Celia Weston

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Celia Weston
Born (1951-12-14) December 14, 1951 (age 73)
Education Salem College
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present
Known for Alice
The Last Night of Ballyhoo
Dead Man Walking

Celia Weston (born Celia Watson; December 14, 1951) is an American character actress. Weston received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Dead Man Walking (1995), and also had supporting roles in more than 40 movies, including The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), In the Bedroom (2001), Hulk (2003), and The Village (2004) and “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” On television, she is best known for her role as Jolene Hunnicutt in the CBS sitcom Alice (1981–85).

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Early years

Weston was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina on December 14, 1951. [1] She was born Celia Watson, but changed her professional name to Weston because a British actress was already using Celia Watson professionally. [2] She attended high school at the Spartanburg Day School, graduating in 1966. [3] She is a graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. [4]

Career

Weston began her career on stage, making her Broadway debut in 1979. After a recurring role on the ABC daytime soap opera, Ryan's Hope , she joined the cast of the CBS sitcom Alice as Jolene Hunnicutt until the series ended in 1985. [5] Weston later said that her role in Alice hindered her film career. Although she had initially rejected the role, she admitted that "the money became so phenomenal that I just had to do it." [4] In later years, Weston acted in independent films and stage productions. She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her role as Mary Beth Percy in the 1995 crime drama film, Dead Man Walking opposite Susan Sarandon. She also received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the comedy The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997).

Weston has had many supporting roles in films throughout her career. In the 2000s she had guest starring roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit , Frasier and Desperate Housewives . From 2010 to 2011 she co-starred alongside Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard in the TNT comedy-drama, Memphis Beat . She later had recurring roles on Modern Family [6] and American Horror Story: Freak Show . [7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Grace
1989 Lost Angels Felicia Doolan Marks
1991 Little Man Tate Miss Nimvel
1995 Dead Man Walking Mary Beth PercyNominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
1995 Unstrung Heroes Amelia
1996 Flirting with Disaster Valerie Swaney
1998 Celebrity Dee Bartholemew
1999 The Talented Mr. Ripley Aunt Joan
Snow Falling on Cedars Etta Heine
Ride with the Devil Mrs. Clark
2000 Hanging Up Madge Turner
2001 K-PAX Doris Archer
Hearts in Atlantis Alana Files
In the Bedroom Katie GrinnelNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2002 Far from Heaven Mona Lauder
Igby Goes Down Bunny
2003 Runaway Jury Mrs. Brandt
Hulk Mrs. Krensler
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Glenda
2004 The Village Vivian Percy
ResurrectionMotherShort film
2005 Junebug Peg
2007 No Reservations Mrs. Peterson
The Invasion Mrs. Belicec
Joshua Hazel Cairn
2009 After.Life Beatrice Taylor
The Box Lana Burns
Observe and Report Mom
2010 The Extra Man Meredith Lagerfeld
Knight and Day Molly Knight
Happy Tears Neighbor
2011 Demoted Jane
2014 Goodbye to All That Joan
Adult Beginners Joy
2015 The Intern Doris
2016 The Disappointments Room Marti Morrinson
In the Radiant City Susan Yurley
2017 Freak Show Florence
2019 Poms Vicki
2020 Adam Arlene
The Secret: Dare to Dream Bobby
2023 A Little Prayer Venida
2025 You're Cordially Invited Flora

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1980 Ryan's Hope Gloria D'Angelo2 episodes
1981–1985 Alice Jolene Hunnicut90 episodes
1999 ER Nurse PractitionerEpisode: "Middle of Nowhere"
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Margaret TalmadgeEpisode: "Stolen"
2003 Out of Order Carrie6 episodes
2004 Frasier SueEpisode: "The Detour"
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Joanne DexlerEpisode: "Beast"
2008 Desperate Housewives Adele DelfinoEpisode: "Mother Said"
2010–2011 Memphis Beat Paula Ann Hendricks16 episodes
2010–2016 Modern Family Barbara Tucker5 episodes
2013 Under The Dome Mrs. MooreEpisode: "Outbreak"
2014 Psych Mrs. TroutEpisode: "S.E.I.Z.E. the Day"
2014–2015 American Horror Story: Freak Show Lillian Hemmings 5 episodes
2016 Vice Principals Mrs. Libby2 episodes
The Blacklist Lady AmbrosiaEpisode: "Lady Ambrosia (No. 77)"
2020 Hunters Dottie4 episodes
Bless This Mess Dolores2 episodes
2022 The Thing About Pam Shirley Neumann2 episodes
Echoes Georgia Taylor4 episodes
2025 Leanne Mama Margaretmain role; 11 episodes [8]

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
1979–1980Loose EndsMaraya
1980 The Lady from Dubuque Lucinda
1995 Garden District Mrs. Holly
1996 Summer and Smoke Mrs. Bassett
1997–1998 The Last Night of Ballyhoo Reba FreitagNominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Nominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
2000 True West Mom
2017 Marvin's Room Aunt Ruth

References

  1. "Royal Stars: Born Today". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. December 14, 2021. p. EV2. ProQuest   2619217260. Actor Matthew McNulty (1982), actress Natascha McElhone (1969), Celia Weston (1951) See also:
    • "Happy Birthday". The San Francisco Examiner. December 14, 2021. p. 20. ProQuest   2069613596. Actress Cynthia Gibb ('Youngblood') is 49. Actress Celia Weston ('Junebug') is 51. Actress De Wallace-Stone ("E.T.") is 64. Actress Patty Duke ('The Miracle Worker') is 66.
  2. Franco, Jose (September 24, 2006). "Getting into character with Celia Weston". GoUpstate.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  3. "Spartanburg Day School". www.facebook.com. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Celia Weston". TV Guide. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  5. "Celia Weston". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  6. "Keck's Exclusives: Modern Family Casts Cam's Mama!". TV Guide. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  7. "Neil Patrick Harris Joins American Horror Story: Freak Show, Lily Rabe Set to Return as One of Her Old Characters". E! Online. October 29, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  8. Bitran, Tara; Lee, Stephan (May 28, 2025). "Leanne Morgan, the 'Grandmama from Tennessee,' Stars in Leanne Comedy Series". Netflix Tudum . Retrieved May 28, 2025.