Joan Allen — American Actress born on August 20, 1956,

Joan Allen is an American actress, who has worked in theatre, film and television. She won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her Broadway debut in Burn This. She is also a three-time Academy Award nominee; receiving Best Supporting Actress nominations for Nixon and The Crucible, and a Best Actress nomination for The Contender... (wikipedia)

It's such a great feeling to make people laugh. I know I've made people cry or want to slit their wrists, but to make people laugh is a very intoxicating, wonderful thing.
I was a very good girl for a long time, that's what really drew me to acting. The stage was the perfect place to be outrageous, to be sad, to be angry, to be all these different things.
I get recognised sometimes. But I just live my life. I get on the bus, I get on the subway, it's not a problem.
I think of myself more as a character actor than that ingenue leading lady, who started out something like Michelle Pfeiffer, or Jessica Lange. I'm a bit quirkier than that.
I think that I do separate myself a fair amount. And I don't feel like I am representing women. That's up to however people interpret it once they sort of see it.