Ann Dowd

Ann Dowd (born January 30, 1956) is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, including Green Card, Lorenzo's Oil (1992), Philadelphia (1993), Garden State (2004), The Manchurian Candidate (2004), Marley & Me (2008), Compliance (2012), Side Effects (2013), St. Vincent (2014), Captain Fantastic (2016), Hereditary (2018), and Mass (2021). For Compliance, she won the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress. For Mass, she earned nominations for a British Academy Film Award and a Critics' Choice Award.

Dowd was a series regular on the HBO series The Leftovers (2014–2017), for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series. She played Aunt Lydia Clements on the Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2025), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.

Early life and education Dowd was born on January 30, 1956, in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She is of Irish American descent. Her father, John, ran an insurance company, and her mother, Dolores, was a homemaker. She has two brothers and four sisters. She then attended the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology in 1978. As an undergraduate at Holy Cross, she initially intended to become a surgeon, but decided to pursue acting in her senior year at the encouragement of a professor.

After college, Dowd traveled to New York City to audition for the Goodman School of Drama at DePaul University in Chicago, where she earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in acting in 1982. While at DePaul, Dowd received a prestigious scholarship from the Sarah Siddons Society, an award that had also gone to Carrie Snodgress. Dowd was classmates with Elizabeth Perkins and also worked as a waitress during this time.

Career Film Dowd starred in Shiloh (1997) and its sequels, Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season (1999) and Saving Shiloh (2006) as Louise Preston. She appears in the 1997 cult film All Over Me and in the 1998 film Apt Pupil, in which she played the mother of Brad Renfro's character. Dowd has acted in two films directed by Jonathan Demme, as Jill Beckett, sister of Tom Hanks' character, Andrew Beckett, in Philadelphia (1993), and in The Manchurian Candidate (2004), starring Meryl Streep. Also in 2004, Dowd played the mother of Natalie Portman's character in Garden State and appeared in The Forgotten starring Julianne Moore. In 2005, she starred opposite Gretchen Mol in The Notorious Bettie Page, portraying Edna Page, Bettie Page's mother. She also played the role of Mrs. Strank in the 2006 Clint Eastwood film Flags of Our Fathers.

In 2008, Dowd appeared in Marley & Me starring Jennifer Aniston. She received rave reviews for her work in the 2012 movie Compliance, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. In the film, Dowd plays Sandra, a fast food restaurant manager caught in a mysterious ethical nightmare. For this role, Dowd was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress and received the National Board of Review award. She has played supporting roles in two Steven Soderbergh films, The Informant! in 2009, and Side Effects in 2013, in which she played the mother of Channing Tatum's character. She played the supporting role of Joan in the 2018 horror film Hereditary.

Television Dowd's first appearance was in the 1985 television movie First Steps with fellow Chicago actor Megan Mullally. She has appeared in many popular television shows including House and Louie, on both of which she played a nun. Other shows include Chicago Hope, The X-Files, Third Watch, NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Freaks and Geeks, in which she played the mother of Busy Philipps. Dowd has also appeared in many episodes of the Law & Order franchise. In 1995 she portrayed Rose Long, Louisiana's first female senator, in the television movie Kingfish, opposite John Goodman. In 2008 she appeared in the television movie Taking Chance starring Kevin Bacon. Dowd was a series regular on Nothing Sacred, which was filmed in Los Angeles and aired for one season (97/98), in which she played a nun. For this role she was nominated for a VQT award for Best Supporting Actress. Dowd also co-starred on The Leftovers as Patti Levin, leader of the group The Guilty Remnant. In 2017, Dowd began starring as Aunt Lydia Clements on the Hulu series The Handmaid's Tale, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award.

In 2021, she was cast as Edna Garrett for the third installment of Live in Front of a Studio Audience on ABC, featuring both Diff'rent Strokes and the spin-off The Facts of Life.

Theatre Dowd has appeared on Broadway three times. In 1993 she received the Clarence Derwent Award for her Broadway debut performance in the play Candida starring Mary Steenburgen. She next appeared in Taking Sides (1996) with Elizabeth Marvel, and Vera Farmiga, who was Dowd's understudy. In 2008 she appeared in The Seagull starring Carey Mulligan and Kristin Scott Thomas. Dowd has also won three Jeff Awards for her work in Chicago theatre, including a 1987 Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Emma Brookner in The Normal Heart. In 2007, Dowd played the role of Sister Aloysius in Doubt at the George Street Playhouse. The New York Times described her performance as "chilling" and said she was "masterful in this role." In 2011, Dowd performed Off-Broadway in Blood from a Stone, playing the mother of Ethan Hawke. In 2015, Dowd starred in Naomi Wallace's play Night Is a Room at Signature Theater.

Personal life Dowd and her husband, Lawrence "Larry" Arancio, both coach acting and are frequent collaborators. Arancio, who is from New York City, is a writer and acting chair for the CAP21 program who has also taught at the HB Studio and Columbia College Chicago. Arancio has worked with Lady Gaga as her acting coach. Dowd and Arancio met while students in Chicago. They have three children, and reside in New York City. Dowd is a foster care advocate.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1990 Green Card Peggy 1992 Lorenzo's Oil Pediatrician 1993 Philadelphia Jill Beckett 1994 It Could Happen to You Carol 1995 Bushwhacked Mrs. Patterson 1996 Shiloh Louise Preston 1997 All Over Me Anne 1998 Apt Pupil Monica Bowden 1999 Shiloh 2: Shiloh Season Louise Preston 2004 Garden State Olivia The Manchurian Candidate Congresswoman Beckett The Forgotten Eileen the Accountant2005 The Thing About My Folks Linda The Notorious Bettie Page Edna Page 2006 Saving Shiloh Louise Preston Flags of Our Fathers Mrs. Strank2007 Gardener of Eden Ma Harris The Living Wake Librarian The Babysitters Tammy Lyner Alice Upside Down Aunt Sally 2008 Familiar Strangers Dottie Worthington Marley & Me Dr. Platt 2009 The Informant! FBI Special Agent Kate Medford Taking Chance Gretchen2011 The Art of Getting By Mrs. Grimes Coming Up Roses Lynne2012 Compliance Sandra Bachelorette Victoria The Discoverers Patti2013 Side Effects Mrs. Taylor Gimme Shelter Kathy 2014 The Drop Dottie Stipler St. Vincent Shirley Wildlike Jeanie 2015 Our Brand Is Crisis Nell 2016 Captain Fantastic Abigail Bertrang The Great & the Small Detective Dupre Norman Carol Raskin Collateral Beauty Sally Price 2017 Hedgehog Joan2018 American Animals Betty Jean "BJ" Gooch Nancy Betty Freeman Tyrel Silvia Hereditary Joan A Kid Like Jake Catherine2020 Cowboys Detective Faith Erickson Rebecca Mrs. Van Hopper 2021 Mass Linda 2022 Family Squares Judith The Independent Patricia Turnbull 2023 The Exorcist: Believer Ann 2024 The Friend Marjorie

Television

Theater Year Title Role Notes 1983 A Different Moon Sarah Next Theatre Company, Chicago 1986 Uncle Vanya Sonya Court Theatre, Chicago 1987 The Normal Heart Dr. Emma Brookner Ivanhoe Theatre, Chicago 1988 The Glass Menagerie Laura Wingfield Court Theatre, Chicago 1989 The Paper Gramophone Victoria Hartford Stage 1989 The Crucible Abigail Williams Long Wharf Theatre 1990 New York 1937 Elsie Jewish Repertory Theatre 1993 Candida Miss Proserpine Garnett Criterion Center Stage Right 1996 Taking Sides Tamara Sachs Brooks Atkinson Theatre 2001 Kimberly Akimbo Pattie South Coast Rep 2001 An Immaculate Misconception Dr. Melanie Laidlaw Primary Stages 2004 The Happy Journey Ma Connelly Theater 2004 Pullman Car Hiawatha A Stout Amiable Woman Connelly Theater 2007 Doubt Sister Aloysius George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick 2008 The Seagull Polina Walter Kerr Theatre 2009 Quartermaine's Terms Melanie Garth Williamstown Theatre Festival 2011 Blood from a Stone Margaret Acorn Theatre 2015 Night Is a Room Dore Pershing Square Signature Center 2021 Enemy of the People Various Park Avenue Armory

Awards and nominations Year Association Category Nominated work Result 1998 Viewers for Quality Television Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series Nothing Sacred 2012 Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Compliance National Board of Review Best Supporting Actress St. Louis Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Utah Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Breakthrough Performance 2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Supporting Actress Independent Spirit Award Best Supporting Female Online Film Critics Society Best Supporting Actress Saturn Awards Best Actress Toronto Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress 2014 Satellite Award Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film The Leftovers 2016 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Captain Fantastic Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Leftovers 2017 Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama SeriesThe Handmaid's Tale Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film Screen Actors Guild Award Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2018 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Satellite Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or TV Film Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series 2019 AACTA Awards Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama Lambs of God Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe Handmaid's Tale 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series Middleburg Film FestivalAgnès Varda Trailblazing Film Artist Award 2022British Academy Film AwardsBest Actress in a Supporting RoleMass Critics' Choice AwardsBest Supporting Actress Vancouver Film Critics CircleBest Supporting Actress Atlanta Film Critics CircleBest EnsembleCritics Association of Central FloridaBest Supporting Actress Florida Film Critics CircleBest Ensemble Houston Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting Actress Independent Spirit AwardsRobert Altman Award Indiana Film Journalists AssociationBest Ensemble ActingKansas City Film Critics CircleBest Supporting ActressMusic City Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting Actress North Carolina Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting ActressBest EnsembleOnline Association of Female Film CriticsBest Acting EnsemblePhoenix Film Critics SocietyBest Ensemble ActingSt. Louis Gateway Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actress Best Ensemble Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Supporting Actress Austin Film Critics Association Best Supporting Actress DiscussingFilm Critics Awards Best Supporting Actress Georgia Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting Actress Greater Western New York Film Critics Association AwardsBest Supporting Actress Las Vegas Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting Actress North Texas Film Critics AssociationGary Murray Award (Best Ensemble)Online Association of Female Film CriticsBest Supporting Actress San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Best Supporting Actress Seattle Film Critics SocietyBest Supporting Actress Southeastern Film Critics AssociationBest EnsembleWashington D.C. Area Film Critics AssociationBest Supporting Actress