Amy Madigan's life before Weapons including forgotten Grey's Anatomy role
Amy Madigan's film career spans decades, but her role in a breakout new horror film is bringing her star power to the attention of a whole new generation.
The 74-year-old portrays the terrifying and mysterious Aunt Gladys in Weapons, the latest release from Barbarian director Zach Cregger.
The film follows a community grappling with the mysterious disappearance of an entire classroom of children who run out of their homes at the exact same time in the middle of the night. Only one child from the class turns up for school the next day, with teacher Justine Gandy (Julia Garner) quickly being ostracised by parents who suspect she is somehow involved.
Madigan's role in the film isn't revealed until much later in the story (and we don't spoil anything here), but her turn as Gladys Lilly will likely earn her a legion of new fans. So what more is there to know about the award-winning actress?
What else has Amy Madigan been in?
Madigan rose to fame in the eighties, appearing in a string of big hits. One of her biggest roles was as Annie Kinsella in 1989 fantasy drama, Field of Dreams, in which she starred opposite Kevin Costner.
Since then she has built up a hefty CV across the world of film and TV and spanning a range of genres. She won a Golden Globe award in 1990 for her role in 1989's Roe vs. Wade, and she was even nominated for an Oscar for her role in 1985's Twice in a Lifetime.
Her more recent credits include 2020's The Hunt, 2021's Antlers and 2013 comedy The Lifeguard. Viewers may also know her from her stint on Grey's Anatomy, where she played Dr Katharine Wyatt across three seasons.
How did she land the Weapons role?
Weapons director Cregger cast Madigan as Aunt Gladys on their very first meeting. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the filmmaker said he was looking for someone "who is naturally sparky and hilarious and also ruthless and laser focused and intimidating."
He found that in Madigan, explaining: "Amy can do anything. She has that Chicago Midwestern spark that just oozes off of her in a wonderful way, but at her core, there's something reptilian that she can access."
Is Amy Madigan married?
She is married to Westworld star Ed Harris in a union that has spanned more than 40 years. They have one child together, Lily Harris, who has also followed her parents into the world of acting.
The pair first crossed paths in 1980 when Harris was performing in a play in Los Angeles. Describing the moment she first laid eyes on her now-husband, Madigan recalled: "I just thought 'Well there he is'. It was obvious to me that I'd see him again."
They married in 1983 at the same time they were starring together in the film Places in the Heart. They regularly work together and have starred opposite each other in plays on Broadway and in multiple films.
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