Jane Alexander stars in "Dream House," opposite Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz, as Dr. Greeley. Alexander will soon be seen in the Hallmark Channel film "William & Catherine: A Royal Romance" as Queen Elizabeth II and in the TNT film "Deck the Halls."
Jane Alexander is an award-winning actress who has been honored for her work on the stage, screen and television. A four-time Academy Award nominee, she gained her first Oscar nomination, for Best Actress, for her performance in 1970s "The Great White Hope." She received Best Supporting Actress Award nominations for her work in Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men" and Robert Benton's "Kramer vs. Kramer." Alexander garnered her fourth nomination, for Best Actress, for her role in "Testament." She has also earned acclaim for her work in such diverse films as "Brubaker," "Night Crossing," "City Heat" and "The Cider House Rules." Her more recent film credits include McG's "Terminator Salvation," "Feast of Love," John Sayles' "Sunshine State"; Gore Verbinski's horror hit "The Ring"; "Fur," with Nicole Kidman; "Feast of Love," which reunited her with director Robert Benton; the indie film "Gigantic"; and David S. Goyer's horror film "The Unborn."
Her distinguished stage career includes her Tony Award-winning performance in "The Great White Hope," for which she also won Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards. The play was directed by Ed Sherin, who later became Alexander's husband. Her work on Broadway also includes Tony-nominated performances in "Honour"; "The Sisters Rosensweig," for which she also won an Obie Award; "The Visit"; "First Monday in October"; "Find Your Way Home"; and "6 Rms Riv Vu." Additionally, she starred in "Shadowlands," both on Broadway and in London's West End.
Alexander has also performed on the stages of many noted regional theaters, including the Arena Stage and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.; Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum; the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta; Princeton's McCarter Theatre; and the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. In all, she has appeared in more than 100 stage roles, including her portrayal of Djuna Barnes in her one-woman show, "What of the Night." In 2009, Alexander starred in the original theatrical production of Thom Thomas' "A Moon to Dance By," under the direction of Ed Sherin. She was also recently seen in "The Breath of Life" and off-Broadway in Tina Howe's play "Chasing Manet," at Primary Stages. She was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 1994.
On television, Alexander won Emmy Awards for the role of Sara Delano Roosevelt in the HBO movie "Warm Springs" and her performance in the telefilm "Playing for Time." Alexander has earned five more Emmy nominations, including two for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in the acclaimed miniseries "Eleanor and Franklin" and "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years." She was also Emmy-nominated for her starring roles in the television movies "Calamity Jane" and "Malice in Wonderland," and her guest role on "Law & Order." In addition, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance in the Showtime movie "Carry Me Home," directed by her son, Jace Alexander. She had previously worked with Jace when he directed her in the CBS telefilm "Jenifer." In 2007, Alexander starred in her first television series, HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me."
Alexander has narrated dozens of books and voiceover roles, and she is a screenwriter and producer as well as an actress.
In 1994, President Clinton appointed Alexander the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Senate unanimously confirmed her. She held the position for four years from 1993-1997, successfully battling to save the agency from elimination. Her book "Command Performance: An Actress in the Theater of Politics" documents her tenure. Alexander continues her public service as a commissioner of parks for the Taconic region of New York.
Jane Alexander is an award-winning actress who has been honored for her work on the stage, screen and television. A four-time Academy Award nominee, she gained her first Oscar nomination, for Best Actress, for her performance in 1970s "The Great White Hope." She received Best Supporting Actress Award nominations for her work in Alan J. Pakula's "All the President's Men" and Robert Benton's "Kramer vs. Kramer." Alexander garnered her fourth nomination, for Best Actress, for her role in "Testament." She has also earned acclaim for her work in such diverse films as "Brubaker," "Night Crossing," "City Heat" and "The Cider House Rules." Her more recent film credits include McG's "Terminator Salvation," "Feast of Love," John Sayles' "Sunshine State"; Gore Verbinski's horror hit "The Ring"; "Fur," with Nicole Kidman; "Feast of Love," which reunited her with director Robert Benton; the indie film "Gigantic"; and David S. Goyer's horror film "The Unborn."
Her distinguished stage career includes her Tony Award-winning performance in "The Great White Hope," for which she also won Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards. The play was directed by Ed Sherin, who later became Alexander's husband. Her work on Broadway also includes Tony-nominated performances in "Honour"; "The Sisters Rosensweig," for which she also won an Obie Award; "The Visit"; "First Monday in October"; "Find Your Way Home"; and "6 Rms Riv Vu." Additionally, she starred in "Shadowlands," both on Broadway and in London's West End.
Alexander has also performed on the stages of many noted regional theaters, including the Arena Stage and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.; Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum; the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta; Princeton's McCarter Theatre; and the American Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford, Connecticut. In all, she has appeared in more than 100 stage roles, including her portrayal of Djuna Barnes in her one-woman show, "What of the Night." In 2009, Alexander starred in the original theatrical production of Thom Thomas' "A Moon to Dance By," under the direction of Ed Sherin. She was also recently seen in "The Breath of Life" and off-Broadway in Tina Howe's play "Chasing Manet," at Primary Stages. She was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame in 1994.
On television, Alexander won Emmy Awards for the role of Sara Delano Roosevelt in the HBO movie "Warm Springs" and her performance in the telefilm "Playing for Time." Alexander has earned five more Emmy nominations, including two for her portrayal of Eleanor Roosevelt in the acclaimed miniseries "Eleanor and Franklin" and "Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years." She was also Emmy-nominated for her starring roles in the television movies "Calamity Jane" and "Malice in Wonderland," and her guest role on "Law & Order." In addition, she received a Daytime Emmy nomination for her performance in the Showtime movie "Carry Me Home," directed by her son, Jace Alexander. She had previously worked with Jace when he directed her in the CBS telefilm "Jenifer." In 2007, Alexander starred in her first television series, HBO's "Tell Me You Love Me."
Alexander has narrated dozens of books and voiceover roles, and she is a screenwriter and producer as well as an actress.
In 1994, President Clinton appointed Alexander the chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts and the Senate unanimously confirmed her. She held the position for four years from 1993-1997, successfully battling to save the agency from elimination. Her book "Command Performance: An Actress in the Theater of Politics" documents her tenure. Alexander continues her public service as a commissioner of parks for the Taconic region of New York.