Amy Madigan
A fiercely intelligent actress who brought a grounded, electric presence to complex roles in films like 'Twice in a Lifetime' and 'Field of Dreams'.
Born 1950 (age 76)·American actress·Birthday: September 11·Baby Boomers
Biography
Amy Madigan arrived on screen with a force that felt both immediate and earned. Born in Chicago in 1950, she initially pursued music, touring with a rock band before turning to acting. This musical rhythm informed her performances, which were often marked by a sharp, unflinching honesty. She broke through in the 1980s, earning an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of a waitress caught in a marital crisis in 'Twice in a Lifetime.' Madigan never settled for mere decoration in a film; whether as the skeptical mother in 'Field of Dreams' or the determined wife in 'The Dark Half,' she embodied characters of principle and grit. Her career seamlessly wove between major studio films, independent projects, and acclaimed stage work, including a Tony-nominated performance in 'A Streetcar Named Desire.' Madigan’s impact lies in her ability to make moral strength and emotional complexity vividly tangible, often stealing scenes not with flamboyance, but with profound conviction.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Amy was born in 1950, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Amy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1950
#1 Movie
Cinderella
Best Picture
All About Eve
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Amy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1950Born
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1955Started school
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1963Became a teenager
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1966Could drive
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1968Could vote
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Turned 21
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1980Turned 30
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 40
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 50
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 60
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 70
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 76 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in 'Twice in a Lifetime' (1985).
- Won a Primetime Emmy Award for her performance in the television film 'Roe vs. Wade' (1989).
- Earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play for the 1988 revival of 'A Streetcar Named Desire.'
- Portrayed the pivotal role of Annie Kinsella in the beloved classic 'Field of Dreams' (1989).
Did You Know?
She was a touring keyboardist and singer for a folk-rock band called 'The Jellyroll' before her acting career took off.
She is married to actor Ed Harris, whom she met while filming 'Places in the Heart' (1984).
She and her husband, Ed Harris, founded a theatre company in Los Angeles called The Malibu Stage Company.
“I'm attracted to characters who are survivors, who have a certain tenacity.”
