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Penelope Ann Miller

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Penelope Ann Miller
Miller in 2012
Born
Penelope Andrea Miller

(1964-01-13) January 13, 1964 (age 60)
Other namesPenelope Miller
OccupationActress
Years active1985–present
Spouses
  • (m. 1994; div. 1995)
  • James Huggins
    (m. 2000)
Children2
FatherMark Miller

Penelope Ann Miller (born Penelope Andrea Miller; January 13, 1964),[1] sometimes credited as Penelope Miller, is an American actress. She began her career on Broadway in the original run of Biloxi Blues (1985–1986), later appearing in the 1988 film adaptation of the same name. After playing small roles in the comedies Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Big Top Pee-wee (1988), and receiving a Tony Award nomination for her leading role in the Broadway revival of Our Town (1988–1989), Miller came to prominence with a succession of major parts in films such as The Freshman, Awakenings, Kindergarten Cop (all 1990), Other People's Money (1991), Chaplin (1992), The Shadow (1994), and The Relic (1997). For her portrayal of exotic dancer Gail in Carlito's Way (1993), she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Other film credits include Along Came a Spider (2001), The Messengers (2007), The Artist (2011), The Birth of a Nation (2016), and Reagan (2024). On television, Miller starred as Molly Hooper on the Fox sitcom A Minute with Stan Hooper (2003–2004), played recurring roles on Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011) and Mistresses (2013–2014), starred as Eve Carlin on the first season of ABC's American Crime (2015), and co-starred as Joyce Dahmer in the Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022).

Early life

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Miller was born in Los Angeles, California, to Beatrice (née Ammidown), a costume designer, publicist, and journalist, and Mark Miller, a television actor and producer. Her mother was the goddaughter of businessman Aristotle Onassis and an editor of Harper's Bazaar.[2] She has two sisters: older, Marisa Miller, who is also a film actress, and younger, Savannah Miller, a social worker.

Miller graduated from high school in Los Angeles and attended Menlo College in Atherton, California for two years from 1981 to 1983, then moved to New York City to study theatre at HB Studio.[3]

Career

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Her Broadway theatre break came in 1985 when she was cast in the lead (opposite Matthew Broderick) in the Neil Simon play Biloxi Blues. (She also starred with Broderick in the 1988 film version of that play). She played a role in one episode ("Death and the Lady") of the television series Miami Vice (which aired on October 16, 1987), and accepted several other small roles in film and television work. She then returned to Broadway in a revival of Our Town; her portrayal of Emily garnered her a Tony award nomination. She then appeared as Pee-wee Herman's (Paul Reubens) fiancée, Winnie Johnston, in the 1988 release of Big Top Pee-wee. She played a supporting role in 1989's Dead Bang, a cop thriller starring Don Johnson.

In 1990, she played Paula in Awakenings, starring Robert De Niro and Robin Williams. She also appeared in the 1990 movies Downtown, with Anthony Edwards and Forest Whitaker, and Kindergarten Cop, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger, playing a teacher, hiding with her son Dominic from her criminal drug-dealing husband Cullen Crisp (Richard Tyson). She subsequently appeared in a number of other theatrical movies, notably as Edna Purviance in Chaplin and with Tim Daly as Margaret "Maggie" Harwood in Peter Yates' film Year of the Comet, both in 1992, and the following year she appeared as the love interest of Al Pacino's character in Carlito's Way.

Miller co-starred as the daughter of the character played by Marlon Brando in 1990's The Freshman, again opposite Matthew Broderick, and as the lawyer and stepdaughter of the character played by Gregory Peck in 1991's Other People's Money. She appeared as Margo Lane in The Shadow with Alec Baldwin, as well as in the film Miles from Home directed by Gary Sinise. She had the lead role in the big-budget creature feature The Relic (1997) as Dr. Margo Green. In 1998, she portrayed Barbara Henry in Ruby Bridges a made-for-television movie that was made by Disney, about Ruby Bridges, the first Black student to attend an all-white elementary school in New Orleans. In 2000, she played Mary Kay Letourneau in the TV film All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story.

In 2002, Miller starred in the film Dead in a Heartbeat and in a two-part episode of A&E's series A Nero Wolfe Mystery. Her 2005 film Funny Money was voted the top film of the Sarasota Film Festival. She appeared in the Fox series Vanished for six episodes, playing the ex-wife of a U.S. senator whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. In 2007, she appeared in the comedy Blonde Ambition co-starring Jessica Simpson and Luke Wilson. She guest starred as Fran on Desperate Housewives. Miller appeared in the horror film The Messengers, co-starring Dylan McDermott and Kristen Stewart. The film was produced by director Sam Raimi's production company, Ghost House Pictures. In 2011, she portrayed Doris, the wife of protagonist George Valentin (Jean Dujardin), in the Academy Award-winning film The Artist.

After a recurring role on the ABC soap opera Mistresses, Miller was cast in 2015 as a regular in the first season of ABC's drama series American Crime.[4]

In October 2020, Miller was cast as First Lady Nancy Reagan in Reagan, a biographical film based on the life of President Ronald Reagan.[5] Reagan was theatrically released in the United States on August 30, 2024.[6]

Personal life

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In 1994, Miller married actor Will Arnett. They divorced in 1995.[7]

Miller married James Huggins in 2000, and they have two daughters: Eloisa May and Maria Adela.[8] On March 14, 2012, Miller filed for legal separation from Huggins after 12 years of marriage.[9] On June 15, 2012, Miller withdrew her request for separation.[10]

Filmography

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Key
Denotes projects that have not yet been released

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 Hotshot Mary Film debut
Adventures in Babysitting Brenda
1988 Biloxi Blues Daisy Hannigan
Big Top Pee-wee Winnie Johnson
Miles from Home Sally
1989 Dead Bang Linda Kimble
1990 Downtown Lori Mitchell
The Freshman Tina Sabatini
Awakenings Paula
Kindergarten Cop Joyce Palmieri / Rachel Crisp
1991 Other People's Money Kate Sullivan
1992 Year of the Comet Margaret Harwood
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag Mrs. Elizabeth Louise "Betty Lou" Perkins
Chaplin Edna Purviance
1993 Carlito's Way Gail
1994 The Shadow Margo Lane
1997 The Hired Garnet Hadley
The Relic Dr. Margo Green
Little City Rebecca
1998 Break Up Grace
Outside Ozona Earlene Demers
1999 Chapter Zero Cassandra
2000 Lisa Picard Is Famous Penelope Ann Miller
Forever Lulu Claire Clifton
2001 Along Came a Spider Elizabeth Rose
Full Disclosure Michelle Video
2006 Funny Money Carol Perkins
2007 The Messengers Denise Solomon
The Deal Laura Martin
Blonde Ambition Debra
2008 Free Style Jeannette Bryant
2009 Saving Grace B. Jones Bea Bretthorst
2010 Flipped Trina Baker
2011 The Artist Doris Valentin
About Sunny Louise
2013 Saving Lincoln Mary Todd Lincoln
Robosapien: Rebooted Joanna Keller
2016 The Birth of a Nation Elizabeth Turner
The Bronx Bull Debbie Forrester
2018 American Dresser Vera
2020 Adverse Nicole
2024 Reagan Nancy Reagan
TBA Murder at Hollow Creek Lori Rhodes Filming

Television films

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 Tales from Hollywood Hills: Closed Set Tina
1994 Witch Hunt Kim Hudson
1997 The Last Don Nalene De Lena
The Hired Heart Garnet Hadley
Merry Christmas, George Bailey Mary Hatch Bailey
1998 Rhapsody in Bloom Lilah Bloom
Ruby Bridges Barbara Henry
1999 Rocky Marciano Barbara Cousins
2000 All-American Girl: The Mary Kay Letourneau Story Mary Kay Letourneau
Killing Moon Laura Chadwick
2001 Dodson's Journey Meredith Dodson
A Woman's a Helluva Thing Zane Douglas
2002 Dead in a Heartbeat Dr. Gillian Hayes
Scared Silent Kathy Clifson
2003 Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story Donna Hanover
National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Family Reunion Pauline Snider
2004 Carry Me Home Harriet
2005 Personal Effects Bonnie Locke
2008 The Deadliest Lesson Gloria
2017 NY Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell Joyce Mitchell
2019 The College Admissions Scandal Caroline DeVere

Television series

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Tales from the Darkside Keena Episode: "Ring Around the Redhead"
1987 The Facts of Life Kristen Morgan Episode: "The Greek Connection"
Family Ties Joyce Episode: "Higher Love"
The Popcorn Kid Gwen Stottlemeyer 6 episodes
Miami Vice Jill Ryder Episode: "Death and the Lady"
St. Elsewhere Laurel Episode: "Ewe Can't Go Home Again"
1989 Great Performances Emily Webb Episode: "Our Town"
1991 Morton & Hayes Jody Episode: "The Bride of Mummula"
1997 The Last Don Nalene De Lena Episode: "#1.1"
1998 The Closer Erica Hewitt 10 episodes
2002 A Nero Wolfe Mystery Lucy Valdon 2 episodes
2003–2004 A Minute with Stan Hooper Molly Hooper 13 episodes
2005 CSI: NY Rose Whitley Episode: "What You See Is What You Get"
Desperate Housewives Fran Ferrara Episode: "Coming Home"
2006 Vanished Jessica Nevins 9 episodes
2009–2011 Men of a Certain Age Sonia Tranelli 9 episodes
2013–2014 Mistresses Elizabeth Grey 10 episodes
2015 American Crime Eve Carlin
2018 Riverdale Ms. Wright 1 episode
Criminal Minds Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes
2022 Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story Joyce Dahmer 10 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1991 Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Actress The Freshman Won
1994 Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Carlito's Way Nominated
1995 Saturn Awards Best Actress The Shadow Nominated
1997 Saturn Awards Best Actress The Relic Nominated
1998 Hollywood Film Awards Special Jury Award for Best Acting in a Feature Rhapsody in Bloom Won
2001 DVD Exclusive Awards Best Supporting Actress Full Disclosure Nominated
2012 Gold Derby Awards Best Ensemble Cast The Artist Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated
2016 Satellite Awards Best Ensemble – Television Series American Crime Won
2024 San Diego International Film Festival Gregory Peck Award Lifetime Achievement Awarded

References

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  1. ^ "UPI Almanac for Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021". United Press International. January 13, 2021. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 27, 2021. …actor Penelope Ann Miller in 1964 (age 57)…
  2. ^ Penelope Ann Miller bio at Yahoo! Movies
  3. ^ HB Studio Alumni
  4. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 6, 2014). "Penelope Ann Miller Joins ABC's 'American Crime', Chris Butler In NBC's 'Lifesaver'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 12, 2014.
  5. ^ "Penelope Ann Miller Cast as Nancy Reagan in Upcoming Ronald Reagan Biopic". Variety. October 15, 2020. Retrieved October 16, 2020.
  6. ^ "Dennis Quaid Starrer 'Reagan' Strikes North American Deal With Newly Launched ShowBiz Direct". Deadline Hollywood. March 26, 2024. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  7. ^ "Reason Behind Amy Poehler And Will Arnett's Shocking Split: The Laughter Just Died", "The Huffington Post", 2012-09-12. Retrieved September 4, 2015
  8. ^ Chiu, Alexis (April 7, 2009). "It's a Girl for Penelope Ann Miller". People. Archived from the original on April 10, 2009. Retrieved June 25, 2010.
  9. ^ Shira, Dahvi (March 20, 2012). "Penelope Ann Miller Splits from Husband". People. Archived from the original on March 22, 2012. Retrieved March 20, 2012.
  10. ^ Schwartz, Alison (June 23, 2012). "Penelope Ann Miller Dismisses Separation Request". People. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
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