Amy Madigan
52ms
Amy Marie Madigan, born September 11, 1950, is an American actress with a career spanning stage and screen. She's a Golden Globe Award winner, recognized with nominations for an Academy Award and an Emmy Award. Since 1983, she's been married to actor Ed Harris.
Madigan's film debut was in the 1982 drama *Love Child*, earning her a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year. Her portrayal of a woman in a challenging marriage in *Twice in a Lifetime* (1985) garnered Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Her extensive filmography includes *Love Letters*, *Alamo Bay*, *Nowhere to Hide*, *Uncle Buck*, *Field of Dreams*, *Female Perversions*, *Pollock*, and *Gone Baby Gone*. After a period of fewer prominent roles, she found renewed acclaim for her role in the 2025 horror film *Weapons*.
On television, Madigan won a Golden Globe and earned an Emmy nomination for her role as Sarah Weddington in the 1989 film *Roe vs. Wade*. She also appeared in HBO's *Carnivàle* and had roles in *Grey's Anatomy* and *Fringe*. Her stage work includes the Off-Broadway production of *The Lucky Spot*, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award, and a Broadway run as Stella Kowalski in *A Streetcar Named Desire* in 1992.
Born in Chicago, Amy Madigan is the daughter of Dolores, an administrative assistant and amateur actress, and John J. Madigan, a journalist who worked for Newsweek and appeared on programs like *Meet the Press*. She is Catholic and of Irish American heritage, with two brothers, Jack and Jim.
During high school, Madigan participated in school plays. She earned a B.A. in philosophy from Marquette University before moving to Los Angeles in 1974 to study acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
Madigan transitioned from a singing career to acting in the 1980s. Her early television roles included an episode of *Hart to Hart* and the film *Crazy Times*. Her film debut in *Love Child* in 1982 led to her first Golden Globe nomination. In 1983, she starred in the television film *The Day After*.
The 1980s saw her in films like *Streets of Fire* and *Places in the Heart*. She won a CableACE Award for *The Laundromat* and co-starred with her husband Ed Harris in Louis Malle's *Alamo Bay*. Her performance in *Twice in a Lifetime* earned her Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Madigan made her Off-Broadway debut in 1987 with *The Lucky Spot*, winning a Theatre World Award. She received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for *The Prince of Pennsylvania* and performed in *A Lie of the Mind*. In 1989, she starred in *Field of Dreams* and played John Candy's girlfriend in *Uncle Buck*. That same year, she won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Sarah Weddington in *Roe vs. Wade*.
The 1990s brought Madigan roles in *Stevie Wants To Play The Blues*, the Emmy-nominated *Lucky Day*, and her Broadway debut in *A Streetcar Named Desire*. She appeared in Stephen King's *The Dark Half* and, with Ed Harris, produced and starred in *Riders of the Purple Sage*. Her performance in *Loved* earned another Independent Spirit Award nomination. In 2000, she played Peggy Guggenheim in *Pollock*. She later took on roles in *The Laramie Project*, HBO's *Carnivàle*, *Winter Passing*, and *The Path to 9/11*. In 2007, she appeared in Ben Affleck's *Gone Baby Gone*, followed by roles in *Grey's Anatomy* and *Saving Grace*.
Reflecting on her career in 2010, Madigan acknowledged the challenges older actresses face in finding substantial roles, noting, "Like so many actresses older than 50, [she] has had difficulties finding meaningful roles."
In recent years, Madigan guest-starred in *Memphis Beat*. She returned to theater in 2015, directing *Off the King’s Road*, and later starred in the revival of Sam Shepard's *Buried Child* in Los Angeles and London's West End. Her more recent film work includes *American Woman*, *Antlers*, and the 2024 drama *Bull Street*. In 2025, she takes on a pivotal role in Zach Cregger's horror film *Weapons*.
In a 2025 interview, Madigan spoke about the limited opportunities for older actresses, expressing hope that compelling roles will find her.
Amy Madigan has been married to actor Ed Harris since 1983, and they have one daughter. They have frequently collaborated throughout their careers.
Before her acting career, Madigan toured the United States as a vocalist in rock bands in the 1970s and performed as a solo singer and pianist. She described her music career as "very visceral and emotional," though she felt she had "hitting the same brick wall." Since 2016, she has served on the board of trustees at Reed College.
Copied!
Amy Marie Madigan (born September 11, 1950) is an American actress. She has acted on stage and screen and has received a Golden Globe Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award and an Emmy Award. She has been married to actor Ed Harris since 1983.
Madigan made her film debut in the drama Love Child (1982) for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. For playing a woman in a difficult marriage in the drama film Twice in a Lifetime (1985), she earned a nomination for the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. She has also acted in Love Letters (1984), Alamo Bay (1985), Nowhere to Hide (1987), Uncle Buck (1989), Field of Dreams (1989), Female Perversions (1996), Pollock (2000), and Gone Baby Gone (2007). After a lack of "meaningful roles", she gained newfound attention for her performance in the horror film Weapons (2025).
On television, Madigan portrayed Sarah Weddington in the television film Roe vs. Wade (1989), for which she won the Golden Globe Award and was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. She also took roles in the HBO series Carnivàle (2003–2005), Grey's Anatomy (2008–2009), and Fringe (2009). On stage, she has acted in the Off-Broadway production of The Lucky Spot (1987), for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play, and a 1992 Broadway production of A Streetcar Named Desire in the role of Stella Kowalski.
== Early life and education ==
Amy Marie Madigan was born September 11, 1950 in Chicago to Dolores (née Hanlon; 1921–1992), an administrative assistant and amateur actress who performed in community theatre, and John J. Madigan (1918–2012), a journalist who worked for Newsweek and provided political commentary on programs such as Meet the Press and Face the Nation; he interviewed a range of political figures, from Richard Nixon to Martin Luther King Jr., and hosted his own show with WBBM (AM). Madigan is Catholic and third-generation Irish American. She has two brothers, Jack and Jim.
During high school, Madigan performed in school plays. She attended Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she earned a B.A. in philosophy in 1972. She moved to Los Angeles in 1974. She later studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.
== Career ==
=== 1980–1989: Film debut and other roles ===
In the 1980s, Madigan transitioned from a singing career to acting, and studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute. Her first television role was Adele on an episode of Hart to Hart in 1981; she then had role in the television film Crazy Times. The following year, she made her film debut as Terry Jean Moore in Love Child, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year – Actress. In 1983, she starred as Alison Ransom in the television film The Day After.
In 1984, she portrayed McCoy in the film Streets of Fire, and had a supporting role as Viola Kelsey in Places in the Heart. In 1985, she starred in the television film The Laundromat, written by Marsha Norman, opposite Carol Burnett. She won a CableACE Award for her performance as Deedee Johnson. She then co-starred as Glory Scheer, with her husband Ed Harris, in Alamo Bay, directed by Louis Malle. Also in 1985, she portrayed Sunny Mackenzie-Sobel in Twice in a Lifetime, for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Madigan made her Off-Broadway debut in 1987, portraying Sue Jack Tiller in The Lucky Spot by Beth Henley, for which she won a Theatre World Award and was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. In 1988, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance in The Prince of Pennsylvania. That year, she performed in A Lie of the Mind at the Mark Taper Forum. In 1989 she played the wife of Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture; and played Chanice Kobolowski, the girlfriend of John Candy's character, in the John Hughes film Uncle Buck. Also in 1989, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance as Sarah Weddington in the television film Roe vs. Wade.
=== 1990–2009: Career fluctuations ===
In 1990, Madigan starred opposite Paula Kelly in Stevie Wants To Play The Blues by Eduardo Machado, for which she won a Drama-Logue Award. In 1991, she starred opposite Olympia Dukakis in the Emmy-nominated television film Lucky Day. She made her Broadway debut in the role of Stella Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire in 1992, opposite Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin, and was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Debut Performance. Madigan next appeared opposite Timothy Hutton in The Dark Half (1993), a film adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name, directed by George A. Romero.
In 1996, she and Harris produced and starred in the television film Riders of the Purple Sage. She then starred with Tilda Swinton in Female Perversions. In 1997, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her performance as Brett Armerson in the film Loved. In 2000, she portrayed Peggy Guggenheim in the film Pollock, starring her husband, which he also directed and produced. In 2002 she had a supporting role as Reggie Fluty, the officer who responded to aid the dying Matthew Shepard in the television film The Laramie Project. In 2003–2005, Madigan had the supporting role of Iris Crowe/Irina, sister of villain Justin Crowe, in HBO's series Carnivále. In 2005, she starred as Lori Lansky in Winter Passing, directed by Adam Rapp. The following year, she had a supporting role as Patricia Carver, a CIA headquarters analyst, in the Emmy-winning television film The Path to 9/11. In 2007, she played the sister-in-law of Helene (Amy Ryan), Beatrice "Bea" McCready, in the film Gone Baby Gone, directed by Ben Affleck. In 2008, Madigan played Dr. Katharine Wyatt on several episodes of ABC's medical drama series Grey's Anatomy. She then guest-starred on TNT's crime drama series Saving Grace as Gretchen Lagardi.
When talking about her career in a 2010 interview with The Los Angeles Times, journalist Susan King described Madigan's career writing, "Like so many actresses older than 50, [she] has had difficulties finding meaningful roles.". Madigan opined about her career and the lack of roles for actresses her age saying, "My husband works a lot more than I do...You know what the situation is. The reality is you have to make your peace with it sometimes even when you have a depressive day, which I still have.”
=== 2010–present: Later projects and Weapons ===
In 2011, she guest-starred in the final episode of TNT's drama series Memphis Beat. Madigan returned to theater in 2015, directing a stage production of Off the King’s Road at the Odyssey Theater in Los Angeles. In 2016, she starred as Halie in the revival of Sam Shepard's play Buried Child for The New Group at the Pershing Square Signature Center. It move to the West End's Trafalgar Studios in November 2016, where Madigan reprised her role.
In 2018, she had a supporting role in the independent drama American Woman opposite Sienna Miller, followed by a supporting role in Scott Cooper's horror film Antlers (2021), playing a school principal in a small Oregon town plagued by a supernatural entity. In 2024, Madigan starred as Judge Motley in the independent drama Bull Street, which premiered as the opening night film at the Sarasota Film Festival. In 2025, she had a pivotal role in Zach Cregger's horror mystery film Weapons, playing the eccentric and mysterious great-aunt of a young boy whose classmates go missing in his small community.
In a 2025 interview with The New York Times, Madigan spoke of her career saying, "Opportunities [as an older actress] are less and you just hope that something finds you so you can find it. And I don’t take it for granted, because you can go up and then you can go all the way down, as we know".
== Personal life ==
Madigan has been married to actor Ed Harris since November 21, 1983. They have one daughter. Madigan and Harris have been frequent collaborators during their careers.
Madigan toured the United States performing as a vocalist in several rock bands through the 1970s before relocating to Los Angeles. She also performed as a solo singer and pianist in Dallas, Texas in the late 1970s and early 1980. Recounting her career as a singer in a 2015 interview, Madigan said: "I had been working in [music] for a very long time. I am not a writer, so I wasn’t generating my own personal material. I just felt myself kind of hitting the same brick wall... I miss music every day. It’s very visceral and emotional. You can pack something into three minutes, and you can’t do that in any other medium."
Since 2016, Madigan has served on the board of trustees at Reed College.
== Acting credits ==
=== Film ===
=== Television ===
=== Theater ===
== Awards and nominations ==
== References ==
== External links ==
Amy Madigan at IMDb
Amy Madigan at the Internet Broadway Database
Amy Madigan at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
Home
Languages