Williams-Paisley was born in Rye, New York, the daughter of Linda Barbara (née Payne), a fund-raiser, and Gurney Williams III, a health and science writer.[1][2] She has a sister, Ashley, also an actress,[3] and a brother, Jay. Williams has been in show business since the age of 13. In 1989 she directed the Rye High School Musical Revue. She left Northwestern University during her sophomore year to appear in the 1991 film version of Father of the Bride but returned to complete her degree in drama. While there, she was a sister of the Alpha Phi sorority.
Career
Williams-Paisley's breakthrough role was Annie Banks in Father of the Bride (1991) and Father of the Bride Part II (1995), with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton.[4] She later appeared in Indian Summer (1993), Coldblooded (1995), The War at Home (1996), and in 1996 landed the lead role in the ABC drama series Relativity. She won critical acclaim for her performance,[4] but the series was canceled after 17 episodes due to low ratings. In 2000, Williams-Paisley starred as Virginia in the fantasy miniseries The 10th Kingdom.
In 2012, Williams-Paisley began starring in the recurring role of Peggy Kenter in the ABC drama series Nashville.[6] In December 18, 2015, Williams-Paisley starred in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip as Samantha.
Her mother, Linda, was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, which is a form of dementia. Williams-Paisley is the author of Where the Light Gets In, published on April 5, 2016. The book tells the story of her mother's illness from her diagnosis up until her death. Her mother died in November 2016, seven months after the book was published.[7]
Personal life
On March 15, 2003, Williams married country music singer Brad Paisley.[8] In February 2007, she gave birth to their first child, a son, in Nashville, Tennessee, where the family lives.[9] Their second son was born in April 2009.[10]
