Catherine Keener

Catherine Keener
Keener in 2014
Born	Catherine Ann Keener (1959-03-26) March 26, 1959 (age 65) [1] Miami, Florida, U.S.
Alma mater	Wheaton College (BA) [2]
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present
Spouse	Dermot Mulroney ​ ​ (m. 1990;div. 2007)​
Children	1

Catherine Ann Keener (born March 26, 1959) is an American actress. She has portrayed disgruntled and melancholic yet sympathetic women in independent films, as well as supporting roles in studio films. She has been nominated twice for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Being John Malkovich (1999) and for her portrayal of author Harper Lee in Capote (2005). Her performance as Gertrude Baniszewski in An American Crime (2007) earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie. Her other accolades include nominations for a BAFTA Award and two Golden Globe Awards.

Keener also starred in live-action roles in the films The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Into the Wild (2007), Synecdoche, New York (2008), Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (2010), Get Out (2017), Joker: Folie à Deux (2024), as well as starring voice roles in The Croods (2013), its sequel The Croods: A New Age (2020), and Incredibles 2 (2018). Keener is the muse of director Nicole Holofcener, having appeared in each of Holofcener's first five films. ^[3] She also appeared in each of director Tom DiCillo's first four films, and three films directed by Spike Jonze. From 2018 to 2020, she starred in the Showtime dramedy series Kidding .

Early life and education

Keener is of Irish descent on her father's side, and of Lebanese descent on her mother's. ^{[4] [5]} Keener was raised in Hialeah, Florida ^[6] as a Catholic and attended Catholic schools. She attended Monsignor Edward Pace High School. ^{[7] [8]}

Keener's sister, Elizabeth Keener, is also an actress and a real estate agent working for Sotheby's in Los Angeles.^{[ citation needed ]}

Keener attended Wheaton College, in Norton, Massachusetts. She majored in American Studies, also enrolling in a theater course. Her first theatrical production was the Wendy Wasserstein play Uncommon Women and Others , during her junior year at Wheaton. She graduated with her Bachelor of Arts from Wheaton College in 1983. ^[9]

Career

Keener had a supporting role as Lt. Cricket Sideris in the television series Ohara . The series ran from January 1987 to May 1988.

Her first film appearance was one line in About Last Night... (1986). Although she struggled professionally over the next few years, one project had an unexpected dividend: Keener met her future husband, actor Dermot Mulroney, in 1987 while working on Survival Quest (1989), after Mulroney became stuck while attempting to scale a cliff.

She also guest starred as an artist on an episode of Seinfeld called "The Letter". She played Jerry's girlfriend, an artist who painted a famous portrait of Kramer. Keener then earned her first starring role, in Johnny Suede , with the then-unknown Brad Pitt. Her performance gained critical acclaim and earned her first Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Female Lead. She went on to work with director Tom Dicillo again, in Living in Oblivion (1995). Two years later, she was once again nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her performance in Walking and Talking , an independent cult-comedy film directed by Nicole Holofcener.

In 2000, Keener earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Being John Malkovich , directed by Spike Jonze. ^[10] In 2001, she worked with director Nicole Holofcener in Lovely and Amazing , garnering her a third Independent Spirit Award nomination. In 2002, she co-starred with Edward Norton in the off-Broadway revival of Burn This and the film Death to Smoochy . She also took part in the film Full Frontal , and Simone alongside Al Pacino.

In 2005, she starred in the political thriller The Interpreter (as a Secret Service agent partnered with Sean Penn's character) and The Ballad of Jack and Rose with Daniel Day-Lewis and played the love interest of Steve Carell in Judd Apatow's The 40-Year-Old Virgin . Keener's performance as writer Harper Lee in Capote (also 2005) earned her several awards and nominations, including her second Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. ^[10] In 2006, she starred in the film Friends with Money , directed by Nicole Holofcener.

In 2007, Keener played Jan Burres in Sean Penn's critically acclaimed film Into the Wild , based on Jon Krakauer's best-selling book of the same name. In 2008, her film An American Crime , the true story of Gertrude Baniszewski, a middle-aged mother who tortured and murdered Sylvia Likens in her Indiana home, was aired on Showtime. Keener played Baniszewski and her portrayal earned her an Emmy nomination in the Best Actress in a TV Mini-Series or Movie category. In 2008, Keener portrayed Philip Seymour Hoffman's wife Adele in Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut, Synecdoche, New York . She and Hoffman again played husband and wife in the 2012 film A Late Quartet . Keener played the title character's mother in the 2010 film Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief , based on the series of books by Rick Riordan.

Keener starred in the six-episode HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero , based on the 1999 nonfiction book of the same name by Lisa Belkin. ^{[11] [12]} It aired in August 2015. ^[13] In 2016, Keener starred in the independent film Unless . ^{[14] [15]}

In 2017, Keener starred as Missy Armitage in the racially themed horror film Get Out, ^[16] which was a critical and commercial success. ^{[17] [18]}

Keener starred in the 2021 Netflix horror drama miniseries Brand New Cherry Flavor . ^{[19] [20]}

In 2024, Keener appeared in Joker: Folie à Deux , the sequel to the 2019 film Joker . ^[21]

Acting style and reception

Throughout her career, Keener has developed a reputation for succeeding in complex roles, ^[5] often portraying desolate, bittersweet women "who come across as empty or unfulfilled in their relationships or their creative endeavors", effortlessly earning sympathy from audiences in both protagonist and antagonist roles. ^[22] Director Rebecca Miller said that Keener is "very good at playing disgruntled", a designation about which Keener explained, "Anger is not a bad thing"; she finds comfort in playing roles of this nature because "It doesn't go hand in hand with the mode of behaviour that's ladylike or proper or dignified." ^[23] Nate Williams of ComingSoon.net deemed Keener "one of the most interesting performers in the game" as of 2019 due to her willingness "to embrace different roles", describing her as "A dramatic actor with no problem playing strange characters". ^[22]

Keener gravitates towards roles in independent films, and opts for smaller character roles on rare occasions when she agrees to appear in larger studio ventures, which Entertainment Weekly critic Missy Schwartz believes "she inhabits more comfortably than flashier ones." ^[4] Amanda McCorquodale, contributing to the Miami New Times , wrote that Keener regularly plays smart, neurotic women in independent films, likening her body of work to Woody Allen heroines. ^[24] Rotten Tomatoes crowned Keener "one of the queens of 1990s American independent cinema", ^[25] while The Independent called her "A darling of the independent film world". ^[23] Despite commending her diverse yet carefully cultivated roles, The Independent observed that most of Keener's studio roles have "barely registered" among critics and audiences. ^[23] Williams believes that Keener's skillset and versatility have allowed her to work with some of the industry's best filmmakers. ^[22] Schwartz wrote that directors such as Neil LaBute ( Your Friends & Neighbors , 1998) and Steven Soderbergh ( Full Frontal , 2002) have consistently "put her unusual beauty and trademark dry wit to good use." ^[4]

Keener seldom gives interviews, believing that overexposure "becomes a dirty business". ^[4] The actress is known for being notoriously press-shy, and refuses to refer to herself as "famous" despite her success in the film industry. ^[4] In 2010, Inside Jersey contributor Stephen Whitty observed that, throughout a decade of interviewing the actress, Keener had always been open to commenting about her collaborators, both directors and co-stars, but often refused to be interviewed about herself, considering her a shy person who values her privacy. ^[5] In 2014, the Montreal Gazette journalist T'Cha Dunlevy selected Keener as his most memorable interview of the year, during which he admitted to mostly remembering laughing. ^[26] Dunlevy described the actress as "a consummate pro who has brought charisma and soul to projects ranging from" goofball comedies to blockbuster films. ^[26] Keener has continued to enjoy a reputation "as a both charming and well respected actress". ^[25]

Personal life

Keener married actor Dermot Mulroney in 1990. They have a son, Clyde, born in 1999, who is a singer. ^[10] Mulroney filed for divorce in June 2007, citing irreconcilable differences ^[27] and the divorce became final on December 19, 2007. ^{[28] [29]}

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	About Last Night...	Cocktail Waitress
1989	Survival Quest	Cheryl
1990	Catchfire	Trucker's girl
1991	Switch	Steve's Secretary
	Johnny Suede	Yvonne
	Thelma & Louise	Hal's wife	Scenes cut [30]
1992	The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag	Suzanne
1993	The Cemetery Club	Ester's Daughter
1995	Living in Oblivion	Nicole Springer
1996	Walking and Talking	Amelia
	The Destiny of Marty Fine	Lena
	Boys	Jilly
	Box of Moonlight	Floatie Dupre
1997	The Real Blonde	Mary
1998	Out of Sight	Adele Delisi
	Your Friends & Neighbors	Terri
1999	8mm	Amy Welles
	Simpatico	Cecilia
	Being John Malkovich	Maxine Lund
2001	Lovely & Amazing	Michelle Marks
2002	Adaptation	Herself	Cameo
	Full Frontal	Lee
	Death to Smoochy	Nora Wells
	Simone	Elaine Christian
2005	The Ballad of Jack and Rose	Kathleen
	The Interpreter	Dot
	The 40-Year-Old Virgin	Trish Piedmont
	Capote	Nelle Harper Lee
2006	Friends with Money	Christine
2007	An American Crime	Gertrude Baniszewski
	Into the Wild	Jan Burres
2008	Hamlet 2	Brie Marschz
	What Just Happened	Lou Tarnow
	Synecdoche, New York	Adele Lack
	Genova	Barbara
2009	The Soloist	Mary Weston
	Where the Wild Things Are	Connie	Also associate producer
2010	Please Give	Kate
	Cyrus	Jamie
	Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief	Sally Jackson
	Trust	Lynn Cameron
2011	The Oranges	Paige Walling
	Peace, Love & Misunderstanding	Diane
	Maladies	Catherine
2012	A Late Quartet	Juliette Gelbart
2013	The Croods	Ugga Crood	Voice [31]
	Enough Said	Marianne
	Captain Phillips	Andrea Phillips
	Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa	Ellie Zisman
2014	Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa.5	Ellie Zisman	Direct to video
	War Story	Lee	Also producer
	Begin Again	Miriam
	Elephant Song	Susan Peterson
2015	Accidental Love	Rep. Pam Hendrickson
2016	Unless	Reta
2017	Get Out	Missy Armitage	[32]
	Little Pink House	Susette Kelo	[33]
	We Don't Belong Here	Nancy Green	[34]
	November Criminals	Fiona	[35]
2018	Nostalgia	Donna Beam	[36]
	Incredibles 2	Evelyn Deavor / Screenslaver	Voice [37] [31]
	Sicario: Day of the Soldado	Cynthia Foards	[38]
2020	The Croods: A New Age	Ugga Crood	Voice [39] [31]
2021	No Future	Claire	[40]
2022	The Adam Project	Maya Sorian	[41]
	Polar Bear	Narrator	Voice [42]
2024	Joker: Folie à Deux	Maryanne Stewart	[43]

Key

†	Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1986	L.A. Law	Waitress	Episode: "The House of the Rising Flan"
1987	Ohara	Lt. Cricket Sideris	11 episodes
1988–1989	Knightwatch	Rebecca	2 episodes
1989	CBS Summer Playhouse	Jan Engle	Episode: "Curse of the Corn People"
1992	Seinfeld	Nina West	Episode: "The Letter"
1996	Heroine of Hell	Magda	Television film
	If These Walls Could Talk	Becky Donnelly	Television film; segment: "1952"
2014	How and Why	Alice	Pilot
2015	Show Me a Hero	Mary Dorman	5 episodes
2018–2020	Kidding	Deirdre "Didi" Perera	20 episodes [44]
2018	Forever	Kase	5 episodes [45]
2019	Modern Love	Julie	2 episodes [46]
2021	Brand New Cherry Flavor	Boro	8 episodes [47]
2023	Lucky Hank	Catherine Keener	Episode: "The Chopping Block"

Video games

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2018	Lego The Incredibles	Evelyn Deavor

Podcast

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2016–2017	Homecoming	Heidi Bergman

Awards and nominations

Main article: List of awards and nominations received by Catherine Keener

Year	Title	Award
1991	Johnny Suede	Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
1995	Walking and Talking
1999	Being John Malkovich	Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Southeastern Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture Nominated—Las Vegas Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actress Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2001	Lovely & Amazing	Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2005	The Ballad of Jack and Rose	Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
	The Interpreter	Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
	The 40-Year-Old Virgin	Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
	Capote	Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Nominated—Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress
2007	An American Crime	Nominated—Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie
	Into the Wild	Nominated—Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Houston Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2008	Synecdoche, New York	Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast Independent Spirit Robert Altman Award
2009	Where the Wild Things Are	Nominated—Saturn Award for Best Actress
2010	Please Give	Nominated—Comedy Film Award for Best Leading Actress Nominated—Gotham Independent Film Award for Best Ensemble Cast Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy
2017	Get Out	Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture

See also

• List of people from Miami

References

1. "Catherine Keener biography". Tribute . Retrieved August 10, 2022.
2. "Catherine Keener '83 receives Oscar nomination for Capote role" Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine , News release, Wheaton College, February 8, 2006
3. Friedman, Nick (December 24, 2013). ""MY MUSE": DIRECTORS & ACTORS WHO KEEP WORKING TOGETHER—PART I" . Retrieved November 4, 2014.
4. Schwartz, Missy (April 14, 2006). "Being Catherine Keener". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 24, 2015. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
5. Whitty, Stephen (May 9, 2010). "Two-time Oscar nominee Catherine Keener has earned a reputation for mastering complex roles". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
6. "Filmography". Premiere. 15 (2–12). Premiere Pub.: 83 2001.
7. "'Catherine Keener'". Yahoo! Movies . Retrieved May 20, 2010.
8. "'Catherine Keener: America's muse captures British director of Genova'". The Times . October 4, 2008. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2010.
9. STAFF, AMY NEWBURY / SUN CHRONICLE (February 16, 2000). "Oscar nominee an '83 Wheaton grad". The Sun Chronicle. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
10. "Being Catherine Keener" August 27, 2006, New York Times
11. "James Belushi, Terry Kinney & Michael Stahl-David Join HBO's 'Show Me A Hero'". Deadline Hollywood . August 15, 2014. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
12. Andreeva, Nellie (July 30, 2014). "HBO Greenlights David Simon Miniseries Starring Oscar Isaac & Catherine Keener". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 31, 2015.
13. Simon, David (May 4, 2015). "A Maryland Film Festival panel slated". DavidSimon.com . Retrieved May 15, 2015.
14. "Catherine Keener Joins Indie Movie 'Unless'". The Hollywood Reporter . March 16, 2015. Retrieved February 19, 2016.
15. Vlessing, Etan (March 16, 2015). "Alan Gilsenan's indie Unless starts shooting in Toronto". Playback . Retrieved February 19, 2016.
16. Rios, Edwin (February 24, 2017). ""Get Out" is the horror flick America needs right now". Mother Jones . Retrieved June 25, 2017.
17. "'Get Out' box office success is important for the future of cinema". July 16, 2017.
18. "Vanity Fair: Get Out Is Thrilling, Terrifying, and Timely". Vanity Fair . February 23, 2017.
19. Andreeva, Nellie (November 15, 2019). "N'Brand New Cherry Flavor' Series Headlined By Rosa Salazar A Go At Netflix; Catherine Keener, Eric Lange, Jeff Ward & Manny Jacinto Co-Star In Horror Adaptation". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 24, 2021.
20. Cordero, Rosy (July 19, 2021). "Rosa Salazar Goes Dark In Netflix's 'Brand New Cherry Flavor' Teaser Trailer". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
21. Kroll, Justin (September 7, 2022). "'Joker: Folie à Deux' Adds Catherine Keener To Ensemble In Secret Role".
22. Williams, Nate (May 8, 2019). "Catherine Keener's Ten Best Roles". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
23. "Catherine Keener: Oscar success within her sights". The Independent. February 24, 2006. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
24. McCorquodale, Amanda (March 11, 2010). "Hialeah Actress Catherine Keener Returns to Miami for Tonight's Festival Premiere". Miami New Times. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
25. "Catherine Keener". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
26. Dunlevy, T'Cha (December 25, 2014). "Catherine Keener made me laugh, and left a lasting impression". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
27. "Dermot Mulroney Files for Divorce from Catherine Keener". People.com. June 11, 2007. Archived from the original on May 31, 2016. Retrieved June 12, 2007.
28. "Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney Divorce Finalized". Extra (TV program). October 31, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
29. "Divorce papers" (PDF). Los Angeles County Superior Court. Extra. October 30, 2007. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
30. Anderson, Matt (February 13, 2011). "Thelma & Louise". Movie Habit. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
31. "Catherine Keener (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 9, 2024. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
32. Pedersen, Erik (December 3, 2015). "Catherine Keener Gets In Get Out For Jordan Peele". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
33. Hipes, Patrick (February 3, 2017). "Little Pink House Santa Barbara Fest Clip: Don't Mess With Catherine Keener". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
34. Murthi, Vikram (January 24, 2017). "We Don't Belong Here Exclusive Trailer: Anton Yelchin and Catherine Keener Star In Dysfunctional Family Thriller". IndieWire. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
35. Yamato, Jen (November 5, 2014). "Sacha Gervasi's November Criminals Pic Nabs Lotus Loot". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
36. Linden, Sheri (February 15, 2018). "Review: Jon Hamm, Catherine Keener and others can't move past 'Nostalgia's' treacly musings". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
37. Sneider, Jeff (November 17, 2017). "Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener Join Voice Cast of Pixar's The Incredibles 2 (Exclusive)". The Tracking Board. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
38. Fleming, Mike (October 27, 2016). "Catherine Keener Joins Benicio Del Toro & Josh Brolin In Sicario Sequel Soldado". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
39. Kit, Borys (May 21, 2015). "Leslie Mann, Kat Dennings Joining Croods 2 (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
40. Grobar, Matt (May 29, 2021). "No Future Clip: First Look At Addiction Drama, Starring Catherine Keener & Charlie Heaton, To Premiere In Tribeca". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
41. Kit, Borys (November 23, 2020). "Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener Join Ryan Reynolds in The Adam Project for Skydance, Netflix (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
42. Palmer, Roger (January 14, 2022). "DisneyNature "Polar Bear" Coming To Disney+ On Earth Day". What's On Disney Plus. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
43. Gonzalez, Umberto (December 10, 2022). "'Joker 2': Joaquin Phoenix Returns in First Look at Sequel (Photo)". TheWrap . Retrieved December 10, 2022.
44. Andreeva, Nellie (December 14, 2017). "Catherine Keener To Co-Star In Jim Carrey Comedy Series Kidding On Showtime". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
45. Andreeva, Nellie (December 1, 2017). "Catherine Keener Joins Fred Armisen-Maya Rudolph Amazon Comedy Series As Recurring". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
46. Petski, Denise (November 26, 2018). "Modern Love: Anne Hathaway, Tina Fey, John Slattery, Dev Patel Among Cast Set For Amazon's Anthology Comedy Series". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.
47. Andreeva, Nellie (November 16, 2019). "Brand New Cherry Flavor Series Headlined By Rosa Salazar A Go At Netflix; Catherine Keener, Eric Lange, Jeff Ward & Manny Jacinto Co-Star In Horror Adaptation". Deadline. Retrieved October 9, 2024.

External links

• Catherine Keener at IMDb
• Catherine Keener at AllMovie