Lois Smith

Lois Arlene Smith (née Humbert) is a celebrated American actress whose career has spanned an impressive eight decades, starting from the 1950s. She made her film debut in the 1955 drama film East of Eden and since then, established a remarkable presence in the film industry with supporting roles in significant movies including Five Easy Pieces, Fatal Attraction, The Nice Guys, Lady Bird, and The French Dispatch. Her performance in the 2017 science-fiction drama film Marjorie Prime earned widespread acclaim. Smith’s prowess extends to television as well, with notable roles in HBO's True Blood and The Americans, with the latter earning her a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination. Equally respected for her work in theatre, Smith is a three-time Tony Award nominee, winning in 2020 for Best Featured Actress in a Play, making her the oldest performer to secure an acting Tony Award. She also received awards for her performance in The Trip to Bountiful in 2005. Her contributions to theatre were recognized in 2007 when she was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame and later, she received a Lifetime Achievement Obie Award in 2013.

Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas, the youngest of six children. With a strong early inclination towards theatre, she participated in plays staged in the church her father was heavily involved in after their move to Seattle. However, she did not graduate from the University of Washington where she studied theatre. Smith's dedication to her craft led her and her husband to move to New York City in 1951 to initiate their professional careers. She later studied with Lee Strasberg at the Actors Studio on the encouragement of Elia Kazan, who directed her in East of Eden.