A high-school drama class spurred her interest in acting
Entered---and won---the Miss Orange County (CA) contest in 1978 so she could meet one of the judges, who was a Hollywood agent
Turned down several high-profile parts, including Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (which won Jodie Foster an Oscar) and Catherine Tramell in Basic Instinct, a role that went to Sharon Stone
Appeared in Coolio's video for "Gangsta's Paradise," from the soundtrack to her 1995 film Dangerous Minds
Named "Woman of the Year" by Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals in 1995
Starred in 1996 drama To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday, which was penned by her husband, TV writer/producer David E
Kelley
Starting in 2003, took a four-year hiatus from acting to spend more time with her family
Returned to the big screen in 2007 with I Could Never Be Your Woman, and subsequently starred in Hairspray (2007) and Chéri (2009)
Awards
2021Canadian Screen Awards-Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role:winner
2021Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy:nominated
2017Emmy-Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Limited Series Or A Movie:nominated