# Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Kimberly Williams-Paisley (née Williams) is an American actress known for her starring role in 10th Kingdom, roles on According to Jim and Nashville, as well as her breakthrough in Father of the Bride (1991), for which she was nominated for several awards, and its sequel, Father of the Bride Part II (1995). Throughout her career, she has guest starred on shows including Tales from the Crypt, George Lopez and Less Than Perfect. She is also known for her roles in made-for-TV movies, including Safe House, The Christmas Shoes, and Lucky 7, and also her role as Laura Parker in Shade, a short film that she also wrote and directed. Williams is married to country musician Brad Paisley, with whom she has two sons; actress Ashley Williams is her sister.

## Early life

Williams-Paisley was born in Rye, New York, the daughter of Linda Barbara (née Payne), a fund-raiser, and Gurney Williams III, a health and science writer. She has a sister, Ashley, also an actress, and a brother, Jay. Williams has been in show business since the age of 13. In 1989 she directed the Rye High School Musical Revue. She left Northwestern University during her sophomore year to appear in the 1991 film version of Father of the Bride but returned to complete her degree in drama. While there, she was a sister of the Alpha Phi sorority.

## Career

Williams-Paisley's breakthrough role was Annie Banks in Father of the Bride (1991) and Father of the Bride Part II (1995), with Steve Martin and Diane Keaton. She later appeared in Indian Summer (1993), Coldblooded (1995), The War at Home (1996), and in 1996 landed the lead role in the ABC drama series Relativity. She won critical acclaim for her performance, but the series was canceled after 17 episodes due to low ratings. In 2000, Williams-Paisley starred as Virginia in the fantasy miniseries The 10th Kingdom.
From 2001 to 2008, Williams-Paisley played the role of Dana in the ABC sitcom According to Jim, opposite Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith. She left the show after its seventh season, but she came back for the show's final episode in 2009. On stage, Williams-Paisley replaced Arija Bareikis as Sunny in The Last Night of Ballyhoo, written by Alfred Uhry (of Driving Miss Daisy fame) sometime later in the play's February 1997 to June 1998 run. During the 2000s, she also starred in number of made for television movies, and also guest starred on Less than Perfect, Boston Legal, and Royal Pains. In film, she starred opposite Matthew McConaughey in 2006 drama We Are Marshall.
In 2012, Williams-Paisley began starring in the recurring role of Peggy Kenter in the ABC drama series Nashville. In December 18, 2015, Williams-Paisley starred in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip as Samantha.
Her mother, Linda, was diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia, which is a form of dementia. Williams-Paisley is the author of Where the Light Gets In, published on April 5, 2016. The book tells the story of her mother's illness from her diagnosis up until her death. Her mother died in November 2016, seven months after the book was published.

## Personal life

On March 15, 2003, Williams married country music singer Brad Paisley. In February 22, 2007, she gave birth to their first child, a son named William Huckleberry, also called "Huck", in Nashville, Tennessee, where the family lives. Their second son, Jasper Warren, was born in April 17, 2009.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Note |
| 1991 | Wild Hearts | | |
| 1991 | Father of the Bride | Annie Banks | Film debut |
| 1993 | Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon | Kim | |
| 1993 | Indian Summer | Gwen Daugherty | |
| 1995 | Coldblooded | Jasmine | |
| 1995 | Father of the Bride Part II | Annie Banks-MacKenzie | |
| 1996 | The War at Home | Karen Collier | |
| 1998 | Safe House | Andi Travers | |
| 1998 | Just a Little Harmless Sex | Allison | |
| 1999 | Elephant Juice | Dodie | |
| 1999 | Simpatico | Young Rosie | |
| 2002 | Ten Tiny Love Stories | Five | |
| 2003 | Shade | Laura Parker | Short film; also producer, director, writer |
| 2003 | How to Go Out on a Date in Queens | Amy | |
| 2004 | Identity Theft | Michelle Brown | |
| 2005 | Porco Rosso | Fio | Voice role- Disney Dub |
| 2006 | How to Eat Fried Worms | Helen Forrester | |
| 2006 | We Are Marshall | Sandy Lengyel | |
| 2012 | Eden Court | Bonnie Duncan | |
| 2014 | Ask Me Anything | Margaret Spooner | |
| 2015 | Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip | Samantha | |
| 2017 | Speech & Debate | Susan Merrick | |
| 2017 | You Get Me | Mrs. Hanson | |
| 2018 | The Christmas Chronicles | Claire Pierce | |
| 2020 | The Violent Heart | Helen | |
| 2020 | Father of the Bride, Part 3(ish) | Annie Banks-MacKenzie | Short film |
| 2020 | The Christmas Chronicles 2 | Claire Pierce | |
| 2023 | Dog Gone | Ginny Marshall | |
| 2023 | Jesus Revolution | Charlene | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1990 | ABC Afterschool Special | Vanessa | Episode: "Stood Up!" |
| 1994 | Tales from the Crypt | Hiley Zeller | Episode: "The Bribe" |
| 1996 | Jake's Women | Molly | Theatrical play |
| 1996 | Relativity | Isabel Lukens | Series regular (17 episodes) |
| 2000 | The 10th Kingdom | Virginia Lewis | Miniseries |
| 2001 | Follow the Stars Home | Dianne Parker- McCune | Television film (Hallmark Hall of Fame) |
| 2001–09 | According to Jim | Dana | Series regular (165 episodes); also directed 3 episodes |
| 2002 | The Christmas Shoes | Maggie Elizabeth Andrews | Television film (CBS) |
| 2003 | Lucky 7 | Amy Myer | Television film; also co-producer |
| 2004 | Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story | Michelle Brown | Television film (Lifetime); also co-producer |
| 2004 | George Lopez | Vanessa Brooks | Episode: "E.I.? E.I. OH" |
| 2005 | Less than Perfect | Laura | Episode: "Get Away" |
| 2008 | Wonder Pets | Mama Armadillo (voice) | Episode: "Save the Armadillo" |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Attorney Elisa Brooks | Episode: "Last Call" |
| 2010 | Amish Grace | Ida Graber | Television film (Lifetime) |
| 2012 | Royal Pains | Sam Chard | Episode: "Business and Pleasure" |
| 2012–13 | Nashville | Peggy Kenter | Recurring role; 22 episodes |
| 2014 | Two and a Half Men | Gretchen | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
| 2017 | Darrow and Darrow | Claire Darrow | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) |
| 2017 | The Christmas Train | Eleanor Carter | Television film (Hallmark Hall of Fame) |
| 2018 | Darrow & Darrow 2 | Claire Darrow | Television film |
| 2018 | Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence | Claire Darrow | Television film |
| 2019 | Dolly Parton's Heartstrings | Emily | Episode: "Jolene" |
| 2019 | The Flash | Renee Adler | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Witness to Murder | Claire Darrow | Hallmark Movie |
| 2020 | A Nashville Christmas Carol | Spirit of Christmas Present | Hallmark Movie |
| 2021 | Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday | Jennifer | Hallmark Movie |
| 2021 | Sister Swap: Christmas in the City | Jennifer | Hallmark Movie |

### As producer, writer, and/or director

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 2003 | Lucky 7 | Co-producer |
| 2004 | Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story | Co-producer; also played the lead character |
| 2006 | Shade | Producer, director, writer |
| 2006-2008 | According to Jim | Director; 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Numero Dos | Director, writer |
| 2010 | When Mom's Away | Executive producer |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 1992 | MTV Movie Awards | Best Breakthrough Performance | Father of the Bride | Nominated |
| 1996 | Satellite Awards | Best Performance by an Actress in a Dramatic Television Series | Relativity | Nominated |
| 2006 | Heartland Film Festival | Crystal Heart Award for Best Dramatic Short Film | Shade | Won |
| 2006 | Heartland Film Festival | Vision Award for Best Short Film | Shade | Won |
| 2006 | Sedona International Film Festival | Outstanding Acting & Directing | Shade | Won |