Dianne Wiest was born on March 28, 1946, in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, as one of three siblings, with two brothers, Greg and Don. Her childhood ambition was to become a ballerina, but a chance to tread the boards on stage, particularly in the Broadway production of Othello alongside James Earl Jones, sparked a passion for acting that would define her career. After making her film debut in 1980, Wiest's breakout role came in 1985 with Woody Allen's The Purple Rose of Cairo, where she played Emma, a prostitute during the 1930s Depression, earning the attention of Allen himself.
Allen was so impressed with Wiest's talent that he went on to direct her in four more films, including Hannah and Her Sisters in 1986, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her portrayal of Holly, a neurotic wannabe actress, was widely praised and cemented her status as a leading lady. Following her Oscar success, Wiest appeared in a range of films, including The Lost Boys, Bright Lights, Big City, and Parenthood, the latter of which earned her a second Oscar nomination.
In 1990, Wiest starred as Peg Boggs, the kindly Avon Lady who discovers the titular character in Edward Scissorhands, a role that has become one of her most beloved. She reunited with Woody Allen for Bullets Over Broadway in 1994, winning her second Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as Helen Sinclair, a boozy, glamorous, and neurotic stage star. More recently, Wiest has enjoyed success in comedy films like Practical Magic and the television miniseries The 10th Kingdom.
