Dianne Wiest Biography (1948-)

Born March 28, 1948, in Kansas City, MO; father, a former psychiatric socialworker for the U.S. Army then college dean; mother, a nurse; children: (adopted) Emily, Lily. Addresses: Agent: International Creative Management,40 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019.

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, director
Birth Details: March 28, 1948; Kansas City, Missouri, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Film Appearances
(Film debut) Gail, It's My Turn (also known as A Perfect Circle), Columbia, 1980
Nancy Morgan, Independence Day (also known as Follow Your Dreams), Warner Bros., 1982
Julie Addison, I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can, Paramount, 1982
Vi Moore, Footloose, Paramount, 1984
Isabelle, Falling in Love, Paramount, 1984
Emma, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Orion, 1985
Holly, Hannah and Her Sisters, Orion, 1986
Lucy Emerson, The Lost Boys, Warner Bros., 1987
Stephanie, September, Orion, 1987
Aunt Bea, Radio Days, Orion, 1987
Mother, Bright Lights, Big City, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists, 1988
Helen Buckman Lampkin Brodsky, Parenthood, Universal, 1989
Lenore, Cookie, Warner Bros., 1989
Peg Boggs, Edward Scissorhands, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1990
Dr. Jane Grierson, Little Man Tate, Orion, 1991
Helen Robberson, Cops and Robbersons, TriStar, 1994
Helen Sinclair, Bullets over Broadway, Miramax, 1994
Doctor H. Aaron, The Scout, Twentieth Century-Fox, 1994
Louise Keeley, The Birdcage (also known as Birds of a Feather), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1996
Sally, The Associate, Buena Vista, 1996
Herself, Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen (documentary), Northern Arts Entertainment, 1998
Diane Booker, The Horse Whisperer, Buena Vista, 1998
Aunt Bridget "Jet" Owens, Practical Magic, Warner Bros., 1998
Evil Queen, The 10th Kingdom: The Making of an Epic (documentary short film), 2000
Annie, I Am Sam, New Line Cinema, 2001
Paula, Not Afraid, Not Afraid, Capitol Films, 2001
Portofino, Storm Entertainment, 2002
Television Appearances
Series

District Attorney Nora Lewin, Law & Order, NBC, 2000-
Movies
Symka Mazor, The Wall, CBS, 1982
Rebecca Hammill, The Face of Rage, ABC, 1983
Bigfoot, 1987
Rachel, Drunks, Showtime, 1995
Sarah McClellan, The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn, CBS, 1999
Miniseries
The Evil Queen/Christine Lewis, The 10th Kingdom (also known as Das 10te Koenigreich and Das Zehnte Koenigreich), NBC, 2000
Specials
Nina, Zalman (also known as Zalmen: Or, The Madness of God), 1975
Elizabeth Gertrude Stern, Out of Our Father's House, 1978
Presenter, The 63rd Annual Academy Awards, 1991
Inside the Academy Awards, 1995
The 68th Annual Academy Awards, 1996
Herself, Visions of Grace: Robert Redford and 'The Horse Whisperer,' Lifetime, 1998
Intimate Portrait: Calista Flockhart, Lifetime, 2001
Voice, Echoes from the White House, PBS, 2001
Episodic
Lillian Hepworth, "Woman of Importance," Road to Avonlea, 1996
District Attorney Nora Lewin, "One," Law & Order: Criminal Intent, NBC, 2001
District Attorney Nora Lewin, "Ridicule," Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (also known as Law & Order: SVU), NBC, 2001
Stage Appearances
Ashes, Public Theatre, New York City, 1977
Lizzard, Leave It to Beaver Is Dead, Public Theatre, 1979
Elizabeth Barrow Colt, The Art of Dining, Public Theatre, 1979
Nicole, Bonjour La Bonjour, Phoenix Theatre, Marymount Manhattan Theatre, New York City, 1980
Title role, Hedda Gabler, Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, CT, 1980
Elizabeth Lavenza, Frankenstein, Palace Theatre, New York City, 1981
Masha, Three Sisters, Manhattan Theatre Club, New York City, 1982
Desdemona, Othello, Winter Garden Theatre, New York City, 1982
A Doll's House, Yale Repertory Theatre, 1982
Prudence, Beyond Therapy, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York City,1982
Deborah, Other Places, Manhattan Theatre Club, 1983
Serenading Louie, 1983
Maggie, After the Fall, Playhouse 91, New York City, 1984
Anka, Hunting Cockroaches, Manhattan Theatre Club, 1987
Gertruse Eastman Cuevas, In the Summer House, Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1993
Harris Yulin, Don Juan in Hell, Symphony Space, 1994
Blue Light, Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, NY, 1994
Aunt, The Shawl, Jewish Repertory Theatre, 1996
Mischa Barton, One Flea Spare, Public Theatre, 1997
Also appeared in Agamemnon, Public Theatre; Heartbreak House, Arena Stage; Our Town, Arena Stage; The Dybbuk, Arena Stage;Inherit the Wind, Arena Stage; Three Sisters; as Dianne, Square One, McGinn-Cazale Theatre, New York City; understudy Penelope/Mildred, Happy Birthday, Wanda June, Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City.
Stage Director
(With Edward Parone, Marybeth Hurt, Jennifer Warren, and Fran Hill) Dusa, Fish, Stas and VI, Center Theatre Group, Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, 1978
Not About Heroes, Williamstown Theatre Festival, then Lucille Lortel Theatre, New York City, 1985

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

Books

International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, Volume 3: Actors and Actresses, St. James Press, 1996
Newsmakers 1995, Issue 4, Gale Research, 1995

Periodicals

America, January 14, 1995, p. 22
Back Stage, June 2, 1995, p. 43; June 28, 1996, p. 44
Entertainment Weekly, January 13, 1995, p. 7; November 1, 1996, p.41; April 11, 1997, p. 64
Nation, May 19, 1997, pp. 34-35
National Review, April 8, 1996, p. 58
People Weekly, March 18, 1996, p. 122
Vogue, February, 1986

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