Shortly after obtaining her degree in drama, Holly moved to New York to begin a career in theater. During the early 80s, she made money waiting tables, doing temp work, and starring in various off-Broadway plays. One fateful day, Holly found herself stuck in a stalled elevator with playwright Beth Henley. This chance meeting led to Holly’s first Broadway role in the 1982 production of Crimes of the Heart.
Holly’s first onscreen role came in 1981. She starred alongside Jason Alexander in the horror film The Burning, which mirrors the theme of cult-classic Friday the 13th, revolving around a summer camp massacre. In 1982, Holly moved to Los Angeles where she appeared in various made-for-TV movies. At this time, Holly shared a house with other industry professionals, including actress Frances McDormand, director Sam Raimi, and directors Joel and Ethan Coen, also known as "The Coen Brothers." Over the next few years, Holly played small parts in films such as Svengali in 1983, Swing Shift in 1984, and Blood Simple in 1984. However, her breakthrough role came in the 1987 comedy, Raising Arizona, which also co-stars Nicolas Cage, William Forsythe, and John Goodman.
In 1987, Holly received her first Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of an ambitious workaholic in James L Brooks’s romantic comedy, Broadcast News. The recognition she gained led to a variety of offers – in 1989 she starred in a screen adaptation of Henley's Miss Firecracker, Steven Spielberg's romantic drama Always, and the made-for-TV drama Roe vs. Wade. Holly has admitted to taking a proactive role in initiating work with some of the industry’s best directors; spreading the word around Hollywood regarding which directors she would most like to work with.
The year 1993 was stand-out for Holly. She was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in The Firm, a John Grisham thriller co-starring Gene Hackman and Tom Cruise. She also took home the award for Best Leading Actress for her portrayal of a mute Scottish woman in The Piano, co-starring Harvey Keitel. During the mid-90s, Holly starred in films such as Copycat (1995), alongside Sigourney Weaver; the controversial fetish-film Crash (1996), which was originally banned in London and Argentina; as well as Home for the Holidays (1995), directed by Jodie Foster. In 1999, Holly, who is an atheist, turned down the role of God in Kevin Smith’s film, Dogma, which later went to Canadian singer Alanis Morisette.
The new millennium has brought some interesting and diverse projects for Holly. In 2003 she starred with Billy Bob Thornton and Morgan Freeman in Levity, a drama that was panned by critics. In 2004, Holly received another nomination for Best Supporting Actress for Thirteen, a film for which she also served as executive producer. That same year, she took on a new genre, lending her voice to the animated Pixar hit The Incredibles.
Holly shared a six-year marriage with Janusz Kaminski, the Oscar-winning cinematographer of Schindler's List, before divorcing in 2001. Since then, she has been in a relationship with British actor and former co-star Gordon MacDonald. The couple welcomed the birth of twin boys in January, 2006.
YUDDY
