Catherine Keener

Born: 1961
Where: Miami, Florida, USA

Overlooked by Hollywood for not possessing a classical leading lady look, Keener took an alternative route, carving out roles in independent films.

She is now a tried and trusted supporting actress in movies ranging from The 40 Year Old Virgin to Being John Malkovich.

After graduating from college, she found work as a casting agent, forming a close friendship with fellow casting director Gail Eisenstadt.

She encouraged Keener to pursue acting and cast her in her first film role as a cocktail waitress in About Last Night.

Following small roles in Dennis Hopper's Backtrack and Blake Edwards' Switch, Keener received her big break as Yvonne, confronting Brad Pitt's would-be pop star in Tom DiCillo's Johnny Suede.

(she would go on to star in more DiCillo movies - The Real Blonde, Box of Moonlight and Living in Oblivion).

Subsequent roles included Steven Soderbergh's acclaimed Out of Sight with George Clooney and Walking and Talking with Anne Heche.

Enjoying a bit of role reversal in Spike Jonze's Being John Malkovich , she earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination as the sexy, bitchy Maxine.

She then played Nick Nolte's abandoned girlfriend whom Jeff Bridges involves in the resolution of an old con in Simpatico.

Keener played Al Pacino's ex-wife in the comedy Simone and starred with Emily Mortimer in Lovely & Amazing.

She reunited with Soderbergh for the art house movie Full Frontal and also had an uncredited cameo in Jonze's Adaptation.

Veteran director Sydney Pollak cast her as an abrasive federal agent alongside Nicole Kidman in the thriller The Interpreter.

In 2005, she played the girlfriend of Steve Carell in the terrific comedy The 40 Year-Old Virgin.

Recent work includes her acclaimed portrayal of writer Harper Lee opposite Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote.

She also landed critical plaudits for her portrayal of a hippie earth mother in the Sean Penn drama Into The Wild.