Brooke Smith
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Notes
Her godfather is actor Robert Redford.
"Brooke can literally turn on a dime emotionally. She can be in despair, then in ecstasy, then angry, in seconds. She is willing to show us the human being in all its ambiguity, strangeness and wonder. She also has an incredible sweetness and openness. And she works like a maniac." --Andre Gregory in The New York Times, December 4, 1994.
Biography
A tall (5'10"), striking brunette, Brooke Smith garnered attention as the tenacious captive of a serial killer in Jonathan Demme's Oscar-winning "The Silence of the Lambs" (1991) and as Sonya in Louis Malle's "Vanya on 42nd Street" (1994).
The daughter of a writer and a publicist (her mother Lois Smith has handled such clients as Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer), Smith has worked almost exclusively from her NYC base and has frequently been seen on stage. She earned strong reviews for her work as a victim in the 1991 Off-Broadway production "Walking the Dead" and in "The Triumph of Love" at Princeton's McCarter Theatre. For more than four years, she was a company member rehearsing "Uncle Vanya," directed by Andre Gregory at the Victory Theatre. She reprised the part in "Vanya on 42nd Street," which focused on the trials and tribulations of Gregory's troupe working on a production of the Chekhov play. Smith's take on Sonya varied from prior interpretations, presenting the character as intelligent and capable, not slow and pitiful.
Raised in Rockland County, New York, Smith attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and found work soon after graduation in an episode of the CBS drama "The Equalizer" (1988). That same year, she made her feature film debut in Alan Rudolph's stylish "The Moderns." The actress then alternated between stage and film, with small roles in "Mr. Wonderful" and as Matthew Broderick's flaky blind date in "The Night We Never Met" (both 1993). Smith appeared in Barbara Kopple's documentary "A Century of Women" (1994), was a willful female bonding with others at a yoga ranch in the independent feature "The Woman in the Moon" and an aspiring actress in Henry Jaglom's "Last Summer in the Hamptons" (both 1995). The following year, she was part of the ensemble casts of Robert Altman's "Kansas City" and Steve Buscemi's directorial debut "Trees Lounge." In 2001, Smith had her best role to date in "Series 7" as a very pregnant woman who was the reigning champion of a fictional TV series called "The Contenders" in which contestants had to kill one another to survive. Her character of Dawn returns to her hometown for the final round; if she survives, she would win her freedom. But first, she also had to confront demons from her past, including a former lover who is now pitted against her. Smith was terrific, running the gamut from cold-blooded killer to caring mother.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Life Events
1988
TV acting debut, an episode of the CBS drama series "The Equalizer"
1988
Made feature film debut in "The Moderns"
1990
First major film role, "The Silence of the Lambs"
1991
Won critical praise in "Walking the Dead" at NY's Circle Repertory Company
1994
Played Sonya in "Vanya on 42nd Street"
1996
Appeared in "Trees Lounge"
2001
Played Dawn Largato, the reigning champ of a fictional TV series in the satirical "Series 7"
2004
Played one of Claire Fisher's art teachers in the HBO series, "Six Feet Under"
2004
Cast in the TV movie "Iron Jawed Angels"
2005
Cast in Woody Allen's "Melinda and Melinda"
2005
Starred in the Curtis Hanson directed "In Her Shoes," adapted from Jennifer Weiner's best-selling novel
2006
Joined the cast of Neil LaBute's off-Broadway play "Some Girl(s)," co-starring Eric McCormack
2006
Had a recurring role as Dr. Erica Hahn in five episodes of "Grey's Anatomy's" (ABC) third season; became a regular cast member replacing Dr. Preston Burke as the hospital's head of cardiothoracics in the fourth season; character was written off just seven episodes into season five
2007
Cast in a recurring role on the Showtime series, "Weeds," as the ex-wife of Peter Scottson
2007
Cast opposite Kal Penn in director Mira Nair's "The Namesake," an adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri best selling novel
2007
Had a recurring role as Dr. Kate Switzer on "Crossing Jordan"
Videos
Movie Clip
Trailer
Family
Companions
Bibliography
Notes
Her godfather is actor Robert Redford.
"Brooke can literally turn on a dime emotionally. She can be in despair, then in ecstasy, then angry, in seconds. She is willing to show us the human being in all its ambiguity, strangeness and wonder. She also has an incredible sweetness and openness. And she works like a maniac." --Andre Gregory in The New York Times, December 4, 1994.
"My mother sort of knows everyone in the business. She could definitely open doors for me early on. It bothers ma, I have to admit. I'm sure Jonathan [Demme] knew who my mom was. Years ago he was a publicist." --Brooke Smith in The New York Times, December 4, 1994.
