Amy Wright

A specialist in still-waters-run-deep roles, the deceptively placid-looking Amy Wright is a graduate of Beloit College. After graduation, Wright worked as a drama instructor, then appeared in regional theater before establishing herself at New York's Circle Repertory. She made her off-Broadway debut in Strindberg's The Stronger, then took Broadway by storm in 1980 in a role especially written for her by Lanford Wilson in The Fifth of July. In films from 1975, Wright has been nothing short of brilliant as Sabbath Lily Hawks in Wise Blood (1979), creepy groupie Shelley in Woody Allen's Stardust Memories (1980), William Hurt's uptight sister, Rose, in The Accidental Tourist (1988), and strident beauty contestant Missy Mahoney in Miss Firecracker (1989). Making the transition to middle-aged character roles with élan, she has also been seen as Goody Gotwick in Demi Moore's remake of The Scarlet Letter (1995). Amy Wright is the mother of two children by her longtime companion, actor Rip Torn. - Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide