---
name: "Amy Madigan"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/amy-madigan"
fi1m_id: "amy-madigan"
imdb_id: "nm0001496"
tmdb_id: 23882
wikidata_id: "Q235219"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 September 1950"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 6
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 6
updated: "2026-10-23T04:13:35.116899+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Amy Madigan

## Identity

Amy Madigan

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/amy-madigan
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** amy-madigan
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001496
- **TMDB ID:** 23882
- **Wikidata ID:** Q235219
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Madigan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235219, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001496/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23882

Actor. Born 11 September 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 September 1950, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- **Active:** 1984–present
- **Also known as:** Amy Marie Madigan
- **Frequently works with:** [Ed Harris](https://film.one/person/ed-harris.md)
- **Academy Awards:** 1 Oscar (1 won · 1 nominated)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 6 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (2), 1990s 88 (1), 2000s 78 (2), 2020s 75 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 78 across 5 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 3 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 5 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Mystery 3, Comedy 1, Crime 1, Family 1, Fantasy 1
- **Screen time:** 8 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $424m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amy_Madigan, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q235219, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001496/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/23882

## Coming up

- *The Comebacker* (2027-07-29)
- *Gladys* (2028-09-07), as Gladys

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Carnivàle*](https://film.one/tv/carnivale.md) (76), [*Weapons*](https://film.one/film/weapons.md) (75)
- **AMC+:** [*Field of Dreams*](https://film.one/film/field-of-dreams.md) (83)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*Places in the Heart*](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md) (80)
- **Hulu:** [*Gone Baby Gone*](https://film.one/film/gone-baby-gone.md) (79)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Amy Madigan

> Amy Madigan’s raspy voice and physical commitment make her a forceful supporting actor. *Weapons* gives her something more interesting than another tough woman to play, and we find her flat cheerfulness there both funny and frightening.

The bright wig, cardigan and slightly overdone make-up invite a laugh. As Gladys in *Weapons* (2025), Amy Madigan then speaks with a flat cheerfulness that makes ordinary conversation sound threatening. We laughed and felt frightened almost at once, because her delivery gave us no reassurance that the joke was harmless. It is a fine performance in a good horror film, and a useful introduction to an actor too often reduced to the word tough.

Madigan made her film debut in *Love Child* (1982), but the early casting soon settled around the tough or feisty supporting woman. *Streets of Fire* (1984) belongs to that pattern; *Twice in a Lifetime* (1985) and *Field of Dreams* (1989) sit within the steady film work of the following years. In Ben Affleck’s *Gone Baby Gone* (2007), she plays Bea McCready. Its missing-child investigation grows too contrived, though the performances keep it painfully personal. Film and television work continued, with fewer substantial offers before the renewed attention brought by *Weapons*.

Much of Gladys’s effect depends on how carefully Zach Cregger’s film sets her up. Costume designer Trish Summerville supplies the bright wig and clothes, but Madigan’s flat delivery makes the appearance unsettling without needing to announce a threat. Production designer Tom Hammock helps with a house whose curtains are drawn and whose tables hold things that do not belong in a family home. She holds to that cheerfulness, letting the house supply some of the menace instead of pushing harder herself.

There is a limit to what even this performance can do for *Weapons*. We preferred its frightening first hour to the louder, sillier final half-hour; Gladys does not make that problem go away. Her success suggests that casting Madigan for toughness alone wastes the possibility of something odder and funnier. Start with *Weapons* if horror is your sort of evening, but allow for some noise towards the end.

## Biography

Amy Madigan is an American actress. Born on 11 September 1950 in Chicago, Illinois, she began her career as a musician before moving into acting. Her film debut came in *Love Child* (1982).

She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for *Twice in a Lifetime* (1985). Other film roles include *Field of Dreams* (1989), *Uncle Buck* (1989) and *Gone Baby Gone* (2007). In *Weapons* (2025) she played Gladys, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Madigan has appeared on television in series such as *Grey's Anatomy* and *Fringe*. She has been married to actor Ed Harris since 1983.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, latimes.com, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (6)

- *Weapons* (2025), Fi1m 75, as Gladys — [page](https://film.one/film/weapons.md)
- *Gone Baby Gone* (2007), Fi1m 79, as Bea McCready — [page](https://film.one/film/gone-baby-gone.md)
- *Carnivàle* (2003), Fi1m 76, as Iris Crowe — [page](https://film.one/tv/carnivale.md)
- *Frasier* (1993), Fi1m 88, as Maggie (voice) — [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *Field of Dreams* (1989), Fi1m 83, as Annie Kinsella — [page](https://film.one/film/field-of-dreams.md)
- *Places in the Heart* (1984), Fi1m 80, as Viola Kelsey — [page](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md)

## Complete filmography (102)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Gladys* (2028), as Gladys
- *The Comebacker* (2027), Actor
- *Rebuilding* (2025), as Bess
- *Weapons* (2025), as Gladys — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/weapons.md)
- *Off the Horse* (2025), as Bobbette
- *Brooklyn, Minnesota* (2024), as Gail
- *Bull Street* (2024), as Mary-Ann
- *Go For Grandma* (2023), as Grandma
- *Antlers* (2021), as Principal Booth
- *Penny Dreadful: City of Angels* (2020), series, as Miss Adelaide Finnister
- *The Hunt* (2020), as Ma
- *The Last Full Measure* (2020), as Donna Burr
- *Stuck* (2019), as Sue
- *Gary's Walk* (2019), as Gloria
- *A Crooked Somebody* (2018), as Joyce Vaughn
- *American Woman* (2018), as Peggy
- *American Socialist: The Life and Times of Eugene Victor Debs* (2018), Actor
- *Grey Lady* (2017), as Lola
- *Buried Child* (2016), as Halie
- *Rules Don't Apply* (2016), as Mrs. Bransford
- *Ice* (2016), series, as Diane Pierce
- *Sensitivity Training* (2016), as Nancy
- *Grace and Frankie* (2015), series, as Elaine
- *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), series, as Irene Crawley
- *Frontera* (2014), as Olivia
- *Shirin in Love* (2014), as Rachel
- *Sweetwater* (2013), as Madame Bovary
- *The Lifeguard* (2013), as Justine
- *Future Weather* (2012), as Greta
- *Prohibition* (2011), series, as Reader (voice)
- *That's What I Am* (2011), as Principal Kelner
- *Once Fallen* (2010), as Rose · Executive Producer
- *Virginia* (2010), as Mrs. Tipton
- *The National Parks: America's Best Idea* (2009), series, Actor
- *Living Proof* (2008), as Fran Visco
- *Fringe* (2008), series, as Marilyn Dunham — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/tv/fringe.md)
- *Gone Baby Gone* (2007), as Bea McCready — Fi1m 79, [page](https://film.one/film/gone-baby-gone.md)
- *Saving Grace* (2007), series, as Gretchen Lagardi
- *The Path to 9/11* (2006), series, as Patricia Carver
- *Murder on Pleasant Drive* (2006), as Sherrie Davis
- *Winter Passing* (2006), as Lori Lansky
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), series, as Jane — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md)
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Katharine Wyatt — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Admissions* (2004), as Martha Brighton
- *Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson* (2004), as Other Voices (voice)
- *The Ranch* (2004), as Mary Larkin
- *In the Land of Milk and Money* (2004), as Arlyne
- *Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip* (2003), as Other Voices (voice)
- *Carnivàle* (2003), series, as Iris Crowe — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/carnivale.md)
- *Is Your Mama a Llama?* (2003), as Narrator (voice)
- *A Time for Dancing* (2002), as Jackie Russell
- *Just a Dream* (2002), as Cindy Wilder
- *Mark Twain* (2002), as (voice)
- *Mark Twain* (2002), series, as Other Voices (voice)
- *The Laramie Project* (2002), as Reggie Fluty
- *Shot in the Heart* (2001), as Bessie Gilmore
- *The Sleepy Time Gal* (2001), as Maggie
- *Pollock* (2000), as Peggy Guggenheim
- *In the Name of the People* (2000), as Connie Murphy
- *Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years* (1999), as Amy Hill Hearth
- *With Friends Like These* (1998), as Hannah DiMartino
- *A Bright Shining Lie* (1998), as Mary Jane Vann
- *Loved* (1997), as Brett Amerson
- *Female Perversions* (1996), as Madelyn Stephens
- *Riders of the Purple Sage* (1996), as Jane Withersteen · Executive Producer
- *Crocodile Shoes* (1994), series, Actor
- *ER* (1994), series, as Mary Taggart — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Baseball* (1994), series, as Various (voice), (voice)
- *And Then There Was One* (1994), as Roxy Ventola
- *Frasier* (1993), series, as Maggie (voice) — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *The Dark Half* (1993), as Liz Beaumont
- *The Donner Party* (1992), as voice
- *Lucky Day* (1991), as Kari
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Emily Ryan — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Uncle Buck* (1989), as Chanice Kobolowski
- *Roe vs. Wade* (1989), as Sarah Weddington
- *Field of Dreams* (1989), as Annie Kinsella — Fi1m 83, [page](https://film.one/film/field-of-dreams.md)
- *The Prince of Pennsylvania* (1988), as Carla Headlee
- *The Revolt of Mother* (1988), as Sarah Penn
- *Nowhere to Hide* (1987), as Barbara Cutter
- *Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid* (1986), as Woman at funeral
- *Twice in a Lifetime* (1985), as Sunny
- *Alamo Bay* (1985), as Glory
- *The Laundromat* (1985), as Deedee Johnson
- *Places in the Heart* (1984), as Viola Kelsey — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/places-in-the-heart.md)
- *Streets of Fire* (1984), as McCoy
- *Eureka Stockade* (1984), series, as Sarah Jamieson
- *The Day After* (1983), as Alison Ransom
- *Travis McGee* (1983), as Billy Jean Bailey
- *Love Letters* (1983), as Wendy
- *Love Child* (1982), as Terry Jean Moore
- *American Playhouse* (1982), series, as Sarah Penn
- *Victims* (1982), as Chloe Brill
- *The Ambush Murders* (1982), as Molly Slavin
- *Crazy Times* (1981), as Marilyn
- *Hart to Hart* (1979), series, Actor
- *CHiPs* (1977), series, as Jewel Burnett
- *Sponsor*, Actor
- *The Ploughmen*, as Francie
- *Ashley Wright*, as Donna Terry
- *I Passed This Way*, Actor
- *School for the Blind*, Actor

## Gallery

- ![Amy Madigan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-5c1146e7b010.jpg) Amy Madigan — Greg2600, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Amy_Madigan_%2840389212382%29.jpg/1280px-Amy_Madigan_%2840389212382%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![1989 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-369316470041.jpg) 1989 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/ce/Holly_Hunter%2C_Amy_Madigan_%282086182583%29.jpg/1280px-Holly_Hunter%2C_Amy_Madigan_%282086182583%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![1989 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-5a0b34c0744a.jpg) 1989 Emmy Awards NOTE: Permission granted to copy, publish, broadcast or post any of my photos, but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can. Thanks. Scan — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/08/Holly_Hunter_%28center%29_%282087759252%29.jpg/1280px-Holly_Hunter_%28center%29_%282087759252%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Photo taken at the 41st Emmy Awards 9/17/89 - Permission granted to copy, publish or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can (1989)](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-3873d8353d2b.jpg) Photo taken at the 41st Emmy Awards 9/17/89 - Permission granted to copy, publish or post but please credit "photo by Alan Light" if you can (1989) — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Holly_Hunter_and_Amy_Madigan_at_the_41st_Emmy_Awards.jpg/1280px-Holly_Hunter_and_Amy_Madigan_at_the_41st_Emmy_Awards.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Amy Madigan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-6f435d8c2283.jpg) Amy Madigan — Image via TMDB
- ![Amy Madigan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-631d1561c2cb.jpg) Amy Madigan — Image via TMDB
- ![Amy Madigan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-988d58749712.jpg) Amy Madigan — Image via TMDB
- ![Actresses Holly Hunter and Amy Madigan at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards, September 17, 1989](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-7e8f3e1cf734.jpg) Actresses Holly Hunter and Amy Madigan at the 41st Primetime Emmy Awards, September 17, 1989 — Alan Light, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Hunter_and_Madigan_1989_Emmys.jpeg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Amy Madigan](https://film.one/media/person/8160/gallery-eb4727bfd2d2.jpg) Amy Madigan — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Academy Awards — 1 won, 1 nominated

- 2026: Best Supporting Actress (won), for *Weapons*
- 1986: Best Supporting Actress (nominated), for *Twice in a Lifetime*

### Golden Globes — 1 won

- 1989: Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (won), for *Roe vs. Wade*

### SAG Awards — 1 won

- 2026: Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (won), for *Weapons*

### Other awards — 3 won

- Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress 2026: Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress (won), for *Weapons*
- Theatre World Award 1987: Theatre World Award (won)
- Sitges Film Festival Best Actress award 1984: Sitges Film Festival Best Actress award (won), for *Streets of Fire*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/amy-madigan