Kathy Baker

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Kathy Baker
KathyBaker (cropped).jpg
Baker at the 45th Emmy Awards, September 1993
Born
Katherine Whitton Baker

(1950-06-08) June 8, 1950 (age 71)
EducationCalifornia Institute of the Arts
University of California, Berkeley (BA)
OccupationActress
Years active1983–present
Spouse(s)
Donald Camillieri
(m. 1985; div. 1999)

(m. 2003)
Children2

Katherine Whitton Baker (born June 8, 1950) is an American actress. Baker began her career in theatre and made her screen debut in the 1983 drama film The Right Stuff. She received the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Street Smart (1987).[1] Baker also has appeared in over 50 films, including Jacknife (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), The Cider House Rules (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), Nine Lives (2005), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Take Shelter (2011), Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and The Age of Adaline (2015).

On television, Baker starred as Dr. Jill Brock in the CBS drama series Picket Fences (1992-1996), for which she received three Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Awards. She later received three additional nominations and a Primetime Emmy Award for her performances in Touched by an Angel, Boston Public and Door to Door.

Early life[]

Baker was born in Midland, Texas, and raised a Quaker[2] in New Mexico, the daughter of John Seawand Baker, a geologist and educator, and his French-born wife, Helene Andree (née Whitton).[3] She attended high school at Mills High School in Millbrae, California. She graduated in 1968. Her drama instructor, Allen Knight, was a major influence in her desire to become a professional actress. She attended the Boston University School of Fine Arts Acting program and studied acting at the California Institute of the Arts in the early 1970s. She later earned a B.A. degree in French in 1977 from UC Berkeley.[4]

Career[]

Baker began her acting career at San Francisco's Magic Theatre, performing in several of Sam Shepard's plays before getting her break in an off-Broadway production of Fool for Love (1983) opposite Ed Harris. She won an Obie Award for this role.[4] In the same year she was cast as Louise Shepard, Alan Shepard's wife, in the drama film The Right Stuff.[4] She later had dramatic performances as a prostitute in Street Smart (1987) and a recovering alcoholic and victim of domestic abuse in Clean and Sober (1988).[1] For her performance in Street Smart, Baker has won National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress and Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female nomination.[1] She later starred in films Dad, Jacknife and Edward Scissorhands.

From 1992 to 1996, Baker starred as Jill Brock, a small-town doctor, in the CBS critically acclaimed drama series Picket Fences created by David E. Kelley. For her performance in the series she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series three times: in 1993, 1995 and 1996, Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama in 1994, and Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series in 1995.[4] She later appeared in David E. Kelley's dramas Ally McBeal, The Practice and had the recurring role as Meredith Peters in Boston Public, for which she was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series in 2001. Baker also received Emmy Award nominations for her guest performance in Touched by an Angel and in the category Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for Door to Door.[4]

Baker has appeared in over 50 theatrical films in supporting and leading roles. She starred in two movies directed by Rodrigo García: Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (2000) and Nine Lives (2005). Her other major credits include The Cider House Rules (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), 13 Going on 30 (2004), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), Last Chance Harvey (2008), Take Shelter (2011) and Saving Mr. Banks (2013). She starred opposite Tom Selleck in the Jesse Stone made-for-TV film series in the 2000s. Also on television she guest-starred on Nip/Tuck, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Grey's Anatomy, and Medium. She also starred in the short-lived Lifetime drama series Against the Wall in 2011.[5]

Baker also appears in the Netflix series The Ranch along with Ashton Kutcher and Elisha Cuthbert.

Personal life[]

She lives in Southern California with her second husband, director/producer Steven Robman, whom she married in 2003. She has a son and daughter with her first husband, Donald Camillieri.[4]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
1983 The Right Stuff Louise Shepard
1986 A Killing Affair Maggie Gresham
1987 Street Smart Punchy
1988 Permanent Record Martha Sinclair
Clean and Sober Charlie Standers
1989 Dad Annie
Jacknife Martha Flannigan
1990 The Image Marcie Guilford
Edward Scissorhands Joyce
Mister Frost Dr. Sarah Day
1992 Article 99 Dr. Diana Walton
Jennifer 8 Margie Ross
1993 Mad Dog and Glory Lee
1996 To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday Esther Wheeler
1997 Inventing the Abbotts Helen Holt
Weapons of Mass Distraction Margo Powers
1999 The Cider House Rules Nurse Angela
A Little Inside Nancy
2000 Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her Rose
2001 The Glass House Nancy Ryan
Ten Tiny Love Stories Ten
2002 Assassination Tango Maggie
2003 Cold Mountain Sally Swanger
2004 13 Going on 30 Bev Rink
2005 Nine Lives Camille
2006 All the King's Men Mrs. Burden
2007 The Jane Austen Book Club Bernadette
2008 Last Chance Harvey Jean
Shades of Ray Janet Rehman
2010 Miss Nobody Claire McKinney
2011 Take Shelter Sarah
Good Day for It Rose Carter
Seven Days in Utopia Mabel
Machine Gun Preacher Daisy
2012 Big Miracle Ruth McGraw
2013 Saving Mr. Banks Tommie
The Trials of Cate McCall Therapist
2014 Return to Zero Kathleen Callaghan
Boulevard Joy Mack
Model Home Brenda
2015 The Age of Adaline Kathy Jones
The Party Is Over Appoline
2017 The Ballad of Lefty Brown Laura Johnson
2019 The Art of Racing in the Rain Trish
2020 Love Is Love Is Love Diana

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Nobody's Child Lucy Stavros Television film (CBS)
1987 Amazing Stories Charlene 'Charlie' Benton Episode: "Lane Change"
1987 Ariel Serra Episode: "Prey"
1990 The Image Marcie Guilford Television film (HBO)
1991 One Special Victory Ellen Television film (NBC)
1992–1996 Picket Fences Dr. Jill Brock 87 episodes
1993 Lush Life Janice Oliver Television film (Showtime)
1997 Ally McBeal Katherine Dawson Episode: "The Affair"
Not in This Town Tammy Schnitzer Television film (USA Network)
1998 The Practice Evelyn Mayfield 2 episodes
Oklahoma City: A Survivor's Story Priscilla Salyers Television film (Lifetime Network)
1999 Hey Arnold! Dr. Bliss (voice) Episode: "Helga on the Couch"
A Season for Miracles Ruth Doyle Television film (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story Janice Danner Television film (CBS)
2000 Touched by an Angel Ellen Sawyer Episode: "Buy Me a Rose"
Chicago Hope Mary Wyzinski Episode: "Everybody's Special at Chicago Hope"
Ratz Doris Trowbridge Television film (Showtime)
2001–2002 Boston Public Meredith Peters 14 episodes
2002 Door to Door Gladys Sullivan Television film (TNT)
2004 Monk Sylvia Fairbourn Episode: "Mr. Monk Goes to Jail"
2005 Nip/Tuck Gail Pollack 2 episodes
Spring Break Shark Attack Mary Jones Television film (CBS)
2005–2010 Medium Marjorie Dubois 5 episodes
2007 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Hannah Curtis Episode: "Sin"
Gilmore Girls Mia Episode: "Gilmore Girls Only"
Jesse Stone: Sea Change Rose Gammon Television film (CBS)
2008 Grey's Anatomy Anna Loomis 2 episodes
2009 Unstable Betty Walker Television film (Lifetime)
Jesse Stone: Thin Ice Rose Gammon Television film (CBS)
Law & Order: Criminal Intent Camille Hayes-Fitzgerald Episode: "Playing Dead"
2010 Law & Order Camille Peterson Episode: "Crashers"
Jesse Stone: No Remorse Rose Gammon Television film (CBS)
2011 Against the Wall Sheila Kowalski 12 episodes
Criminal Minds Linda Collins Episode: "A Family Affair"
Jesse Stone: Innocents Lost Rose Gammon Television film (CBS)
Too Big to Fail Wendy Paulson Television film (HBO)
2012 Private Practice Dianne Episode: "I'm Fine"
Jesse Stone: Benefit of the Doubt Rose Gammon Television film (CBS)
2014 Those Who Kill Marie Burgess 5 episodes
2015 Big Time in Hollywood, FL Diana 8 episodes
2016 Colony Phyllis Recurring role, 3 episodes
Sister Cities Janis Television film (Lifetime)
2016–2020 The Ranch Joanne Recurring role, 46 episodes
2017 I'm Sorry Sharon 6 episodes
2018 Love Vicki 2 episodes
Paterno Sue Paterno Television film (HBO)
2019 Chicago Med Nancy Geddes Episode: "Never Going Back to Normal"

Awards and nominations[]

Year Award Category Work Result
1984 Obie Award Best Performance by an Actress Fool for Love Won
Theatre World Award Theatre World Award Won
1988 Boston Society of Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress Street Smart Won
Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Female Nominated
National Society of Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress Won
1993 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Picket Fences Won
1994 Golden Globe Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama Won
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Nominated
Viewers for Quality Television Best Actress in a Quality Drama Series Won
1995 Golden Globe Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
Viewers for Quality Television Best Actress in a Quality Drama Series Won
1996 Golden Globe Award Best Actress – Television Series Drama Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series Won
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2000 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Touched by an Angel Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Cider House Rules Nominated
2001 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Boston Public Nominated
2003 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Door to Door Nominated
2005 Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Nine Lives Nominated
Locarno International Film Festival Best Actress Won
2011 Gotham Awards Best Ensemble Cast Take Shelter Nominated
2013 Phoenix Film Critics Society Award Best Cast Saving Mr. Banks Nominated

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Jason Buchanan (2014). "Kathy Baker - Biography". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  2. ^ Tavis Smiley interview archive site; interview date: September 25, 2007 Archived October 18, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ "Kathy Baker profile at Film Reference.com". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f "Kathy Baker Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  5. ^ "Against the Wall: Cancelled; No Season Two". TVSeriesFinale.com. December 10, 2011. Retrieved 29 July 2014.

External links[]

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