Patricia Clarkson

A graduate of the prestigious Yale School of Drama, this chameleonlike player honed her skills on the New York stage during the '80s, making occasional film appearances in forgettable roles that failed to utilize her remarkable talent. Although far from famous, Clarkson was revered for her versatility in Hollywood and in the '90s the mature actress became the indie It Girl with a string of powerful performances in art-house movies. Whether playing a lesbian drug addict in High Art, a judgmental '50s housewife in Far from Heaven, a grieving mother in The Station Agent, an aspiring screenwriter involved in a threesome in The Dying Gaul opposite then real-life boyfriend Campbell Scott, or a cancer-stricken perfectionist in Pieces of April, a devastating turn that snagged her an Oscar nod, Clarkson was always spot-on. She also brought her skills to the small screen, earning a pair of Emmys as the irrepressible aunt on Six Feet Under.