Elizabeth Perkins Biography

Elizabeth Perkins, actress

Birthdate: November 18, 1960

Birthplace: Queens, New York

Sign: Scorpio

Elizabeth Perkins was born in Queens in New York City, NY. Her mother, Jo Williams, was a drug treatment counselor and concert pianist. Her father was James Perkins, a writer, farmer and businessman. Her parents divorced in 1963 and Perkins moved to Vermont. She graduated high school at Northfield Mount Hermon School and moved to Chicago where she studied at the Goodman School of Drama for three years.

She made her break into theater in 1984, appearing on Broadway in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs." She continued to work in several ensemble companies such as The New York Shakespeare Festival and the Steppenwolf Theater.

In 1986, she made her break in the big screen in Edward Zwick's "About Last Night." Her big breakthrough came when she co-starred in "Big" with Tom Hanks. She went on to receive good reviews for her performances in "Avalon" and opposite William Hurt in "The Doctor" in 1991.

Her television debut came in 1993 in "For Their Own Good." She continued her television appearances in "Battery Park" and "If These Walls Could Talk."

She also went on to play Celia Hodes on the Showtime series "Weeds" alongside Mary-Louise Parker, which continues to run with two more seasons recently confirmed by Showtime. In 2006 and 2007, she won a Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series for the show.

Her other movies include "The Ring Two," "He Said, She Said," "28 Days," "The Flintstones," "Must Love Dogs" and "Fierce People."

Perkins was married to Chicago actor Terry Kinney in 1984, but the two later divorced in 1988. She also has one daughter Hanna Phillips, born in 1991, with Maurice Phillips. In 2000, she married cinematographer Julio Macat.