Barbara Hershey

About Barbara Hershey

Born Barbara Lynn Herzstein in Hollywood, California, Barbara Hershey's lineage traces back to Melrose Moore, her mother, and Arnold Nathan Herzstein, her father, a journalist specializing in horse racing. Her father, a native of Manhattan, hailed from a Jewish family with roots in Hungary and Russia. Her mother, originally from Arkansas, carried English and Scots-Irish heritage. With a career stretching over five decades, Hershey has showcased her versatility across numerous television programs and cinematic productions, embracing diverse genres from Westerns to comedies. She embarked on her acting journey at the age of seventeen in 1965, though widespread critical recognition largely eluded her until the latter half of the 1980s. This acclaimed performer has graced some of Hollywood's most enduring films. Her accolades include an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her work in "A Killing in a Small Town." Notably, she achieved an unprecedented feat by winning two consecutive Best Actress awards at the Cannes Film Festival for her performances in "Shy People" and "A World Apart." She also garnered a Gemini Award for her role in PBS's "Anne of Green Gables" and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Vienna International Film Festival. Hershey earned an Academy Award nomination for "The Portrait of a Lady." Her collaborations include celebrated directors such as Martin Scorsese, William Wyler, Woody Allen, Jane Campion, and Darren Aronofsky. The 1980s marked a significant turning point in Hershey's film career, seeing her star in "The Stunt Man" opposite Peter O'Toole, "The Right Stuff," "The Natural" with Robert Redford, "Hannah and Her Sisters" alongside Woody Allen, "Hoosiers" featuring Gene Hackman, "Tin Men," "Shy People," "The Last Temptation of Christ," "A World Apart," and "Beaches" with Bette Midler. Hershey returned to the small screen in 1990 with a critically praised performance in "A Killing in a Small Town," followed by roles in "Paris Trout," "Return to Lonesome Dove," the British miniseries "Daniel Deronda," and the final season of "Chicago Hope." Throughout this period, she maintained a presence in feature films, receiving Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for "The Portrait of a Lady." Her filmography also includes Merchant-Ivory's "A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries" and the acclaimed Australian film "Lantana." More recently, Hershey has appeared in James Wan's popular cult film "Insidious" and Darren Aronofsky's award-winning "Black Swan," where she portrayed Natalie Portman's disturbed mother. Hershey currently resides in Los Angeles.