Piper Laurie (born Rosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American actress of stage and screen, known for her roles in the films The Hustler (1961), Carrie, and Children of a Lesser God, all of which brought her Academy Award nominations, and for her portrayal of Catherine Martell in Twin Peaks, which earned her a Golden Globe Award in 1991.
Films and series she appeared in:
- Louisa — film debut, as Ronald Reagan's daughter
- Francis Goes to the Races
- The Hustler (1961)
- Carrie
- Ruby
- The Thorn Birds
- St. Elsewhere
- Murder, She Wrote
- The Twilight Zone (1985)
- Return to Oz
- Children of a Lesser God
- Matlock
- Beauty and the Beast
- Appointment with Death
- Twin Peaks
- Other People's Money
- Frasier
- ER
- Diagnosis: Murder
- Touched by an Angel
- The Faculty
- Will & Grace
- Law & Order: SVU
- Dead Like Me
- Cold Case
- The Dead Girl
- Hounddog
- Hesher
Tropes
- Damsel in Distress: Her earlier, pre-Carrie roles.
- Evil Redhead: Her villainous roles, most notably Margaret White.
- Heroes Want Redheads: She's often cast as The Hero's red-headed Love Interest in her early career.
- The Ingenue: She was Type-cast in these roles in her early career.
- Ms. Fanservice: Most of her earlier roles.
- Rescue Romance: Her earlier roles tends to be involved in this.
- Those Two Actors: Starred alongside Sissy Spacek in three movies: Carrie (in 1976 where she played her mother), The Grass Harp (1995 in where
she played her sister), and the TV movie Midwives (2001). - Two First Names: Though it's only her Stage Name.
