# Celia Weston

Celia Weston (born Celia Watson); is an American character actress. Weston received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for her performance in Dead Man Walking (1995), and also had supporting roles in more than 40 movies, including The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), In the Bedroom (2001), Hulk (2003), and The Village (2004). On television, she is best known for her role as Jolene Hunnicutt in the CBS sitcom Alice (1981–85).

## Career

Weston began her career on stage, making her Broadway debut in 1979. After a recurring role on the ABC daytime soap opera, Ryan's Hope, she joined the cast of the CBS sitcom Alice as Jolene Hunnicutt until the series ended in 1985. Weston later said that her role in Alice hindered her film career. Although she had initially rejected the role, she admitted that "the money became so phenomenal that I just had to do it." In later years, Weston acted in independent films and stage productions. She was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female for her role as Mary Beth Percy in the 1995 crime drama film, Dead Man Walking opposite Susan Sarandon. She also received a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the comedy The Last Night of Ballyhoo (1997).
Weston had many supporting roles in films during her career. In the 2000s she had guest starring roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Frasier and Desperate Housewives. From 2010 to 2011 she co-starred alongside Jason Lee and Alfre Woodard in the TNT comedy-drama, Memphis Beat. She later had recurring roles on Modern Family and American Horror Story: Freak Show.

## Personal life

Weston was born in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She was born Celia Watson, but changed her professional name to Weston because a British actress was already using Celia Watson professionally. She attended high school at the Spartanburg Day School, graduating in 1966. She is a graduate of Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina and the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981 | Honky Tonk Freeway | Grace | |
| 1989 | Lost Angels | Felicia Doolan Marks | |
| 1991 | Little Man Tate | Miss Nimvel | |
| 1995 | Dead Man Walking | Mary Beth Percy | Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female |
| 1995 | Unstrung Heroes | Amelia | |
| 1996 | Flirting with Disaster | Valerie Swaney | |
| 1998 | Celebrity | Dee Bartholemew | |
| 1999 | The Talented Mr. Ripley | Aunt Joan | |
| 1999 | Snow Falling on Cedars | Etta Heine | |
| 1999 | Ride with the Devil | Mrs. Clark | |
| 2000 | Hanging Up | Madge Turner | |
| 2001 | K-PAX | Doris Archer | |
| 2001 | Hearts in Atlantis | Alana Files | |
| 2001 | In the Bedroom | Katie Grinnel | Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture |
| 2002 | Far from Heaven | Mona Lauder | |
| 2002 | Igby Goes Down | Bunny | |
| 2003 | Runaway Jury | Mrs. Brandt | |
| 2003 | Hulk | Mrs. Krensler | |
| 2003 | How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days | Glenda | |
| 2004 | The Village | Vivian Percy | |
| 2004 | Resurrection | Mother | Short film |
| 2005 | Junebug | Peg | |
| 2007 | No Reservations | Mrs. Peterson | |
| 2007 | The Invasion | Mrs. Belicec | |
| 2007 | Joshua | Hazel Cairn | |
| 2009 | After.Life | Beatrice Taylor | |
| 2009 | The Box | Lana Burns | |
| 2009 | Observe and Report | Mom | |
| 2010 | The Extra Man | Meredith Lagerfeld | |
| 2010 | Knight and Day | Molly Knight | |
| 2010 | Happy Tears | Neighbor | |
| 2011 | Demoted | Jane | |
| 2014 | Goodbye to All That | Joan | |
| 2014 | Adult Beginners | Joy | |
| 2015 | The Intern | Doris | |
| 2016 | The Disappointments Room | Marti Morrinson | |
| 2016 | In the Radiant City | Susan Yurley | |
| 2017 | Freak Show | Florence | |
| 2019 | Poms | Vicki | |
| 2020 | Adam | Arlene | |
| 2020 | The Secret: Dare to Dream | Bobby | |
| 2023 | A Little Prayer | Venida | |
| 2025 | You're Cordially Invited | Flora | Post-production |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1980 | Ryan's Hope | Gloria D'Angelo | 2 episodes |
| 1981–1985 | Alice | Jolene Hunnicut | 90 episodes |
| 1999 | ER | Nurse Practitioner | Episode: "Middle of Nowhere" |
| 2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Margaret Talmadge | Episode: "Stolen" |
| 2003 | Out of Order | Carrie | 6 episodes |
| 2004 | Frasier | Sue | Episode: "The Detour" |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Joanne Dexler | Episode: "Beast" |
| 2008 | Desperate Housewives | Adele Delfino | Episode: "Mother Said" |
| 2010–2011 | Memphis Beat | Paula Ann Hendricks | 16 episodes |
| 2010–2016 | Modern Family | Barbara Tucker | 5 episodes |
| 2013 | Under The Dome | Mrs. Moore | Episode: "Outbreak" |
| 2014 | Psych | Mrs. Trout | Episode: "S.E.I.Z.E. the Day" |
| 2014–2015 | American Horror Story: Freak Show | Lillian Hemmings | 5 episodes |
| 2016 | Vice Principals | Mrs. Libby | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Lady Ambrosia | Episode: "Lady Ambrosia (No. 77)" |
| 2020 | Hunters | Dottie | 4 episodes |
| 2020 | Bless This Mess | Dolores | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | The Thing About Pam | Shirley Neumann | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | Echoes | Georgia Taylor | 4 episodes |

### Theatre

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1979–1980 | Loose Ends | Maraya | |
| 1980 | The Lady from Dubuque | Lucinda | |
| 1995 | Garden District | Mrs. Holly | |
| 1996 | Summer and Smoke | Mrs. Bassett | |
| 1997–1998 | The Last Night of Ballyhoo | Reba Freitag | Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Nominated—Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play |
| 2000 | True West | Mom | |
| 2017 | Marvin's Room | Aunt Ruth | |