Celia Weston

Celia Weston
Born
Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S.
EducationSalem College
University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present
Known forAlice
The Last Night of Ballyhoo
Dead Man Walking

Celia Weston is an American character actress. Weston received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Dead Man Walking (1995), and also had supporting roles in more than 40 movies, including The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), In the Bedroom (2001), Hulk (2003), and The Village (2004). On television, she is best known for her role as Jolene Hunnicutt in the CBS sitcom Alice (1981–85).

Career

Weston began her career on stage, making her Broadway debut in 1979. After a recurring role on the ABC daytime soap opera, Ryan's Hope, she joined the cast of the CBS sitcom Alice as Jolene Hunnicutt until the series ended in 1985.[1] Weston later said that her role in Alice hindered her film career. Although she had initially rejected the role, she admitted that "the money became so phenomenal that I just had to do it."[2] In later years, Weston acted in independent films and stage productions. She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her role as Mary Beth Percy in the 1995 crime drama film, Dead Man Walking opposite Susan Sarandon. She also received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the comedy The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997).

Weston had many supporting roles in films during her career. In the 2000s she had guest starring roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Frasier and Desperate Housewives. From 2010 to 2011 she co-starred alongside Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard in the TNT comedy-drama, Memphis Beat. She later had recurring roles on Modern Family[3] and American Horror Story: Freak Show.[4]

Personal life

Weston was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She was born Celia Watson, but changed her professional name to Weston because a British actress was already using Celia Watson professionally.[5] She attended high school at the Spartanburg Day School, graduating in 1966.[6] She is a graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.[2]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Honky Tonk Freeway Grace
1989 Lost Angels Felicia Doolan Marks
1991 Little Man Tate Miss Nimvel
1995 Dead Man Walking Mary Beth Percy Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
1995 Unstrung Heroes Amelia
1996 Flirting with Disaster Valerie Swaney
1998 Celebrity Dee Bartholemew
1999 The Talented Mr. Ripley Aunt Joan
1999 Snow Falling on Cedars Etta Heine
1999 Ride with the Devil Mrs. Clark
2000 Hanging Up Madge Turner
2001 K-PAX Doris Archer
2001 Hearts in Atlantis Alana Files
2001 In the Bedroom Katie Grinnel Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2002 Far from Heaven Mona Lauder
2002 Igby Goes Down Bunny
2003 Runaway Jury Mrs. Brandt
2003 Hulk Mrs. Krensler
2003 How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days Glenda
2004 The Village Vivian Percy
2004 Resurrection Mother Short film
2005 Junebug Peg
2007 No Reservations Mrs. Peterson
2007 The Invasion Mrs. Belicec
2007 Joshua Hazel Cairn
2009 After.Life Beatrice Taylor
2009 The Box Lana Burns
2009 Observe and Report Mom
2010 The Extra Man Meredith Lagerfeld
2010 Knight and Day Molly Knight
2010 Happy Tears Neighbor
2011 Demoted Jane
2014 Goodbye to All That Joan
2014 Adult Beginners Joy
2015 The Intern Doris
2016 The Disappointments Room Marti Morrinson
2016 In the Radiant City Susan Yurley
2017 Freak Show Florence
2019 Poms Vicki
2020 Adam Arlene
2020 The Secret: Dare to Dream Bobby
2023 A Little Prayer Venida
2025 You're Cordially Invited Flora Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1980 Ryan's Hope Gloria D'Angelo 2 episodes
1981–1985 Alice Jolene Hunnicut 90 episodes
1999 ER Nurse Practitioner Episode: "Middle of Nowhere"
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Margaret Talmadge Episode: "Stolen"
2003 Out of Order Carrie 6 episodes
2004 Frasier Sue Episode: "The Detour"
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Joanne Dexler Episode: "Beast"
2008 Desperate Housewives Adele Delfino Episode: "Mother Said"
2010–2011 Memphis Beat Paula Ann Hendricks 16 episodes
2010–2016 Modern Family Barbara Tucker 5 episodes
2013 Under The Dome Mrs. Moore Episode: "Outbreak"
2014 Psych Mrs. Trout Episode: "S.E.I.Z.E. the Day"
2014–2015 American Horror Story: Freak Show Lillian Hemmings 5 episodes
2016 Vice Principals Mrs. Libby 2 episodes
2016 The Blacklist Lady Ambrosia Episode: "Lady Ambrosia (No. 77)"
2020 Hunters Dottie 4 episodes
2020 Bless This Mess Dolores 2 episodes
2022 The Thing About Pam Shirley Neumann 2 episodes
2022 Echoes Georgia Taylor 4 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Notes
1979–1980 Loose Ends Maraya
1980 The Lady from Dubuque Lucinda
1995 Garden District Mrs. Holly
1996 Summer and Smoke Mrs. Bassett
1997–1998 The Last Night of Ballyhoo Reba Freitag Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Nominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play
2000 True West Mom
2017 Marvin's Room Aunt Ruth

References

  1. ^ "Celia Weston". Yahoo Movies. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Celia Weston". TV Guide. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  3. ^ "Keck's Exclusives: Modern Family Casts Cam's Mama!". TVGuide.com. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
  4. ^ "Neil Patrick Harris Joins American Horror Story: Freak Show, Lily Rabe Set to Return as One of Her Old Characters". E! Online. October 29, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  5. ^ Franco, Jose (September 24, 2006). "Getting into character with Celia Weston". GoUpstate.com. Retrieved February 29, 2020.
  6. ^ "Spartanburg Day School". www.facebook.com. Retrieved September 2, 2019.