Sissy Spacek

Born:December 25, 1949

Place of Birth:Quitman, Texas, USA

Known For:Acting

Biography

Sissy Spacek, born Mary Elizabeth Spacek on December 25, 1949, is an iconic American actress and singer who has left an indelible mark on the entertainment industry. With a career spanning over five decades, Spacek has garnered numerous prestigious awards, including an Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award, among others. Her talent and dedication to her craft have solidified her as one of the most respected performers in Hollywood.

Hailing from Texas, Spacek initially set her sights on a career in music before transitioning to acting in the early 1970s. Her first foray into the industry was as an extra in Andy Warhol's Women in Revolt (1971), but it was her breakthrough role in Terrence Malick's Badlands (1973) that put her on the map. Spacek's haunting portrayal of Carrie White in Brian De Palma's Carrie (1976) further showcased her versatility and marked her as a rising star in the industry.

Spacek's career continued to flourish with standout performances in films such as Coal Miner's Daughter (1980), for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, and Missing (1982), which earned her another Oscar nomination. Known for her ability to immerse herself fully into her characters, Spacek has tackled a diverse range of roles with depth and authenticity, captivating audiences with each new project.

Beyond her film work, Spacek has also made a mark on the small screen, earning Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her roles in various television films and series. Her portrayal of matriarch Sally Rayburn in the Netflix series Bloodline (2015–2017) and Ruth Deaver in the Hulu series Castle Rock (2018) further showcased her range as an actress, solidifying her as a force to be reckoned with in both film and television.

In addition to her acting prowess, Spacek is also a talented singer, having lent her vocals to the soundtrack of Coal Miner's Daughter and releasing her own studio album, Hangin' Up My Heart (1983). Her musical talents have been recognized with a Grammy Award nomination, further highlighting the depth of her artistic abilities.

With a career marked by critical acclaim and a dedication to her craft, Sissy Spacek stands as a true Hollywood legend whose contributions to the world of entertainment will continue to inspire and resonate for years to come.

Images

Filmography

Acting

The Help

Missus Walters

2011

Aibileen Clark is a middle-aged African-American maid who has spent her life raising white children and has recently lost her only son; Minny Jackson is an African-American maid who has often offended her employers despite her family's struggles with money and her desperate need for jobs; and Eugenia "Skeeter" Phelan is a young white woman who has recently moved back home after graduating college to find out her childhood maid has mysteriously disappeared. These three stories intertwine to explain how life in Jackson, Mississippi revolves around "the help"; yet they are always kept at a certain distance because of racial lines.

JFK

Liz Garrison

1991

Follows the investigation into the assassination of President John F. Kennedy led by New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison.

Carrie

1976

Withdrawn and sensitive teen Carrie White faces taunting from classmates at school and abuse from her fanatically pious mother. When strange occurrences start happening around Carrie, she begins to suspect that she has supernatural powers.

Blast from the Past

Helen

1999

Following a bomb scare in the 1960s that locked the Webers into their bomb shelter for 35 years, Adam now ventures forth into Los Angeles to obtain food and supplies for his family, and a non-mutant wife for himself.

The Ring Two

Evelyn

2005

After the ordeal with Samara, Rachel and Aiden move to a rural town. But soon Rachel learns about the death of a girl in a similar fashion. To save Aiden, she must dig into Samara's past even further.

Hot Rod

Marie Powell

2007

For Rod Kimble, performing stunts is a way of life, even though he is rather accident-prone. Poor Rod cannot even get any respect from his stepfather, Frank, who beats him up in weekly sparring matches. When Frank falls ill, Rod devises his most outrageous stunt yet to raise money for Frank's operation -- and then Rod will kick Frank's butt.

The Straight Story

Rose

1999

A retired farmer and widower in his 70s, Alvin Straight learns one day that his distant brother Lyle has suffered a stroke and may not recover. Alvin is determined to make things right with Lyle while he still can, but his brother lives in Wisconsin, while Alvin is stuck in Iowa with no car and no driver's license. Then he hits on the idea of making the trip on his old lawnmower, thus beginning a picturesque and at times deeply spiritual odyssey.

North Country

Alice Aimes

2005

A fictionalized account of the first major successful sexual harassment case in the United States — Jenson vs. Eveleth Mines, where a woman who endured a range of abuse while working as a miner filed and won the landmark 1984 lawsuit.

Deadfall

June

2012

A thriller that follows two siblings who decide to fend for themselves in the wake of a botched casino heist, and their unlikely reunion during another family's Thanksgiving celebration.

Tuck Everlasting

Mae Tuck

2002

Teenager Winnie Foster is growing up in a small rural town in 1914 with her loving but overprotective parents, but Winnie longs for a life of greater freedom and adventure.

Four Christmases

Paula

2008

Brad and Kate have made something of an art form out of avoiding their families during the holidays, but this year their foolproof plan is about go bust -- big time. Stuck at the city airport after all departing flights are canceled, the couple is embarrassed to see their ruse exposed to the world by an overzealous television reporter. Now, Brad and Kate are left with precious little choice other than to swallow their pride and suffer the rounds.

Badlands

Holly Sargis

1974

An impressionable teenage girl from a dead-end town and her older greaser boyfriend embark on a killing spree in the South Dakota badlands.

3 Women

Mildred "Pinky" Rose

1977

Two co-workers, one a vain woman and the other an awkward teenager, share an increasingly bizarre relationship after becoming roommates.

Missing

Beth Horman

1982

Based on the real-life experiences of Ed Horman. A conservative American businessman travels to Chile to investigate the sudden disappearance of his son after a military takeover. Accompanied by his son's wife he uncovers a trail of cover-ups that implicate the US State department which supports the dictatorship.

In the Bedroom

Ruth Fowler

2001

Summertime on the coast of Maine, "In the Bedroom" centers on the inner dynamics of a family in transition. Matt Fowler is a doctor practicing in his native Maine and is married to New York born Ruth Fowler, a music teacher. His son is involved in a love affair with a local single mother. As the beauty of Maine's brief and fleeting summer comes to an end, these characters find themselves in the midst of unimaginable tragedy.

Coal Miner's Daughter

Loretta Lynn

1980

Biography of Loretta Lynn, a country and western singer that came from poverty to fame.

The Rage: Carrie 2

Carrie White (archive footage) (uncredited)

1999

Following the suicide of her only friend, outcast teen Rachel Lang's life begins a downward spiral that will not only affect her but take everyone around her down in horrifying fashion.

The Old Man & the Gun

Jewel

2018

The true story of Forrest Tucker, from his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70 to an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public. Wrapped up in the pursuit are a detective, who becomes captivated with Forrest’s commitment to his craft, and a woman, who loves him in spite of his chosen profession.

HyperNormalisation

Self (archive footage)

2016

We live in a world where the powerful deceive us. We know they lie. They know we know they lie. They do not care. We say we care, but we do nothing, and nothing ever changes. It is normal. Welcome to the post-truth world. How we got to where we are now…

The Man with Two Brains

Anne Uumellmahaye (uncredited) (voice)

1983

A brain surgeon marries a femme fatale, causing his life to turn upside down. Things go more awry when he falls in love with a talking brain.

'night, Mother

Jessie Cates

1986

A mother and daughter spend a night together after the daughter reveals that she will kill herself by the end of it.

Production

Phantom of the Paradise

Set Dresser

1974

Singer-songwriter Winslow Leach seeks revenge on the nefarious music producer Swan, who steals both Winslow's music and his favorite singer for the grand opening of his new rock palace, the Paradise.