalski Vineyard Theatre

Awards and honors[edit]

Main article:List of awards and nominations received by Dianne Wiest

Wiest has been nominated for threeAcademy AwardsforBest Supporting Actressreceiving two wins for her performances in theWoody AllenfilmsHannah and Her Sisters(1986) andBullets over Broadway(1994). She has received fourPrimetime Emmy Awardnominations for her work on television, winning two awards forRoad to Avonlea(1996) andIn Treatment(2008). She has also received twoGolden Globe Awardnominations and twoScreen Actors Guild Awardnominations.

References[edit]

  1. ^"Deaths: Wiest, Dr. Bernard".The Advocate (Louisiana).NewsBank.May 3, 1986.RetrievedDecember 29,2013.
  2. ^Dianne Wiest winning Best Supporting Actress for "Hannah and Her Sisters"onYouTube,presenters' announcing her win at the 1987 awards confirm pronunciation, accessed August 20, 2014
  3. ^"DIANNE WIEST TRYING TO AVOID YET ANOTHER ROLE TRAP".Chicago Tribune.December 28, 1990.RetrievedMarch 3,2021.
  4. ^"Oscar Winner Dianne Wiest: I'm Struggling to Pay My Rent".The Hollywood Reporter.January 25, 2015.RetrievedMarch 3,2021.
  5. ^"Dianne Wiest".Rotten Tomatoes.RetrievedMarch 3,2021.
  6. ^"Dianne Wiest - Turner Classic Movies".
  7. ^Bennetts, Leslie (March 18, 1987)."Dianne Wiest Makes Neurosis A Success Story".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 1,2010.
  8. ^"NewsLibrary Search Results".nl.newsbank.com.
  9. ^"NewsLibrary Search Results".nl.newsbank.com.
  10. ^"Dianne Wiest Lauded in German Press for Role in Senior Play 'Pygmalion,'NHS Trichter,Vol 15, No 3, fall 2003, p. 19.
  11. ^The Women of Maryland: Alumni Who Have Made A DifferenceArchived2013-01-19 at theWayback Machine.University of Maryland Women Alumni.
  12. ^Dianne Wiest ProfileArchived2007-10-27 at theWayback Machine.E!Online.
  13. ^Happy Birthday, Wanda Junelisting at the Internet Broadway Database.Internet Broadway Database, accessed October 30, 2010
  14. ^Happy Birthday, Wanda Junelisting, Internet Off-Broadway Database listingArchived2011-11-15 at theWayback Machine.Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed October 30, 2010
  15. ^abDianne Wiestat theInternet Broadway Database
  16. ^abDianne Wiest Biography.Yahoo! Movies.
  17. ^abBiography.tcm.com, accessed October 30, 2010
  18. ^Agnes of God A Dramaaccessed 11/23/2106
  19. ^The Art of Dininglisting, Internet Off-Broadway DatabaseArchived2011-11-15 at theWayback Machine.Internet Off-Broadway Database, accessed October 30, 2010
  20. ^Wiest Obie AwardsArchived2013-05-30 at theWayback Machine.villagevoice.com, accessed October 30, 2010
  21. ^Theatre World Awards History.theatreworldawards.org, accessed October 30, 2010
  22. ^Derwent AwardsArchivedOctober 25, 2010, at theWayback Machine.actorsequity.org, accessed October 30, 2010
  23. ^Gussow, Mel.Review: 'HEDDA GABLER' BY YALE REP ".New York Times,March 11, 1981
  24. ^New York Magazinelisting.New York Magazine,April 30, 1984
  25. ^Rich, Frank."Review:'Serenading Louie'.The New York Times,February 3, 1984
  26. ^Rich, Frank.Review, 'Hunting Cockroaches'.New York Times,March 4, 1987
  27. ^Bacalzo, Dan."Review: 'Third.
  28. ^The New York Times,"Two Fathers Are Learning Lessons of 'All My Sons'." Cohen, Patricia. November 12, 2008
  29. ^"The Concert 2009 Features Families of Disabled Vets"PBS.org
  30. ^FacultyArchived2010-12-06 at theWayback Machine.columbia.edu, accessed October 30, 2010
  31. ^Isherwood, Charles (May 9, 2016)."Review: 'Happy Days,' an Unsettling Glimpse Into the Existential Abyss".The New York Times.
  32. ^"Overview".November 10, 2010.
  33. ^"Happy Days".Center Theatre Group.RetrievedMay 23,2019.
  34. ^Wiest Academy Award wins and nominations[permanent dead link].awardsdatabase.oscars.org, accessed October 31, 2010
  35. ^Bauer, Patricia."Dianne Wiest Biography".Encyclopaedia Britannica.RetrievedMarch 20,2019.
  36. ^Catsoulis, Jeannette (February 18, 2021)."'I Care a Lot' Review: The Art of the Steal ".The New York Times.RetrievedMarch 2,2021.
  37. ^Weber, Bruce (May 6, 2009)."Sam Cohn, Powerful Talent Broker, Dies at 79".The New York Times.RetrievedMay 7,2009.
  38. ^"Dianne Wiest -- Hannah's Fragile Sister".Orlando Sentinel.April 6, 1987.
  39. ^"Happy Birthday, Wanda June – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB".www.ibdb.com.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  40. ^"Solitaire / Double Solitaire – Broadway Play – Original | IBDB".www.ibdb.com.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  41. ^"Ivanov".Williamstown Theatre Festival.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  42. ^Rich, Frank (February 3, 1984)."STAGE: 'SERENADING,' BY LANFORD WILSON".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  43. ^"'Hunting Cockroaches' Starring Ron Silver and Dianne Wiest Opens Off-Broadway ".AP NEWS.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  44. ^"Les Liaisons Dangereuses".Williamstown Theatre Festival.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  45. ^"In the Summer House – Broadway Play – 1993 Revival | IBDB".www.ibdb.com.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  46. ^"Memory House".Playwrights Horizons.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  47. ^BWW News Desk."Classic Stage Company Presents Dianne Wiest in THE FOREST".BroadwayWorld.com.RetrievedApril 4,2021.
  48. ^Isherwood, Charles (February 12, 2015)."Review: 'Rasheeda Speaking' Finds a Chilling Place to Work".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.RetrievedApril 4,2021.

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