Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1959-03-23
- Born Place: Miami, Florida, USA
Catherine Keener
Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1959) is an American actress renowned for her nuanced portrayals of complex, often disillusioned characters in both independent and mainstream cinema. Born in Miami, Florida, she is of Irish and Lebanese descent and was raised in Hialeah, Florida. Keener attended Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, where she majored in American Studies and developed an interest in theater, performing in Wendy Wasserstein's play Uncommon Women and Others during her junior year. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1983. Keener's film career began in the late 1980s, with early roles in films like About Last Night... (1986) and Johnny Suede (1991). Her breakthrough came with Living in Oblivion (1995), followed by critically acclaimed performances in Walking and Talking (1996) and Being John Malkovich (1999), the latter earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She received a second Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Harper Lee in Capote (2005). Keener's other notable film credits include The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Into the Wild (2007), Synecdoche, New York (2008), Get Out (2017), and Joker: Folie à Deux (2024). In television, Keener has showcased her versatility with roles in series such as Show Me a Hero (2015), Kidding (2018–2020), and Brand New Cherry Flavor (2021). She has also lent her voice to animated characters in The Croods (2013), Incredibles 2 (2018), and its sequel The Croods: A New Age (2020). Keener's acting style is characterized by her ability to portray characters who are emotionally complex and often unfulfilled, earning her a reputation as a "queen of 1990s American independent cinema." She has frequently collaborated with directors Nicole Holofcener, Tom DiCillo, and Spike Jonze, becoming a muse for each. Her performances have garnered numerous accolades, including nominations for the Academy Award, BAFTA Award, and Golden Globe Award. In her personal life, Keener married actor Dermot Mulroney in 1990, and they have a son, Clyde, born in 1999. The couple divorced in 2007.
