Joanne Woodward captured the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1958 for her performance in The Three Faces of Eve, a role requiring her to portray three distinct personalities. Beyond her film work, she established a reputation for nuance, frequently collaborating with husband Paul Newman and demonstrating significant range across stage, television, and cinematic productions during her decades-long American career.
Early Development and Training
Born in 1930 in Thomasville, Georgia, Joanne Gignilliat Trimmier Woodward moved frequently during her youth, residing in Blakely, Thomaston, and Marietta before settling in Greenville, South Carolina. Influenced by her mother’s interest in film, she pursued acting at Louisiana State University before relocating to New York City. There, she refined her craft at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre under Sanford Meisner and participated in the Actors Studio.
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After early television appearances and an understudy role in the stage production of Picnic, Woodward secured a long-term contract with 20th Century Fox in 1956. Her film debut occurred in the 1955 Western Count Three and Pray. Her 1957 performance in The Three Faces of Eve brought critical acclaim and an Oscar. Throughout the 1960s, she appeared in films such as The Fugitive Kind, From the Terrace, and The Stripper, eventually earning further Academy Award recognition for her work in Rachel, Rachel.
Television and Mid-Career Range
Woodward expanded her repertoire into television and stage, receiving a Primetime Emmy Award for her role in See How She Runs in 1978. She continued to work with prominent figures, including a 1977 television production of Come Back, Little Sheba opposite Laurence Olivier. Her 1985 performance in a miniseries or movie earned her another Primetime Emmy Award. She notably earned a bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1990 at the age of 60.
Fast facts
- Born: 1930, Thomasville, United States
- Academy Award for Best Actress: 1958
- Education: Louisiana State University, Sarah Lawrence College
- Notable Role: The Three Faces of Eve (1957)
- Primetime Emmy Awards: 3 wins
- Kennedy Center Honors: 1992
- Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award: 1985
- Collaborations: Frequent co-star and partner of Paul Newman
Questions readers ask
What was Woodward's first feature film?
Her first feature film was the 1955 Western titled Count Three and Pray.
Did Woodward pursue higher education later in life?
Yes, she earned a bachelor's degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 1990 at age 60.
How many Golden Globe Awards did she receive?
She received three Golden Globe Awards throughout her career, specifically in 1957, 1968, and 1995.
Achievements
- Academy Award for Best Actress — 1958
- Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama — 1968
- Worked as television actor, film actor and voice actor
