Kelly McGillis
American actress (born 1957)
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Key Takeaways
- Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American actress.
- In her later career, she has starred in horror films such as Stake Land (2010), The Innkeepers (2011), and We Are What We Are (2013).
- Her direct paternal descent is Scots-Irish, including German and Welsh ancestry.
- McGillis attended the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California.
- Career Film After making her film debut in Reuben, Reuben in 1983, McGillis's breakout role was that of an Amish mother in Witness (1985) for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA award nominations.
Kelly Ann McGillis (born July 9, 1957) is an American actress. She is known for her film roles such as Rachel Lapp in Witness (1985), for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations; Charlie in Top Gun (1986); Made in Heaven (1987); The House on Carroll Street (1988); and as Katheryn Murphy in The Accused (1988). In her later career, she has starred in horror films such as Stake Land (2010), The Innkeepers (2011), and We Are What We Are (2013).
Early life
McGillis was born on July 9, 1957, in the Southern California suburb of Newport Beach, the eldest of three daughters born to Virginia Joan (née Snell), a homemaker, and Donald Manson McGillis, a physician. Her direct paternal descent is Scots-Irish, including German and Welsh ancestry. She attended Newport Harbor High School.
McGillis attended the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts at Allan Hancock College in Santa Maria, California. After dropping out of high school in 1975, she obtained her GED and then moved to New York City to study acting at the Juilliard School, where she graduated in 1983, Group 12.
Career
Film
After making her film debut in Reuben, Reuben in 1983, McGillis's breakout role was that of an Amish mother in Witness (1985) for which she received Golden Globe and BAFTA award nominations. Her next high-profile role was that of flight instructor Charlotte Blackwood (call sign "Charlie") in the 1986 fighter-pilot film Top Gun starring Tom Cruise.
In 1987, McGillis acted in the romance film Made in Heaven, directed by Alan Rudolph, which was produced by Lorimar Productions.
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