A 1980s actress who appeared in a horror classic stepped out for a rare outing in Beverly Hills last week.
The 77-year-old star kicked off her successful career in the entertainment industry beginning in the mid-70s as she took on minor roles on television shows.
She has appeared alongside a number of celebrities over the years including Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Gene Wilder.
The actress has additionally garnered recognition for her work such as raking in both an Oscar and Emmy nominations.
The star is married to a Hollywood director who has helmed films including The Santa Clause (1994) and Miss Congeniality 2 (2005).
Can you guess who it is?
An 80s actress who appeared in a horror classic stepped out for a rare outing in Beverly Hills last week – can you guess who it is?
She has appeared alongside a number of celebrities over the years including Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close and Gene Wilder
It is JoBeth Williams – who is known for playing the leading role of Diane Freeling in the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist.
The actress kept it casual wearing a black button up as well as a plain black shirt underneath during the recent daytime excursion.
She additionally opted for a pair of dark brown sweatpants and comfy sneakers.
The star’s shorter locks were parted in the middle and curled into waves to brush the tips of her shoulders.
Williams completed the ensemble by sporting a pair of black-rimmed shades and carried a black Yves Saint Laurent purse over her shoulder.
The actress was born in December 1948 in Houston, Texas and began pursuing her interest in acting when she was a teenager by appearing in theater productions.
She attended Brown University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English and trained at the Trinity Repertory Company.
Her first professional acting credit was when she took on a guest role in a 1984 episode of Great Performances.
It is JoBeth Williams – who is known for playing the leading role of Diane Freeling in the 1982 supernatural horror movie Poltergeist; seen far left with Beatrice Straight (right)
The actress kept it casual wearing a black button up as well as a plain black shirt underneath
She additionally opted for a pair of dark brown sweatpants and comfy sneakers for the daytime excursion
Williams completed the ensemble by sporting a pair of black-rimmed shades and carried a black Yves Saint Laurent purse over her shoulder
The actress was born in December 1948 in Houston, Texas and began pursuing her interest in acting when she was a teenager by appearing in theater productions
She attended Brown University where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in English and trained at the Trinity Repertory Company
Williams also appeared in episodes of the NBC soap opera Somerset in 1976 as well as the daytime soap opera Guiding Light.
She began to gain recognition when she took on a role in the legal drama Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) also starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep.
The project was both a critical and box office success – and won the Academy Award for Best Picture.
Williams continued to appear on the big screen in movies such as Stir Crazy (1980) with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.
Two years later, the actress was cast in a leading role in the supernatural horror movie Poltergeist alongside Craig T. Nelson.
The film was directed by Tobe Hooper while the screenplay was co-written by Steven Spielberg.
Poltergeist was a box office success and garnered around $121 million on a budget of $10.7 million. The project also received three Oscar nominations, including for Best Visual Effects.
Williams played mom Diane in the movie and previously recalled the production being a ‘brutal shoot.’
Williams also appeared in episodes of the NBC soap opera Somerset in 1976 as well as the daytime soap opera Guiding Light
She began to gain recognition when she took on a role in the legal drama Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) also starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep
Two years later, the actress was cast in a leading role in the supernatural horror movie Poltergeist alongside Craig T. Nelson (seen above)
‘It was physically very hard,’ she recalled to Variety in 2019. ‘The director [Tobe Hooper] would say, “Ok, now you’re really upset so we need you all to really be screaming.”
‘And we said, “What are we screaming at?” And he said, “We’re not really sure yet what it’s going to be.”‘
Williams added, ‘So I thought we all came through it not looking like people who didn’t know what they were doing… And also I thought it turned out to be a really good movie.’
The actress also discussed Spielberg’s involvement in the film while previously talking to Vanity Fair.
‘I think, in his heart of hearts, he would’ve loved to have directed it. He was always there,’ Williams told the outlet.
She said that Hooper ‘very much listened to Steven’s ideas about things, because it was Steven’s movie, really.
‘And I’m sure there were times when it drove Tobe crazy to have Steven so actively involved, but he never let on.’
The star added that ‘Tobe would give direction, sometimes Steven would add to that or give other direction, but I think it’s fair to say that it was sort of a combo of the two of them, because certainly Steven was actively involved.’
Williams added, ‘So I thought we all came through it not looking like people who didn’t know what they were doing… And also I thought it turned out to be a really good movie’; seen above in Poltergeist (1982)
The actress also discussed Spielberg’s involvement in the supernatural horror film while previously talking to Vanity Fair; Spielberg seen earlier this month in Las Vegas
In 1986, Williams reprised her role of Diane in the sequel Poltergeist II: The Other Side.
Throughout the 80s, she starred in other projects such as The Big Chill (1983), Teachers (1984) and Welcome Home (1989).
She took on a role in the 1983 TV movie Adam which garnered her an Emmy nomination. The actress once again raked in another Emmy nod for her performance in the 1988 TV miniseries Baby M.
Her career continued into the 90s as she was cast in films such as Wyatt Earp (1994) and Jungle 2 Jungle (1997).
She appeared in episodes of shows including Frasier as well as The Client.
During the 2000s, Williams took on smaller roles in television series including Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, Dexter, Private Practice, NCIS, Hart Of Dixie and The Good Doctor.
Throughout the 80s, she starred in other projects such as The Big Chill (1983), Teachers (1984) and Welcome Home (1989); seen in 1986 in L.A.
Williams has experience stepping behind the camera and directed the 1994 short film On Hope which garnered her an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short Film; seen in 2025 in L.A.
Her most recent credit was in the 2025 survival thriller titled Not Without Hope with Zachary Levi.
Williams has experience stepping behind the camera and directed the 1994 short film On Hope which garnered her an Oscar nomination for Best Live Action Short Film.
The actress tied the knot with director John Pasquin in 1982 and the couple have welcomed two children together.
Pasquin is known for stepping behind the camera on films such as The Santa Clause (1994), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) as well as episodes of shows including Growing Pains and Last Man Standing.
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