Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an American film, television, and stage actress. Her directorial debut, the 1994 short film On Hope, earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. Since 2009, she has served as president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation.
Williams became known for roles in films such as Stir Crazy (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Day After (1983), Teachers (1984), and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986). She received three Emmy Award nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for the TV movie Adam (1983) and the miniseries Baby M (1988), and a guest role in the sitcom Frasier (1993–94). She also starred in the TV series The Client (1995–96) and had recurring roles in Dexter (2007) and Private Practice (2009–11).
United States
