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Joan Allen Biography

Birth Name:Joan Allen

Birth Place:Rochelle, Illinois, United States

Profession Actress, Producer, Soundtrack

Fast Facts

Won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Pleasantville" in 1999 from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
At the 1995 Boston Society of Film Critics Awards, she won a BSFC Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Nixon․"
Was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" in her senior class in high school
Quote: "I was a very good girl for a long time, that's what really drew me to acting․ The stage was the perfect place to be outrageous, to be sad, to be angry, to be all these different things․"
Quote: "It was such a great feeling to make people laugh․ I know I made people cry or want to slit their wrists but to make people laugh is a very intoxicating, wonderful thing․"
Her characters often serve as the moral center of a film
Prepares intensely for her roles, going to lengths such as attending a school for the blind to prepare for a role as a blind woman
Was the youngest of four children in a working class family
Was very shy as a child and used acting as her creative outlet
Sees herself as a character actor because she feels she's quirkier than the average leading lady

Awards

1995ACCA-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1995BSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1995KCFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1995LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1995NYFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1995STFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1996Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1996Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Cast: nominated
1996Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
1996ACCA-Best Cast Ensemble: nominated
1996ACCA-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1996BAFTA Film Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1996BSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1996CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1996DFWFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1996NSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1997Oscar-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1997CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1997Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1997FFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1997Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture: nominated
1997OFTA Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1997Golden Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Drama: nominated
1997SEFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1998Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1998ACCA-Best Actress in a Supporting Role: nominated
1998Blockbuster Entertainment Award-Favorite Supporting Actress - Action/Adventure: nominated
1998BSFC Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1998CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1998Empire Award-Best Actress: winner
1998LAFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1998Golden Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: nominated
1999Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1999CFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1999Chlotrudis Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1999Critics Choice Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1999DFWFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1999ALFS Award-Actress of the Year: nominated
1999OFTA Film Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
1999OFTA Film Award-Best Comedy/Musical Actress: nominated
1999OFCS Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1999Golden Satellite Award-Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: winner
1999SEFCA Award-Best Supporting Actress: winner
1999Teen Choice Award-Film - Funniest Scene: nominated
2000ACCA-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
2000Sierra Award-Best Actress: nominated
2001Oscar-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
2001Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
2001Blockbuster Entertainment Award-Favorite Actress - Drama: nominated
2001CFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2001Alan J. Pakula Award-: winner
2001DFWFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2001Independent Spirit Award-Best Female Lead: nominated
2001Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
2001OFCS Award-Best Actress: nominated
2001PFCS Award-Best Actress in a Leading Role: nominated
2001Golden Satellite Award-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama: nominated
2002OFTA Television Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
2002Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
2005British Independent Film Award-Best Actress: nominated
2005DFWFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2005Golden Schmoes-Best Actress of the Year: nominated
2005SDFCS Award-Best Actress: winner
2005Satellite Award-Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical: nominated
2005Golden Space Needle Award-Best Actress: winner
2005WAFCA Award-Best Actress: nominated
2006Movies for Grownups Award-Best Grownup Love Story: nominated
2006CFCA Award-Best Actress: winner
2006Critics Choice Award-Best Actress: nominated
2006Gold Derby Film Award-Lead Actress: nominated
2006INOCA-Best Actress: nominated
2006IFC Award-Best Actress: winner
2006OFTA Film Award-Best Actress: nominated
2006OFCS Award-Best Actress: nominated
2007ALFS Award-Actress of the Year: nominated
2009Saturn Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2010Actor-Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries: nominated
2010Gold Derby TV Award-TV Movie/Mini Lead Actress: nominated
2010Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television: nominated
2010OFTA Television Award-Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries: nominated
2010PGA Award-Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television: nominated
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: nominated
2010Primetime Emmy-Outstanding Made for Television Movie: nominated
2015VFCC Award-Best Supporting Actress in a Canadian Film: nominated
2016Felix-Best Supporting Actress: winner
2016Movies for Grownups Award-Best Supporting Actress: nominated
2016Canadian Screen Award-Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role: winner
2017Felix-Best Supporting Actress: nominated