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Patricia Clarkson

Early Life and Education

Patricia Clarkson was born in 1959 in New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the daughter of Jackie Clarkson, a New Orleans politician and councilwoman, and Arthur Clarkson, a school administrator who worked in the Department of Medicine at Louisiana State University. Patricia grew up with four sisters in a supportive family environment that encouraged her artistic interests.

Related Biography: Bridget Fonda

Clarkson pursued her passion for acting by studying drama at Fordham University, where she graduated summa cum laude. She went on to earn a Master of Fine Arts from the prestigious Yale School of Drama. Her film debut came in 1987 when she portrayed the wife of Kevin Costner’s character in the crime drama The Untouchables.

Film and Television Career

Patricia Clarkson’s filmography is rich with diverse roles, both leading and supporting. Some of her most acclaimed performances have been in Easy A, Good Night, and Good Luck, Dogville, High Art, Far from Heaven, The Green Mile, The Station Agent, and Cairo Time. Early in her career, she often played supporting characters in high-profile movies including The Dead Pool, Everybody’s All-American, and Rocket Gibraltar. She also starred in the miniseries Alex Haley’s Queen and the television series Davis Rules.

Her breakthrough role came in 1998’s High Art, where she portrayed Greta, a former model and heroin addict. The performance earned critical acclaim and established Clarkson as a compelling character actress capable of complex portrayals. Reflecting on her craft, Clarkson has stated that acting is her life and the one thing she excels at above all else.


Quick Facts
Birth Date: 29 Dec, 1959
Age: 60 yrs
Occupations: Actor
Stage actor
Television actor
Film actor
Citizenship: United States of America
Birth Place: New Orleans
Education: Fordham University
Yale School of Drama
Gender: Female
Description: American actress
Net Worth 2021: 3 million
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Last Modified: Apr 7 2025
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