Jessica Lange Biography

Jessica Lange

Academy Award-winning film, television and stage actress who began to blossom in the early 80s with her roles in Tootsie (1982) and Frances (1982). Imbued with a kind of unkempt Southern beauty, she was known as much for her interesting love life (she had a child with Mikhail Baryshnikov, then went on to have a relationship with Sam Shepard, her current partner) as she was for her flourishing career. Her real debut was in 1976 as the helpless beauty in King Kong. She went on to make All That Jazz (1979), The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), Country (1984), Crimes of the Heart (1986), Everybody's All American (1988), Music Box (1989), Men Don't Leave (1990), Cape Fear (1991), Losing Isaiah (1995), A Thousand Acres (1997), and Big Fish (2003). Television credits include Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1984), O Pioneers! (1991), and Normal (2003). Stage credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (1992).