- Meg Tilly
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Meg Tilly Born Margaret Elizabeth Chan
February 14, 1960
Long Beach, California, United StatesOccupation Actress, dancer Years active 1980–1995,2010-present Spouse Don Calame (2002-present)
John Calley(1995-2002)
Tim Zinnemann (1983-1989); 2 childrenPartner Colin Firth (1989-1994; 1 child (William)) Website http://www.officialmegtilly.com Meg Tilly (born February 14, 1960) is a Canadian-American actress, Broadway stage dancer, Academy Award nominee, and published novelist. She is the younger sister of Academy-Award-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly.
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Early life
Tilly, the third of four children, was born Margaret Elizabeth Chan in Long Beach, California,[1] the daughter of Patricia (née Tilly), a Canadian schoolteacher, and Harry Chan, a used car salesman.[2]
Her father was Chinese American, and her mother was of Irish, Native-American and Finnish descent.[3][4][5] Following her parents' divorce when she was three, she was raised by her mother and stepfather, John Ward, on rural Texada Island in British Columbia. She graduated from Esquimalt High School in Victoria, British Columbia. She has a brother, Steve, and two sisters, Rebecca and Jennifer.
Acting career
As a teen, she was involved with the Connecticut Ballet Company, as well as the Throne Dance Theatre, and made her screen debut with Alan Parker's Fame in 1980. When a dance partner dropped her, causing a serious back injury, her dance career came to a shattering halt.
She then became an actress. She played a prostitute in a second season episode of Hill Street Blues before she appeared in films such as The Big Chill and Psycho II before her acclaimed title role in Agnes of God, for which she received an Oscar nomination and won a Golden Globe. Tilly later appeared in Valmont, The Two Jakes with Jack Nicholson and Leaving Normal, as well as the 1993 horror film, Body Snatchers.[citation needed]
Tilly was the first choice for the role of Constanze Mozart in Milos Forman's film Amadeus, having received glowing appraisals of her rehearsal work by both her would-be costar Tom Hulce and director Forman. However, she sustained a leg injury playing soccer and had to abandon the project. The role later went to Elizabeth Berridge. Tilly portrayed the Blessed Mother, a Pope-like figure in the Caprica episode "Unvanquished".[citation needed]
Writing career
Tilly wrote a novel, Singing Songs, comprising a series of vignettes about a young girl whose stepfather molests her and her sisters.[citation needed] A second novel, Gemma, came out in October 2006. Her third novel, Porcupine, is a finalist for the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. She wrote a novel, First Time, published in 2008.[citation needed]
Personal life
She has three children: Emily (born 1984) and David (born 1986), by her marriage to film producer Tim Zinnemann, which ended in 1989, and a son, Will (born 1990), from her five-year relationship with British actor Colin Firth. Her second husband, John Calley, was 30 years her senior. He was a former president of Sony Pictures; they were married in 1995 and divorced in 2002.[6]
She is now married to author Don Calame.[7]
Awards and nominations
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films, USA
- 1984, Best Actress for Psycho II, (Nomination)
Academy Awards
- 1986, Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Agnes of God, (Nomination)
Golden Globe Awards
- 1986, Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Movie for Agnes of God, (won)
Filmography
Year Title Role Notes 1980 Fame Dancer 1981 The Trouble with Grandpa Dorie TV movie. 1982 Hill Street Blues
Ep: Some Like It Hot-WiredHooker Tex Jamie Collins 1983 One Dark Night Julie Wells Psycho II Mary Loomis The Big Chill Chloe 1984 Impulse Jennifer 1985 Agnes of God Sister Agnes 1986 Off Beat Rachel Wareham 1988 Masquerade Olivia Lawrence The Girl in a Swing Karin 1989 Nightmare Classics
Ep: CarmillaCarmilla Valmont Madame de Tourvel 1990 In the Best Interest of the Child Jennifer Colton TV movie. The Two Jakes Kitty Berman 1992 Leaving Normal Marianne 1993 Road to Avonlea
Ep: EvelynEvelyn Grier Body Snatchers Carol Malone Fallen Angels
Ep: Dead End for DeliaLois Weldon 1994 Winnetka Road
TV seriesGeorge Grace Sleep with Me Sarah Trick of the Eye Faith Crowell TV movies. 1995 Journey Min 2010 Caprica: "Unvanquished" Mother References
- ^ According to the State of California. California Birth Index, 1905-1995. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California
- ^ Meg Tilly profile at FilmReference.com
- ^ "Meg Tilly is Asian Irish"
- ^ "Bio, Pictures and Videos of Poker Pro: Jennifer Tilly" at Bankroll Boost
- ^ "Jennifer Tilly: Little voice, big talent", The Independent, November 19, 2004
- ^ "imdb.com". IMDb. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000672/bio. Retrieved September 13, 2011.
- ^ "The family Colin Firth left behind: How he will always be in debt to the reclusive beauty who bore his first son", The Mail, January 21, 2011
External links
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture (1981–2000) Joan Hackett (1981) · Jessica Lange (1982) · Cher (1983) · Peggy Ashcroft (1984) · Meg Tilly (1985) · Maggie Smith (1986) · Olympia Dukakis (1987) · Sigourney Weaver (1988) · Julia Roberts (1989) · Whoopi Goldberg (1990) · Mercedes Ruehl (1991) · Joan Plowright (1992) · Winona Ryder (1993) · Dianne Wiest (1994) · Mira Sorvino (1995) · Lauren Bacall (1996) · Kim Basinger (1997) · Lynn Redgrave (1998) · Angelina Jolie (1999) · Kate Hudson (2000)
Complete List · (1943–1960) · (1961–1980) · (1981–2000) · (2001–present) Categories:- 1960 births
- American actors of Chinese descent
- American dancers
- American expatriates in Canada
- American film actors
- American musical theatre actors
- American novelists
- American people of Irish descent
- American people of Finnish descent
- American people of Native American descent
- American television actors
- Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe (film) winners
- Canadian actors of Chinese descent
- Canadian film actors
- Canadian people of Irish descent
- Canadian people of Finnish descent
- Living people
- Actors from California
- People from Victoria, British Columbia
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