Angela Bettis

Angela Marie Bettis, born January 9, 1973, in Austin, Texas, is an American actress, film producer, and director. She attended Westlake High School in Austin and is the daughter of Richard Joseph Bettis and Mary Lynn Guthrie, with a twin brother, Joseph Edward Bettis. In April 2001, she married Kevin Gerard Ford, a director, cinematographer, and documentary filmmaker; the two also co-founded a film production company that same year before later divorcing.

Bettis began her career at age 18 with a lead role in the romantic tragedy Sparrow, directed by Franco Zeffirelli. She subsequently appeared in The Last Best Sunday before taking on supporting roles in Girl, Interrupted alongside Winona Ryder and in Bless the Child opposite Kim Basinger. Her work in Girl, Interrupted, in which she played Janet Webber, marked a significant early breakthrough.

Her Broadway career spanned from 1996 to 2002. She appeared in The Father in 1996 alongside Frank Langella, and in 2002 she portrayed Abigail Williams in a revival of Arthur Miller's The Crucible, sharing the stage with Liam Neeson and Laura Linney.

Bettis developed a notable professional relationship with writer and director Lucky McKee. Her title role in McKee's 2002 psychological horror film May earned her a cult following as well as the Brussels International Festival Award for Best Actress, the Catalan International Film Festival Award for Best Actress, and the Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress. She subsequently appeared in McKee's Masters of Horror episode Sick Girl and contributed voice-over work to his film The Woods. In 2006, their creative dynamic shifted when McKee acted in Roman, Bettis's directorial debut, which was based on a McKee script. The two collaborated again in 2011 on McKee's adaptation of Jack Ketchum's The Woman, in which Bettis played Belle Cleek.

Also in 2002, Bettis starred as Carrietta White in Carrie, a television adaptation of Stephen King's novel. Her performance drew praise from critics, including Linda Stasi of the New York Post and Ron Wertheimer of The New York Times. Additional film credits include Tobe Hooper's Toolbox Murders and the crime thriller Scar. On television, she appeared in the fifth season of Dexter as Emily Birch. Her role as Mandy in the 2020 black comedy 12 Hour Shift earned her a nomination for the Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Horror Movie.