Jill Clayburgh: Movies, Awards & Box Office

Jill Clayburgh (April 30, 1944 – November 5, 2010) was a celebrated American actress known for her work in theater, television, and cinema. Born in New York City, Clayburgh launched her career in 1968 after acting as a student in summer stock and was active until her death in 2010. Her breakthrough role came in 1978 with Paul Mazursky's comedy-drama An Unmarried Woman, which earned her an Academy Award nomination and the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. What defined Clayburgh's career was her fearlessness; she was not one to shy away from roles exploring socially taboo themes. In 1976, she depicted Carole Lombard's larkishness in Gable and Lombard, and in 1979, she portrayed a manipulative opera singer in controversial La Luna. Even though she wasn't always cast in roles she wanted, Clayburgh had a unique acting versatility that made her capable of presenting a wide range of emotions convincingly—from unhinged rebellion to desperate loneliness. Despite a dwindling film career in the mid-1980s, she continued to work in television and returned to theater, earning praise for performances in Noël Coward's Design for Living and Bob Balaban's production of The Exonerated. Towards the latter part of her career, Clayburgh focused on roles that leveraged her natural appeal as a nurturing mother figure, earning her further critical acclaim.