| Kathy Baker is continually cited for her original, standout performances on the stage, screen, and television. She won the Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance By a Female Actor in a Drama Series, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Television Drama, and three Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the highly acclaimed CBS television series Picket Fences.
Baker's work radiates a rare talent. She debuted in film in 1983 as astronaut Alan Shepard's wife in The Right Stuff. She earned rave reviews for her role in the critically acclaimed Showtime movie Lush Life, also starring Forrest Whitaker and Jeff Goldblum. She was seen opposite Peter Gallagher and Claire Danes in To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday and in Not in This Town opposite Adam Arkin on the USA Network, as well as Fox's Inventing the Abbot's with Liv Tyler and Billy Crudup. Baker was also seen in the CBS movie Shake, Rattle & Roll, and the CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame movie A Season For Miracles alongside Carla Gugino and Lynn Redgrave.
Baker appeared in the critically acclaimed, Academy Award-winning film The Cider House Rules opposite Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron and Michael Caine. She was nominated along with the rest of the cast for a Screen Actor's Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Theatrical Motion Picture. Additionally, Baker starred in the Showtime film Ratz, in which she portrayed an antique shop-owning soap opera star, as well in the CBS Movie of the Week Sanctuary. She also guest-starred on the TNT Original series Bull.
Baker recently appeared in Showtime's ensemble Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her opposite Cameron Diaz, Amy Brenneman and Holly Hunter. She also played a role in The Glass House opposite Leelee Sobieski, Diane Lane, Stellan Skarsgard, and Bruce Dern.
Baker has also starred in Mad Dog and Glory with Robert De Niro; Jennifer Eight with Andy Garcia and John Malcovich; Article 99 with Kiefer Sutherland and Forrest Whitaker; and Edward Scissorhands opposite Winona Ryder and Johnny Depp. She received the Best Supporting Actress award from the National Society of Film Critics for the role of a doomed prostitute in Street Smart.
Baker also received commendable praise for her performance in Clean and Sober as a substance abuse addict, starring opposite Michael Keaton. In Jackknife, Baker starred opposite Robert De Niro and Ed Harris as a school teacher who becomes the caretaker of her brother, an emotionally crippled Vietnam Vet. In Dad, she co-starred with Jack Lemmon and Ted Danson. Additional film credits include The Image opposite Albert Finney and Mr. Frost opposite Jeff Goldblum and Alan Bates.
Also a veteran of the stage, Baker originated the role of May in Sam Shepard's Fool for Love, and, at the author's request, took the part to New York along with co-star Ed Harris. The move resulted in an Obie Award. Baker as appeared in other successful stage productions, including Desire Under the Elms and Aunt Dan and Lemon.
Born in Midland, Texas, Baker grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she began acting at age ten. She graduated with a degree in French from the University of California at Berkeley and then moved to Paris, where she obtained Le Grande Diplome from the world renowned Cordon Bleu.
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