Jane Alexander

Born: 28 October 1939
Where: Boston, Massachusetts

After studying at Sarah Lawrence College and at the University of Edinburgh she picked up two Oscar nominations, as a reluctant informant in All the President's Men and as Dustin Hoffman's loyal friend in Kramer vs. Kramer.

She went on to receive another Oscar nomination for her role as the resolute mother in Testament a 1983 film chronicling the aftermath of a nuclear attack.

Since then she has worked alongside Hollywood names such as Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules), Angela Bassett (Sunshine State) and Naomi Watts (The Ring) Alexander turned to producing after her frustration at the scarcity of well- written suitable female roles.

In 1993 she was named by President Clinton to head the National Endowment for the Arts.