Catherine Keener

Catherine Keener (also credited as Catherine Ann Keener) is an American screen actor born on March 26, 1959, in Miami, Florida. Celebrated for her intelligence and emotional precision, she became a defining presence in American independent cinema, often playing guarded, restless, or quietly wounded women whose humanity remains unmistakable.

Keener earned two Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress: first for her sharp, magnetic turn as Maxine Lund in Being John Malkovich, and later for embodying author Harper Lee in Capote. Her filmography moves fluidly between intimate character studies and high-profile studio projects, making her a reliable standout in ensembles and lead-adjacent roles alike.

Among her best-known credits are Out of Sight, Box of Moonlight, The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Into the Wild, Synecdoche, New York, and The Interpreter. She is also closely associated with director Nicole Holofcener, appearing across the filmmaker’s early run of features, and has been a recurring collaborator with directors including Tom DiCillo and Spike Jonze.

On television, Keener expanded her range with a starring role in Showtime’s dramedy Kidding (2018–2020), reinforcing her reputation as a performer who brings depth, wit, and lived-in realism to every scene.