A graduate of the prestigious Yale School of Drama, Patricia Clarkson first fell in love with acting as a teenager in her native New Orleans and honed her skills at Yale and later on the New York stage, where she appeared in acclaimed productions of
Eastern Standard,
The Maiden's Prayer and
House of Blue Leaves. Hollywood called during the
Blue Leaves run at Lincoln Center, and Clarkson left the show to make her film debut in Brian DePalma's 1987 gangster flick
The Untouchables, as the dedicated wife of G-Man Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner). She followed that high-profile gig with memorable supporting roles in
Rocket Gibraltar,
Everybody's All-American and the final Dirty Harry film,
The Dead Pool. But big-time success eluded her. During the early and mid 1990s, the actress continued to show her versatility, mostly on television with appearances in made-for-TV movies (
The Old Man and the Sea,
An American Story), series (
Davis Rules,
Murder One) and the popular Alex Haley miniseries
Queen. But Clarkson became the darling of the indie world with her stunning turn as a German lesbian drug addict in 1998's
High Art. The critically lauded film ignited Clarkson's movie career on the festival circuit, if not in Hollywood, as she continued to amaze audiences with one breathless performance after another, including a judgmental '50s housewife in
Far from Heaven, a grieving mother in
The Station Agent, and a cancer-stricken parent in
Pieces of April. Her spot-on performance in the latter earned the Louisiana native her first Golden Globe and Oscar nods. She also was nominated for---and won---a pair of Emmys for guest appearances on the HBO hit series
Six Feet Under. Clarkson returned to the stage in 2004 as Blanche DuBois in a stellar Washington, D.C., production of
A Streetcar Named Desire. She has continued to wow movie lovers with finely etched portraits in such diverse films as
The Dying Gaul, with then-boyfriend Campbell Scott;
Good Night, and Good Luck; Lars and the Real Girl; and
Married Life. And A-list directors have taken notice of Clarkson's unique gifts. Woody Allen hired her for his back-to-back films
Vicky Christina Barcelona and
Whatever Works, and Martin Scorsese tapped her for a pivotal part in
Shutter Island.
Patricia Clarkson Fast Facts:
- At 13, was told by a teacher in speech class that she was an actress and should join the drama club, which she did.
- Pursued acting at Yale School of Drama and subsequently launched a career on stage in New York.
- Film debut was as Kevin Costner's wife in The Untouchables.
- Won the Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival for her work in three films: The Station Agent, Pieces of April and All the Real Girls.
- Her mother, Jacquelyn Clarkson, was a prominent member of the New Orleans City Council.
- Has four older sisters.
- Patricia Clarkson Relationships:
- Cindy Alsfeld - Sister
- Buzz Clarkson - Father
- Jacquelyn Rutgers Clarkson - Sister
- Jacquelyn Clarkson - Mother
- Campbell Scott - Ex-significant Other
- Diane Hastings - Sister
- Kevi Sanders - Sister
- Patricia Clarkson Awards:
- 2004 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2002 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Winner
- 2006 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series - Winner
- 2003 Oscar: Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role - Nominee
- 2003 Sundance Film Festival: Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Performance (Dramatic) - Winner
- 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - Nominee
- 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee
- 1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - Nominee
- College:
- Fordham University, New York, NY (BA, 1982); Yale University, New Haven, CT (MFA, 1985); attended Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA