Patricia Colleen Nelligan (born March 16, 1950), known professionally as Kate Nelligan, is a Canadian retired stage, film and television actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1991 film The Prince of Tides, and the same year won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for Frankie and Johnny. She is also a four-time Tony Award nominee for her work on Broadway, receiving nominations for Plenty (1983), A Moon for the Misbegotten (1984), Serious Money (1988) and Spoils of War (1989).
Early life Nelligan, the third of five children, was born in London, Ontario, the daughter of Patrick Joseph Nelligan and his wife Josephine Alice (née Deir). Her father was a factory repairman and municipal employee in charge of ice rinks and recreational parks, and her mother was a schoolteacher.Kate Nelligan profile, filmreference.com. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
Her mother, whom Nelligan has described as "very powerful, very brilliant and very, very crazy",Bored with being a lady, actress Kate Nelligan gets down to earthy People Weekly, January 27, 1992. suffered from alcohol abuse and other psychological problems, and was institutionalized. Nelligan attended London South Collegiate Institute in London, Ontario, where she went by “Trish”, and then studied at Glendon College in Toronto, but did not graduate.Senior Executive Cites Liberal Arts Education for Success Glendon Instead, she switched to studies at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London, England.
Career In August 1972, Nelligan launched her professional stage career as a "funny and convincing" Corie in the Bristol Old Vic production of Barefoot in the Park by Neil Simon. In the Bristol Old Vic studio space in the following April she took the role of Leila in The Screens, an abridgement by Howard Brenton of Jean Genet's savage Les Paravents. On television, she appeared in a regular role in the British television series The Onedin Line. In 1974, she was invited to London to play the part of Jenny in David Hare's play Knuckle at the Comedy Theatre, followed by a season with the National Theatre playing Ellie in Heartbreak House. 1975 saw her appear opposite Anthony Hopkins in the televised play The Arcata Promise followed by the televised theatrical version of The Count of Monte Cristo that featured an all-star cast of British and American actors. That same year her first feature-length film The Romantic Englishwoman was released.
In 1977, again with the National Theatre, Nelligan gave a "stunning" performance as Marianne, opposite Stephen Rea, in Horváth's Tales from the Vienna Woods directed by Maximilian Schell. Also in 1977, she played the part of Rosalind in As You Like It, directed by Trevor Nunn, opposite Peter McEnery in Stratford-upon-Avon and the following year in London. This she followed with Plenty, another play from David Hare, at the National Theatre, for which she received the 1978 "Best Actress" Evening Standard Theatre Award, with a runner-up position as "Best Actress in a New Play" in that season's Oliviers. She was cast in a similar role, playing opposite Bill Paterson, in Hare's BAFTA-award-winning companion play Licking Hitler, for BBC television.
Again on screen, in 1978 Nelligan played the part of Isabella in the BBC Television Shakespeare production of Measure for Measure, a performance that led the New York Times to describe her as providing "the image of idealized faultlessness"."Measure for Measure", Liner notes, The Shakespeare Collection, BBC DVD, originally broadcast February 18, 1979. In 1979, she was the female lead alongside Frank Langella and Laurence Olivier in Dracula. In 1981, she starred opposite fellow Canadian Donald Sutherland in Eye of the Needle, a wartime espionage thriller based on the Ken Follett best-selling novel. Two years later Nelligan moved to New York City, where she earned nominations for the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Play three times and one Featured Actress in a Play between 1983 and 1989 for the five Broadway plays in which she appeared."Kate Nelligan Broadway" Playbill. (vault). Retrieved March 11, 2016
In 1991, Nelligan won a BAFTA for "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" for her performance in Frankie and Johnny."'Frankie and Johnny' Awards" allmovie.com. Retrieved March 12, 2016 For her performance in the 1991 film The Prince of Tides she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.The Prince of Tides tcm.com. Retrieved March 11, 2016 Between 1987 and 2004, she was nominated for five Gemini Awards for her performances in Canadian television mini-series and films and won twice, both in 1993."Gemini Awards, Kate Nelligan" academy.ca. Retrieved March 11, 2016 In 1996, she played the wife of James Mink in the CBS television film Captive Heart: The James Mink Story.O'Connor, John J. "Slavery as Experienced By a Mixed-Race Couple" The New York Times, April 12, 1996
Personal life Nelligan and American composer Robert Reale married in 1989. Together they have a son. The couple divorced in 2000.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes1975Isabel1979DraculaLucy Seward1980CrossoverPeabody1981Eye of the NeedleLucy Rose1983Without a TraceSusan Selky1985EleniEleni Gatzoyiannis1987ControlSarah Howell1990White RoomJane1991Frankie and JohnnyCora1991Shadows and FogEve1991Lila Wingo Newbury1993Fatal InstinctLana Ravine1994WolfCharlotte Randall1995Margaret's MuseumCatherine MacNeil1995How to Make an American QuiltConstance Saunders1996Up Close & PersonalJoanna Kennelly1998U.S. MarshalsUS Marshal Catherine Walsh1998Boy Meets GirlMrs. Jones1999Olive Worthington2007PremonitionJoanne
Television Year Title Role Notes1971Great PerformancesLaura"The Arcata Promise"1973Alice Keppel"Daisy"1973Country MattersChristie Davenport"The Four Beauties"1973–74Leonora BiddulphRecurring role1974ITV Sunday Night DramaLaura"The Arcata Promise"1975MercedesTV film1976Marguerite Gautier"1.1", "1.2"1977Ann"Treats"1977Play for TodayHilary"Do as I Say"1978Play for TodayAnna Seaton"Licking Hitler"1979Measure for MeasureIsabellaTV film – BBC Shakespeare series1980Thérèse RaquinThérèse RaquinTV miniseries1980Play for TodayCaroline"Dreams of Leaving"1980Forgive Our Foolish WaysVivien LanyonTV series1982VictimsRuth HessionTV film1987Kojak: The Price of JusticeKittyTV film1989Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn ThatcherJoAnn ThatcherTV film1991American PlayhouseBarbara Hoyle"Three Hotels"1991PerformanceKate"Old Times"1992Road to AvonleaSydney Carver"After the Honeymoon"1992KayTV film1992Holly PlumTV film1992Heritage MinutesEmily Murphy"Emily Murphy"1993Liar, Liar: Between Father and DaughterSusan MioriTV film1993Shattered Trust: The Shari Karney StoryStephanie ChadfordTV film1994Golden FiddlesAnne BalfourTV miniseries1994In Spite of LoveEliseTV film1994Million Dollar BabiesHelena ReidTV miniseries1995Sheila WalkerTV film1996Captive Heart: The James Mink StoryElizabeth MinkTV film1996Calm at Sunset, Calm at DawnMargaret PfeifferTV film1999Love Is StrangeKathryn McClainTV film1999Swing VoteJustice Sara Marie BrandwynneTV film2000Blessed Strangers: After Flight 111Kate O'RourkeTV film2001Walter and HenryElizabethTV film2003Mrs. WhichTV film2004Human CargoNina WadeTV miniseries2006In from the NightVera MillerTV film2008Eleventh HourGepetto"Resurrection"2010Law & Order: Special Victims UnitJudge Sylvia Quinn"Ace", "Gray"
Broadway plays Plenty (1983) A Moon for the Misbegotten (1984) Serious Money (1988) Spoils of War by Michael Weller, Music Box Theatre New York (1988) Love Letters (1989) An American Daughter (1997)
Awards and nominations YearAwardNominated workResult1978Olivier Award for Best Actress in a New PlayPlenty1979BAFTA TV Award for Best ActressMeasure for Measure1980 Dreams of Leaving / Therese Raquin / Forgive Our Foolish Ways 1983Tony Award for Best Actress in a PlayPlenty1984A Moon for the Misbegotten1988Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a PlaySerious Money1989Tony Award for Best Actress in a PlaySpoils of War1989Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama SeriesRoad to Avonlea1990Gemini Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Program or MiniseriesLove and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher1990Genie Award for Best Actress in a Leading RoleWhite Room1991Academy Award for Best Supporting ActressThe Prince of Tides1991BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Frankie and Johnny 1993Gemini Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series The Diamond Fleece 1995Genie Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role Margaret's Museum
References
External links