Dianne Wiest was born on March 28, 1948 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. She is an American actress. She has won a Golden Globe, an Emmy and two Academy Awards.

After a couple of appearances in television movies, she made her feature film debut in It's My Turn in 1980. Several films and telefilms later, she gained industry notice with her powerful performance as the battered wife in Independence Day (1993).

Woody Allen was especially impressed, and cast her in his next four films including her first Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winning performance in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986). A year later she played the protective mother in The Lost Boys (1997) and single mother in Parenthood (1989) which garnered her second Oscar nomination.

In 1995, she got an Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as Helen Sinclair in another Woody Allen film, Bullets Over Broadway.

She starred in The Scout (1994), The Birdcage (1996), The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Practical Magic (1998).

Her last credits include Dedication (2006) and Dan in Real Life (2007).

Filmography

• Poe (2009)
• Synecdoche, New York (2008)
• Passengers (2008)
• "The Return of Jezebel James" (2 episodes, 2008)
• "In Treatment" (6 episodes, 2008)
• Dan in Real Life (2007)
• Dedication (2007)
• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006)
• Robots (2005) (voice)
• Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004) (TV)
• The Blackwater Lightship (2004) (TV)
• Merci Docteur Rey (2002)
• "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (2 episodes, 2001-2002)
• "Law & Order" (48 episodes, 2000-2002)
• I Am Sam (2001)
• "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (1 episode, 2001)
• Not Afraid, Not Afraid (2001)
• "The 10th Kingdom" (2000) (mini) TV mini-series
• The Simple Life of Noah Dearborn (1999) (TV)
• Practical Magic (1998)
• The Horse Whisperer (1998)
• The Associate (1996)
• The Birdcage (1996)
• "Road to Avonlea" (1 episode, 1996)
• Drunks (1995)
• The Scout (1994)
• Bullets Over Broadway (1994)
• Cops and Robbersons (1994)
• Little Man Tate (1991)
• Edward Scissorhands (1990)
• Cookie (1989)
• Parenthood (1989)
• Bright Lights, Big City (1988)
• September (1987)
• The Lost Boys (1987)
• Bigfoot (1987) (TV)
• Radio Days (1987)
• Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
• The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
• Falling in Love (1984)
• Footloose (1984)
• The Face of Rage (1983) (TV)
• Independence Day (1983)
• I'm Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982)
• The Wall (1982) (TV)
• It's My Turn (1980)
• Out of Our Father's House (1978) (TV)
• Zalmen: or, The Madness of God (1975) (TV)

Awards

• Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize Dramatic "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" 2006
• Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series "Avonlea" 1997
• Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Cast "The Birdcage" 1997
• Academy Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995
• Golden Globe Award Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995
• Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Female "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995
• National Society of Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995
• Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role "Bullets Over Broadway" 1995
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress "Bullets Over Broadway" 1994
• New York Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress "Bullets Over Broadway" 1994
• Academy Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1987
• Boston Society of Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1987
• National Society of Film Critics Award Best Supporting Actress "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1987
• Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award Best Supporting Actress "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1986
• National Board of Review Award Best Supporting Actress "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1986
• New York Film Critics Circle Award Best Supporting Actress "Hannah and Her Sisters" 1986
• OBIE Award Performance "Serenading Louie" and "Other Places" 1984
• Clarence Derwent Award "The Art of Dining" 1980
• OBIE Award Performance "The Art of Dining" 1980
• Theatre World Award "The Art of Dining" 1980