Anjelica Huston

Anjelica Huston was born on July 8, 1951, in Santa Monica, California, to director John Huston and prima ballerina Enrica Soma. She spent much of her childhood in Ireland and England. In 1968, she made her acting debut in her father’s film, “A Walk with Love and Death” (1969). Following her mother’s death, Huston moved to the United States and pursued a modeling career for several years, working with notable photographers and fashion designers like Halston. In the early 1980s, she transitioned to acting, preparing with acting coach Peggy Feury.

Huston’s breakthrough came in 1985 with her role as Maerose Prizzi in her father’s film, “Prizzi’s Honor.” This performance earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the first person in Academy Award history to win an Oscar when a parent and grandparent had also won. She continued to build a prolific career in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with notable performances in films such as Francis Ford Coppola’s “Gardens of Stone” (1987) and Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters” (1990), for which she received another Oscar nomination. She also famously portrayed Morticia Addams in “The Addams Family” (1991) and “Addams Family Values” (1993), and the Grand High Witch in “The Witches” (1990).

Beyond acting, Huston expanded her career into directing and producing. Her directorial debut was with “Bastard Out of Carolina” (1996), followed by “Agnes Browne” (1999) and “Riding the Bus with My Sister” (2005). She has also collaborated with director Wes Anderson on multiple films, including “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001), “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” (2004), and “The Darjeeling Limited” (2007). Huston has lent her voice to animated films, including the “Tinker Bell” franchise, and appeared in various television roles, earning a Golden Globe for “Iron Jawed Angels” (2004) and a Gracie Award for “Smash” (2012–2013). Her career trajectory highlights her enduring impact on film and television as an actress, director, and producer.