Frances Conroy
Born: November 13 1953
Where: Monroe, Georgia, USA
The veteran stage actress is probably best known for her Golden Globe-winning portrayal of mother Ruth Fisher in the American TV series Six Feet Under.
Of Irish and Latvian lineage, her forays into film have included Scent of a Woman, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Catwoman.
She attended New York's Julliard School's drama division before embarking on an extensive theatre career on and off Broadway.
On the boards, she worked with celebrated directors ranging from Arthur Miller to Edward Albee.
A sometime collaborator with Woody Allen, she made her big screen debut in 1979 in Manhattan and went on to play a variety of supporting roles.
These include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (as lady from Palm Beach), Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanours and Billy Bathgate.
Conroy also starred in Rocket Gibraltar with Burt Lancaster in his last role.
She played Christine Downes in Scene of a Woman and alongside Meg Ryan in the rom-com Sleepless in Seattle.
Other appearances include Rebecca Miller's Angela, Terence Davies' Neon Bible and alongside Jennifer Lopez in Maid in Manhattan.
Recent work includes the role of Ophelia alongside Halle Berry in the generally disappointing Catwoman.
