Born in Chicago, IL; adopted and raised in a suburb of Pittsburgh, PA; educated at Bethany College and the Yale School of Drama. Intelligent, versatile lead and character player who has given two outstanding performances as troubled Southern wives: in the Coen brothers' (Ethan and Joel) BLOOD SIMPLE (1984), as an adulteress caught in a web of murder and suspicion; and in Alan Parker's MISSISSIPPI BURNING (1988), as the long-suffering wife who finally helps the FBI convict her Klansman husband and his cronies. She proved her versatility with her Oscar®-winning performance as the pregnant sheriff in the Coen brothers' FARGO (1996). Other notable (non-nominated) credits include RAISING ARIZONA (1987), DARKMAN and MILLER'S CROSSING (uncredited) (both 1990), THE BUTCHER'S WIFE (1991), PASSED AWAY (1992), SHORT CUTS (1993), BEYOND RANGOON and PALOOKAVILLE (both 1995), PRIMAL FEAR and LONE STAR (both 1996), PARADISE ROAD (1997), JOHNNY SKIDMARKS (1998), WONDER BOYS (2000), THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE and UPHEAVAL (both 2001), LAUREL CANYON, SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER and CITY BY THE SEA (all 2002), SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (2003), LAST NIGHT (2004), NORTH COUNTRY and ÆON FLUX (both 2005), FRIENDS WITH MONEY (2006), and MISS PETTIGREW LIVES FOR A DAY and BURN AFTER READING (both scheduled for 2008). Since 1984, she has been married Joel Coen; they have three children, one of whom they adopted from Paraguay in 1994.  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 1988: MISSISSIPPI BURNING  Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role 1996: FARGO  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 2000: ALMOST FAMOUS  Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role 2005: NORTH COUNTRY 4 nominations, 1 Award