Penelope Ann Miller
Many viewers first became acquainted with actor Penelope Ann Miller when she appeared as the stranded Brenda in the classic family comedy "Adventures in Babysitting" (1987) though many may not have recognized her. Born to a Los Angeles-based actor/producer father and costume designer mother in 1964, Miller felt a natural gravitation towards show business as a child. She studied for two years at Atherton, California's Menlo College before dropping out to concentrate on studying acting at HB Studio in New York. She had only been in the Big Apple for a little over a year when she landed her big break, playing Daisy opposite Matthew Broderick on Broadway in Neil Simon's "Biloxi Blues." The role opened many doors for the young actor, and she was soon parlaying her success into film work, landing her first major role in the enduring "Adventures in Babysitting" as Brenda, the best friend of Elisabeth Shue's character, who spends much of the film costumed in a pair of massive, thick glasses. Miller also re-teamed with Broderick to reprise the role of Daisy in a movie adaptation of "Biloxi Blues" (1987) that same year, before returning to Broadway to star as Emily in a revival of "Our Town." Oscillating back to films when the show wrapped, Miller was eventually paired with Broderick yet again, this time in the crime comedy "The Freshman" (1990). She made waves starring opposite Al Pacino in Brian De Palma's "Carlito's Way" (1993) before returning to the Broadway stage for the play "On the Waterfront." Miller's next phase in her Hollywood career was marked by films built on terror and suspense, as she most notably starred in horror films like "The Relic" (1997), thrillers like "The Break Up" (1998), and mysteries like "Along Came a Spider" (2001). As the medium of TV became a more prestige venue for high caliber actors, Miller began co-starring on series like the critically lauded "Men of a Certain Age" (Fox, 2009-2011). She also made a turn in the celebrated modern-day silent film "The Artist" (2011) and in the confrontational "The Birth of a Nation" (2016). Ever on the cutting edge as a performer, Miler next appeared in the TV movie "The College Admissions Scandal" (Lifetime, 2019), with a story ripped straight from the headlines.
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Penelope Ann Miller
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
18% |
|
Reagan | Nancy Reagan (Character) | $26.5M | 2024 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Murder at Hollow Creek | Lori Rhodes (Character) | - | 2023 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Virgin of Highland Park | Unknown (Character) | - | 2022 |
75% |
|
Adverse | Nicole (Character) | - | 2021 |
71% |
|
The College Admissions Scandal | Caroline (Character) | - | 2019 |
0% |
|
American Dresser | Vera (Character) | $2.2K | 2018 |
No Score Yet |
|
New York Prison Break: The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell | Joyce Mitchell (Character) | - | 2017 |
72% |
|
The Birth of a Nation | Elizabeth Turner (Character) | $15.8M | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Bronx Bull | Debbie Forrester (Character) | - | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Robosapien: Rebooted | Joanna (Character) | - | 2013 |
27% |
|
Saving Lincoln | Mary Todd Lincoln (Character) | - | 2013 |
83% |
|
Think of Me | Louise (Character) | - | 2011 |
95% |
|
The Artist | Doris (Character) | $44.7M | 2011 |
54% |
|
Flipped | Trina Baker (Character) | $1.8M | 2010 |
14% |
|
Saving Grace B. Jones | Bea Bretthorst (Character) | - | 2009 |
33% |
|
Free Style | Jeannette Bryant (Character) | $141.0K | 2009 |
No Score Yet |
|
Detention | Gloria (Character) | - | 2008 |
14% |
|
Blonde Ambition | Sandra Connelly (Character) | $4.7K | 2007 |
11% |
|
The Messengers | Denise (Character) | $35.4M | 2007 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Deal | Laura Martin (Character) | - | 2006 |
43% |
|
Funny Money | Carol Perkins (Character) | $1.8K | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Personal Effects | Bonnie Locke (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Rudy: The Rudy Giuliani Story | Donna Hanover (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Carry Me Home | Harriet (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
National Lampoon's Thanksgiving Reunion | Pauline Snider (Character) | - | 2003 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dead in a Heartbeat | Dr. Gillian Hayes (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Scared Silent | Kathy Clifson (Character) | - | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
A Woman's a Helluva Thing | Zane Douglas (Character) | - | 2001 |
32% |
|
Along Came a Spider | Elizabeth Rose (Character) | $74.1M | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Dodson's Journey | Meredith Dodson (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet |
|
Full Disclosure | Michelle (Character) | - | 2001 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Mary Kay Letourneau Story: All-American Girl | Mary Kay Letourneau (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet |
|
Forever Lulu | Claire Clifton (Character) | - | 2000 |
44% |
|
Famous | Self | $112.5K | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Chapter Zero | Cassandra (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Killing Moon | Laura Chadwick (Character) | - | 1999 |
33% |
|
Rocky Marciano | Barbara Cousins (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Rhapsody in Bloom | Lilah Bloom (Character) | - | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
Break Up | Grace (Character) | - | 1998 |
86% |
|
Ruby Bridges | Barbara Henry (Character) | - | 1998 |
25% |
|
Outside Ozona | Earlene Demers (Character) | $7.4K | 1998 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Hired Heart | Garnet Hadley (Character) | - | 1997 |
37% |
|
The Relic | Dr. Margo Green (Character) | $34.0M | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
Little City | Rebecca (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Last Don | Nalene De Lena (Character) | - | 1997 |
37% |
|
The Shadow | Margo Lane (Character) | $32.0M | 1994 |
17% |
|
Witch Hunt | Kim Hudson (Character) | - | 1994 |
84% |
|
Carlito's Way | Gail (Character) | $36.5M | 1993 |
14% |
|
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag | Mrs. Elizabeth Louise "Betty Lou" Perkins (Character) | $3.6M | 1992 |
61% |
|
Chaplin | Edna Purviance (Character) | $8.3M | 1992 |
0% |
|
Year of the Comet | Margaret Harwood (Character) | $2.2M | 1992 |
31% |
|
Other People's Money | Kate Sullivan (Character) | $24.2M | 1991 |
54% |
|
Kindergarten Cop |
Joyce Palmieri/ |
$88.6M | 1990 |
81% |
|
Awakenings | Paula (Character) | $49.4M | 1990 |
94% |
|
The Freshman | Tina Sabatini (Character) | $20.7M | 1990 |
No Score Yet |
|
Downtown | Lori Mitchell (Character) | $2.2M | 1990 |
33% |
|
Dead Bang | Linda (Character) | $7.4M | 1989 |
36% |
|
Big Top Pee-wee | Winnie (Character) | $14.9M | 1988 |
76% |
|
Biloxi Blues | Daisy (Character) | $41.9M | 1988 |
60% |
|
Miles From Home | Sally (Character) | - | 1988 |
72% |
|
Adventures in Babysitting | Brenda (Character) | - | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Hotshot | Mary (Character) | - | 1986 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
52% | 69% | Monsters | Joyce Dahmer (Character) | 2022 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Criminal Minds | Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes (Guest Star) | 2018 |
96% | 88% | American Crime | Eve Carlin (Character) | 2015 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Chew | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 11% | The View | Guest | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 62% | Mistresses | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2013 |
94% | 82% | Men of a Certain Age | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2009-2011 |
62% | No Score Yet | Vanished |
Unknown (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2006 |
No Score Yet | 82% | CSI: New York | Rose Whitley (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | A Minute With Stan Hooper | Unknown (Character) | 2003 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Nero Wolfe | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
50% | 82% | The Closer | Erica Hewitt (Character) | 1998 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Last Don | Unknown (Character) | 1997 |
71% | 89% | Miami Vice | Jill Ryder (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Family Ties | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Facts of Life | Kristen Morgan (Guest Star) | 1987 |