Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Kimberly Payne Williams-Paisley (née Williams; born September 14, 1971) is an American actress known for her starring role in 10th Kingdom, roles on According to Jim and Nashville, as well as her breakthrough performance 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 acting career, she has guest-starred on TV 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.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley
Williams-Paisley in June 2008
Born
Kimberly Payne Williams

(1971-09-14) September 14, 1971 (age 53)
Other namesKimberly Williams
Alma materNorthwestern University
OccupationActress
Years active1988–present
Known forAccording to Jim
Father of the Bride
Spouse
(m. 2003)
Children2
RelativesAshley Williams (sister)
Neal Dodson (brother-in-law)
Websitekimberlywilliams-paisley.com

Early life

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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.[1][2] She has a sister, Ashley, also an actress,[3] 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

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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.[4] 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,[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7]

Personal life

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On March 15, 2003, Williams married country music singer Brad Paisley.[8] In February 2007, she gave birth to their first child, a son, in Nashville, Tennessee, where the family lives.[9] Their second son was born in April 2009.[10]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Note
1991 Wild Hearts
1991 Father of the Bride Annie Banks
1993 Samuel Beckett Is Coming Soon Kim
1993 Indian Summer Gwen Daugherty
1995 Coldblooded Jasmine
Father of the Bride Part II Annie Banks-MacKenzie
1996 The War at Home Karen Collier
1998 Safe House Andi Travers
Just a Little Harmless Sex Allison
1999 Elephant Juice Dodie
Simpatico Young Rosie
2002 Ten Tiny Love Stories Five
2003 Shade Laura Parker Short film; also producer, director, writer
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
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
You Get Me Mrs. Hanson
2018 The Christmas Chronicles Claire Pierce
2020 The Violent Heart Helen
Father of the Bride, Part 3(ish) Annie Banks-MacKenzie Short film
The Christmas Chronicles 2 Claire Pierce
2023 Dog Gone Ginny Marshall
Jesus Revolution Charlene

Television

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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
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
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"
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)
The Christmas Train Eleanor Carter Television film (Hallmark Hall of Fame)
2018 Darrow & Darrow 2 Claire Darrow Television film
Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence
2019 Dolly Parton's Heartstrings Emily Episode: "Jolene"[11]
The Flash Renee Adler 2 episodes
Witness to Murder Claire Darrow Hallmark Movie
2020 A Nashville Christmas Carol Spirit of Christmas Present
2021 Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday Jennifer
Sister Swap: Christmas in the City

As producer, writer, and/or director

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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

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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[citation needed] Shade Won
Vision Award for Best Short Film[citation needed] Shade Won
Sedona International Film Festival Outstanding Acting & Directing[citation needed] Shade Won

Bibliography

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  • Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only to Find Her Again (2016)

References

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  1. ^ "Kimberly Williams Biography (1971–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  2. ^ "Gurney Williams 3d, Yale '63, Weds Linda Payne in Mt. Kisco". The New York Times. June 25, 1967.
  3. ^ Baker, K.C. (March 31, 2016). "Kimberly Williams-Paisley Leaned on Country Superstar Husband Brad Paisley During Her Mother's Struggle with Dementia: 'He Keeps Me Laughing'". People. Retrieved April 2, 2016.
  4. ^ a b "Kimberly Williams-Paisley Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  5. ^ The Broadway League. "The Last Night of Ballyhoo | IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information". IBDB. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 26, 2012). "Kimberly Williams-Paisley Getting Promoted To Regular On ABC's 'Nashville'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved December 7, 2013.
  7. ^ Stump, Scott. "'Opening my heart': Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley reveals mother's dementia". TODAY.com. Retrieved October 5, 2017.
  8. ^ "Brad Paisley & Kimberly Williams Expecting". People. September 19, 2006. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2009.
  9. ^ "CMT: News: Brad Paisley Announces Son's Name". Archived from the original on February 1, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2007.
  10. ^ Brad Paisley (April 20, 2009). "The Paisleys Reveal Newborn Son's Name! – Babies, Brad Paisley". People. Archived from the original on April 22, 2009. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  11. ^ Porter, Rick (November 1, 2018). "Dolly Parton Netflix Series 'Heartstrings' Sets Cast for 'Jolene'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
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