Joanne Woodward
Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward (born
February 27,
1930) is an
Academy Award-winning
American actress.
Woodward was born in
Thomasville, Georgia, and was influenced to become an actress by her mother's love of movies. Her mother wanted to name her after
Joan Crawford, but then her parents felt that the name "Joanne" was more Southern. Attending the premiere of
Gone with the Wind in
Atlanta, nine-year-old Joanne rushed out into the parade of stars and sat on the lap of
Laurence Olivier, star
Vivien Leigh's husband. She eventually worked with Olivier in
1979, in a
television production of
Come Back, Little Sheba.
Woodward won many
beauty contests as a teenager. She majored in drama at
Louisiana State University, then headed to
New York City to perform on the stage.
Woodward's first film was
Count Three and Pray, in
1955. She continued to move between
Hollywood and
Broadway, eventually, understudying in the New York production of
Picnic with another young actor,
Paul Newman. The two were married in
1958. By that time, Woodward had starred in
The Three Faces of Eve, for which she won the
Academy Award for Best Actress. She and Newman first starred together that year in
The Long Hot Summer, one of many collaborations. In 1969, they starred together in
Winning. The last movie they appeared in together (to great acclaim) was
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, which earned Woodward her most recent Oscar nomination.
Woodward has continued to act on stage, films, and television.
In 1990, she was graduated from
Sarah Lawrence College alongside her daughter, Clea. She and Newman live in
Connecticut but are extremely private about their personal lives. Woodward is currently artistic director of the
Westport Country Playhouse.
Newman will occasionally venture to
California, but Woodward has refused to go West for many years.
*
1991 - Nominated
Best Actress in a Leading Role -
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge*
1974 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role -
Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams*
1969 - Nominated Best Actress in a Leading Role -
Rachel, Rachel*
1958 - Won Best Actress in a Leading Role -
The Three Faces of EveShe has a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6801 Hollywood Blvd.
She was the first performer to receive a star on the Walk of Fame. It was laid on
February 9,
1960.
The very briefly glimpsed portrait of the unseen character
Marguerite Wyke in the
1972 film
Sleuth (credited to the imaginary actress
Eve Channing; see [
1]) is actually of Woodward.
*
Classic Movies (1939 - 1969): Joanne Woodward*
Joanne Woodward's thoughts on Earth Day 2006
