Biography
Ann Dowd is an American actress. She was born on 30 January 1956 in Holyoke, Massachusetts. She studied psychology at the College of the Holy Cross, graduating in 1978, and later earned an MFA in acting from The Theatre School at DePaul University in 1982.
Dowd is known for her role as Aunt Lydia Clements in the television series The Handmaid's Tale (2017–2025) and its continuation The Testaments (2026), on which she is also credited as a producer. Her film roles include Mrs. Taylor in Side Effects (2013), Nurse Ann in The Exorcist: Believer (2023), Joan in Hereditary (2018) and Abigail in Captain Fantastic (2016). She has appeared in numerous other films and television series, including Philadelphia (1993) and House (2004).
