Kathleen Chalfant
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1945-01-14
    • Born Place: San Francisco, California, USA
  • Also Known As:

    Kathleen Ann Bishop , Kathleen A. Chalfant

Kathleen Chalfant

Kathleen Chalfant is a highly respected American actress with a distinguished career spanning over five decades in theater, film, and television. Born Kathleen Ann Bishop on January 14, 1945, in San Francisco, California, she is celebrated for her versatility and powerful performances, particularly on stage.Chalfant's extensive theater career includes numerous Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. She is perhaps most renowned for her work in Tony Kushner's monumental play Angels in America, where she originated multiple roles including Hannah Pitt and Ethel Rosenberg, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She also received widespread acclaim and multiple awards, including a Drama Desk Award and Obie Award, for her lead role as Vivian Bearing in Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Wit.Beyond the stage, Chalfant has a substantial presence in film and television. Her film credits include Junior (1994), The Laramie Project (2002), Kinsey (2004), Duplicity (2009), and more recently, the critically acclaimed Familiar Touch (2024), where she plays the central character, Ruth Goldman. On television, she has had recurring or guest roles in a wide array of popular series such as the Law & Order franchise, House of Cards, Rescue Me, The Affair, The Guardian, and The Blacklist.Known for her gravitas and ability to embody complex characters, Kathleen Chalfant has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including an Obie Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance. She is also an advocate for social justice and human rights, often using her platform to support various causes. Chalfant married photographer and documentary filmmaker Henry Chalfant in 1966, and they have two children.

Person History