Kelly Ann McGillis is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Born on February 12, 1957, in Mount Kisco, New York, McGillis spent most of her childhood in Nutley, New Jersey, where she acted in local productions as a teenager. Kelly Ann McGillis: An American Stage and Screen Icon
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Kelly Ann McGillis is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Wikipedia bio… Kelly Ann McGillis (born April 5, 1957) is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Her best-known role to date was probably Rowdy Burns in Top Gun . She also had a small but significant role in The Accused , playing a woman raped by Bill Pullman’s character. Kelly Ann McGillis: An American Stage and Screen Icon
Bio
Kelly Ann McGillis is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Before rising to fame onscreen, McGillis attended Northwestern University from 1978-1981. She did not major in theater or English but rather pursued a degree in Speech Communication. At Northwestern she was active as both an actress (Mabel Cornwell Evans Award) and singer. She left Northwestern without graduating to pursue her career.
Family
McGillis was born in Newport, Rhode Island, to Lillian (née Beale), a homemaker, and Richard Thomas McGillis, a salesman. She has two sisters, Kathy and Julie. Her family moved to Overland Park, Kansas in 1960 when she was 8 years old. She attended Oberlin High School in Oberlin, Kansas and went on to graduate from Baker University with a degree in musical theater.
Relationship
She has never been married but she has dated several people in her lifetime. She started dating actor William Mapother after they met while filming a movie called Nowhere Man in 1993. They broke up just one year later because of their busy work schedules. After that, she dated Mark Gordon for three years. She then moved on to Dennis Quaid for about three years. The couple got engaged but decided not to get married as it was too much work for them to be in a relationship with each other and do their jobs well at the same time so they ended up breaking off their engagement and remaining friends ever since.
Physical info
Kelly McGillis was born on July 9, 1957 in Augusta, Georgia. She was born as Kelly Ann Hartman. Kelly Ann McGillis: An American Stage and Screen Icon
Career
McGillis was born in 1955, in Honolulu, Hawaii. After several years as a ballet dancer, she began her acting career on stage with roles including Katherine of Troy in Trojan Women (1978) and Lady Chiltern in The House of Mirth (1982). She is perhaps best known for her role as Rachel Lapp alongside Harrison Ford in Witness (1985), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama. In 1992, she starred opposite Tom Cruise as Charlie Fox in The Last Action Hero.
Awards
1) A Special Award, Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films : 1999 2) Saturn Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role : 1989 3) Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama : 1989 4) Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie: 1988 5) BAFTA Film Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role : 1988 6) National Board of Review Awards : New York Film Critics Circle Awards: 1986 7) (born Kelly Ann Parsons on February 21, 1957 in Newport Beach, California, USA) is an actress best known for her portrayal of Rachel Lapp in Witness (1985), which brought her Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations.
Net worth
$10 million USD Kelly Ann McGillis is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. Her performance in The Accused garnered her a nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
Early life
McGillis was born on October 4, 1957 in Newport, Rhode Island. She was raised by her mother Joan Ivey (née Bowers), a piano teacher, while her father Raymond Francis McGillis served as a Marine Corps drill instructor at Parris Island. Her father died in 1983 when she was 25 years old. She attended New London High School where she studied drama and became involved with local theater productions.. In her youth, she was also active in cheerleading, basketball, softball and swimming. After graduating from high school in 1975, she attended Northwestern University where she majored in theater for two years before dropping out to pursue acting full-time.
Career beginnings
Kelly Ann McGillis was born on August 31, 1957 in Newport, Rhode Island. Her mother, Colleen McBride (née Kelly), is a former actress who played Samantha on Bewitched. She made her film debut in 1958 at age 12 as an uncredited extra in MGM’s hit western The Big Country with Gregory Peck and Jean Simmons. She appeared as a ballet dancer in Walt Disney’s 1961 film The Parent Trap with Hayley Mills and Maureen O’Hara. In 1986 she starred as Abigail Chase in Alan J. Pakula’s romantic thriller No Way Out opposite Kevin Costner for which she received Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama nomination by Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
The Accused
Kelly was part of a 1986 crime drama, The Accused, starring Jodie Foster. In it, Kelly plays a woman who is gang-raped in a bar by members of her own bowling team. The film is based on a real-life incident where Kelly’s character would later confront one of her attackers in court.
Hollywood fame
Kelly’s big break came in 1984, when she was cast as a lead actress in John Badham’s WarGames opposite Matthew Broderick. The film became a success, grossing over $35 million on a budget of $8 million. For her performance, Kelly received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Later career
She is best known for her starring role in Top Gun alongside Tom Cruise, as well as for her roles in leading 1980s films such as Witness, The Accused, and Hamburger Hill. Her most recent notable appearance was in 2004’s Spanglish with Adam Sandler. More recently she starred in short-lived television series Women’s Murder Club (2007) on ABC.
Impact on LGBT community
When Kelly McGillis was cast as Brandy in The Accused (1988), she was not aware that it was a film about rape. Although director Jonathan Kaplan offered to reveal these details before she accepted her role, McGillis declined, saying I don’t need to know that much about a movie before I take it. She changed her mind when co-star Jodie Foster explained why she took on her role.
Her 30-year-long career
Since her breakout role in Witness, Kelly has starred in major films such as Top Gun, The Accused, The River Wild, Broken Wings, Calendar Girl, Murphy’s Romance and Clear and Present Danger. She has had recurring roles on hit TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Criminal Minds (CBS) and Madam Secretary (CBS). She stars alongside Brooke Adams in Facing East: A Pilgrim’s Journey.
Personal Life
Kelly Ann McGillis was born on August 18, 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to parents Margaret (née Smith) and Donald James McGillis. Her mother was an actress who ran a children’s theater group. Kelly moved around with her family frequently during her childhood before settling in Boulder, Colorado, at age 12. In Boulder she took an interest in acting after participating in a high school production of The Sound of Music.
Her film credits
In 1986, she made her feature film debut in Witness opposite Harrison Ford. The movie was an international success and one of the highest grossing films of that year. Her performance earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama and a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer to Leading Film Roles.
Quotes from fellow actors
She was very likable, just a really nice person. It was fun working with her. – Harrison Ford (Witness) I had just got out of film school and my agent sent me to a casting for what I thought was going to be like a student film… — Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story)
Quotes from directors
When we were casting my movie Witness, I remember thinking how unfair it was that there were no roles for women in Hollywood. It’s not just sad; it’s embarrassing. When audiences are lucky enough to see a strong female character—like Harrison Ford’s wife in Witness or Meg Ryan’s role in Sleepless in Seattle—they resonate. But onscreen, there aren’t nearly enough of them.
Quotes from producers
She’s got a voice like an angel. A real woman who can act with her eyes. She is one of those rare actresses who is good in comedy, drama, action, anything.
Kelly McGillis : Top gun
Kelly Ann McGillis is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actresses from her breakout role in 1986’s Top Gun. And, with a career spanning over three decades, she has been a veritable fixture on both stage and screen. She has amassed a wide range of roles that have solidified her status as an A-lister. One of her most notable early roles was playing cellist Madeline Lapp in Witness alongside Harrison Ford.
Q. & A.
Kelly Ann McGillis played a supporting role in Witness, which earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. What was it like to work with Harrison Ford? How did you feel about his success after your movie came out? Did you two stay in touch over time? Did he help get you other roles or recommend you for others? Did working on that film change your life or career at all? Do you still keep in touch with him now that he’s such an iconic actor and has won so many awards for his performances?
An Acting Icon Returns to the Stage
Kelly Ann McGillis is an American stage and screen actress widely known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. She made her Broadway debut in the 1995 revival of Our Town and subsequently appeared in the original Broadway cast of Cabaret in 1998, winning a Tony Award nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
What made her successful?
McGillis’s big break came in 1985, when she played Lapp alongside Harrison Ford in Witness. Directed by Peter Weir, who had previously directed her in The Mosquito Coast, McGillis starred opposite Ford as an Amish woman who protected a young boy who witnessed a murder.
How did she get back into acting?
I love acting. That is what I do and it’s in my blood, and when you go away from it for a while, there’s just something in your brain that says, ‘You gotta get back on stage and perform.’ – Kelly McGillis.
Starting over
Kelly McGillis was born in Newport, Rhode Island and first appeared on screen in a film titled Sophie’s Choice which also starred Meryl Streep. Since then, she has become a go-to for Hollywood for her roles as FBI Agent Carol Barrett in Witness with Harrison Ford and as Tom Cruise’s love interest in Top Gun. In 1992, McGillis began transitioning away from acting.
What are her upcoming projects?
McGillis has three films in post-production, including She’s Out of My League, another romantic comedy about two polar opposites who fall in love (McGillis plays Sara Heinsen, a socialite). The movie co-stars Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder) and Alice Eve (Sex and the City 2), and is scheduled for release on March 4.
Why is this important?
Kelly McGillis is a veteran actress with significant credits in film and theater. Most people are aware of her role as Rachel Lapp in Witness, but many people don’t know she started her career on stage. Her comeback performance is a milestone for any actress; it shows that if you work hard enough, you can return to your roots no matter how long it has been since you last worked on stage.
How old was Kelly McGillis in Top Gun?
In Top Gun, Kelly McGillis was 34 years old. This makes her current age 57 years old.
Who is Kelly McGillis wife?
It’s not often an actor or actress returns to their roots and begins a new chapter in their career. But, Kelly McGillis made a name for herself with television and movie roles, such as Savannah Weaver in Mr. & Mrs. Bridge and her most famous role, Rachel Lapp in Witness alongside Harrison Ford. She was almost unrecognizable at the time of filming that she had become one of Hollywood’s leading ladies back in 1983.
What is Kelly McGillis doing these days?
McGillis is returning to Broadway in a revival of Arthur Miller’s classic tragedy, All My Sons. Directed by John Tiffany and starring Tracy Letts, Aja Naomi King, and Kate Arrington, it’s a great return to form for McGillis as she takes on her first non-musical role since appearing in St. Elmo’s Fire 25 years ago.
Does Meg Ryan appear in Top Gun 2?
Two actors have been cast as Tom Cruise’s love interest in Top Gun 2. Tom’s character, Maverick, is a naval aviator and possible future astronaut with a desire to return to flying. Miles Teller is 32, while Emily Ratajkowski is 27. Neither of these actresses, however, are nearly old enough to be reprising her role as his love interest, who was played by then 29-year-old Kelly McGillis.
What is the famous line from Top Gun?
It’s You want me to do what?!?. Kelly McGillis played Tom Cruise’s love interest in Top Gun. But that was over 30 years ago… Fast forward 3 decades, and she is coming back to Broadway! We’re so excited for her return, and we know you are too! Kelly will play Diane in Love Letters by A.R. Gurney through August 19th at Theatre Row on 42nd Street.
How tall is Kelly McGillis?
She is 5 feet and 4 inches tall. McGillis is known for her film roles, such as Rachel Lapp in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations.
Does Kelly McGillis children?
Kelly McGillis has been married twice. Her first marriage was to fellow actor Steven Williams in 1982, whom she divorced after a year. She later married music producer David ‘Cutter’ Thomas in 1986, who co-produced her 1989 album Body and Soul. They have one son together.
How old is Kelly McGillis now?
Kelly Ann McGillis is now 56 years old. Born on October 31, 1958 in Newport Beach, California, she is an American actress and producer. She is best known for her lead role in Witness with Harrison Ford, for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. But what do you know about her career before her breakout performance? Take a look at some of these fun facts about Kelly McGillis’s life before becoming a celebrity.
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