Joanne Baron (born February 3, 1953) is an American actress and Meisner technique acting coach.[1] She was raised in Providence, Rhode Island and attended Classical and Pawtucket High Schools.[2] She received early acceptance to the University of Connecticut, then pursued Broadway opportunities and sang in Reno Sweeny's with Cissy Houston, Whitney Houston's mother. [citation needed]
Joanne Baron | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 3, 1953 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse | D.W. Brown (1985-present) |
Actress, producer
Baron's film acting credits include Valley Girl, National Lampoon's Joy of Sex, Real Genius, Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, Drag Me to Hell, Spider-Man 2, The Prince & Me, Allie & Me, Universal Soldier, Someone to Watch Over Me. Television appearances include roles on the Emmy award winning television show Mad Men, Law & Order, The Shield, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and the ABC series Lovers and Other Strangers.[3] She acted as executive producer for the TV movie Profoundly Normal starring Kirstie Alley and as producer on the films Perfume, Brooklyn Babylon, and Allie & Me, for which she won Best Actress at the River Run Film Festival. [citation needed] Joanne also has extensive stage credits including There Once Was a Girl from Pawtucket staged in Los Angeles and which received two Dramalogue Awards in 1997.[4]
Meisner Technique master teacher
Baron is known for her dedication to the work of Sanford Meisner and is a teacher of the Meisner technique, having owned a studio specializing in that technique since 1975.[5] She trained with Neighborhood Playhouse alum and master Meisner teacher, William Esper, who founded the MFA and BFA Professional Actor Training Programs at Rutgers University.[6] Her past students include Halle Berry, Robin Wright,[7] Mariska Hargitay, Patrick Dempsey, Leslie Mann,[8] and directors Martha Coolidge and Tom Shadyac.
Joanne Baron / D.W. Brown Acting Studio
For nearly fifty years, Baron has been co-owner and artistic director of the Joanne Baron / DW Brown Studio in Santa Monica, California, (an offshoot of The William Esper Studio in New York) with her husband, actor, acting coach and director, D.W. Brown.[9] Former students include Luca Bercovici, Ekin Tunçay Turan, Leslie Mann,[10] Channon Roe, Haley Webb, and Robin Wright.[11]
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Eyes of Laura Mars | Linda | |
| 1981 | C.O.D. | Rosalie | |
| 1983 | Valley Girl | Prom Host | |
| 1984 | Joy of Sex | Miss Post | |
| 1985 | Real Genius | Mrs. Taylor | |
| 1987 | Someone to Watch Over Me | Helen Greening | |
| 1987 | Medium Rare | Ruth | |
| 1992 | Eye of the Storm | Margaret | |
| 1992 | Universal Soldier | Brenda | |
| 1994 | Pet Shop | Marilyn Yeagher | |
| 1996 | The Dentist | Mrs. Saunders | |
| 1996 | Scene of the Crime | Marsha Levine | AKA, Ladykiller |
| 1997 | The Big Fall | Mrs. Brody | Video |
| 1997 | Allie & Me | Allie Dadadad | |
| 1997 | St. Patrick's Day | Priss | |
| 2001 | Brooklyn Babylon | Aunt Rose | |
| 2001 | Perfume | Janice Crawford | |
| 2001 | Burning Down the House | Brenda Goodman | |
| 2001 | Strings | Barbara | |
| 2001 | Hard Luck | Gretchen | |
| 2001 | The Theory of the Leisure Class | Barbara Beamer | |
| 2001 | The Myersons | Marilyn | |
| 2003 | Intoxicating | Dr. Eilene Preminger | |
| 2004 | The Prince & Me | Margueritte | |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Skeptical Scientist | |
| 2005 | Horror High | Ms. Prudence | Video |
| 2006 | Kalamazoo? | Mrs. Goldman | |
| 2006 | Material Girls | Gretchen | |
| 2006 | School for Scoundrels | Lois | |
| 2006 | Coffee Date | Mrs. Orsini | |
| 2006 | Pittsburgh | Joanne | |
| 2006 | God's Waiting List | Beryl | |
| 2007 | Stand Up | Suzanne | |
| 2007 | Blur | Penelope | |
| 2007 | The Ungodly | Megan | |
| 2007 | Steam | Diane | |
| 2008 | Damage Done | Mrs. Park | |
| 2008 | The Flyboys | Ms. Poulson | |
| 2008 | Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves | Elizabeth | |
| 2008 | Black Crescent Moon | Bitsy | |
| 2008 | iMurders | Christine Jensen | |
| 2009 | An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong | Mrs. Ziminsky | Video |
| 2009 | Everybody Dies | DEB | |
| 2009 | Heidi 4 Paws | Detie (voice) | |
| 2010 | Frankie & Alice | Susan Shaw | |
| 2010 | Bare Knuckles | Dorothy | |
| 2011 | On the Inside | Mrs. Standings | |
| 2011 | Life at the Resort | Nadya | |
| 2011 | Stan | Shelly Frankle | |
| 2012 | This is 40 | Vice Principal Laviati | |
| 2012 | The Trouble with Cali | Zelda Hirschorn | |
| 2012 | 3 Days of Normal | Liz | |
| 2013 | Decoding Annie Parker | Florence | |
| 2013 | Enemy Empire | Oracle | |
| 2014 | Murder of a Cat | Phyllis | |
| 2014 | Tribute | Sheila Spicer | Short |
| 2015 | I Remember You | Katie | |
| 2015 | The Sound of Magic | Maggie | |
| 2016 | Indignation | Mrs. Greenberg | |
| 2016 | Killer Assistant | Janet McAlper | |
| 2016 | Criticsized | Hilary Stone | |
| 2017 | Price for Freedom | Haleh | |
| 2017 | Man with Van | Hargrove | |
| 2017 | Deadly Exchange | Ruth | |
| 2018 | Frank & Ava | Hedda | |
| 2018 | Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance | Elizabeth | |
| 2018 | Kill Thy Neighbor | Katherine | |
| 2019 | The Creatress | Mrs. Freeman | |
| 2020 | Sno Babies | Sister Margaret | |
| 2021 | Tango Shalom | Hanna Meyer | |
| 2021 | Bart Bagalzby and the Garbage Genie | Maggie | |
| 2022 | Halloween Ends | Joan Cunningham | |
| 2023 | Critters, Carnivores and Creatures | Marilyn Yeagher |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Lovers and Other Strangers | Brenda | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1985 | The Twilight Zone | Mrs. Beacham | Episode: "Night of the Meek" |
| 1986–1988 | Sledge Hammer! | Mrs. Flambo, Wanda Hobbs | Episodes: "Under the Gun", "Death of a Few Salesmen", "Model Dearest" |
| 1988 | A Year in the Life | Margo | Episode: "Common Ground" |
| 1988 | First Impressions | Rhonda | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 1989 | Prime Target | Mrs. Weissman | TV film |
| 1989 | Chicken Soup | Mrs. Levine | Episode: "Community Service" |
| 1992 | Crazy in Love | Mona Tuckman | TV film |
| 1992 | Civil Wars | Mrs. Delvechio | Episode: "Grin and Bare It" |
| 1993, 1995 | Sisters | Edie, Stevye D'Lay | Episodes: "A Kick in the Caboose", "Word of Honor" |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Judith Jacobs | Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back" |
| 1999 | Veronica's Closet | Brenda | Episodes: "Veronica's Desk Job", "Veronica's Night at the Theater", "Veronica Says Goodbye" |
| 2000 | Diagnosis: Murder | Rabbi Nussbaum | Episode: "All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Die" |
| 2001 | The Ponder Heart | Miss Teacake Magee | TV film |
| 2001 | Going to California | Barbara | Episode: "Hurricane Al: A Tale of Key Largo" |
| 2003 | Street Time | Beverly | Episode: "Hostage" |
| 2004 | Strong Medicine | Brenda | Episode: "Ears, Ho's & Threat" |
| 2004 | ER | Virgie | Episode: "NICU" |
| 2007 | While the Children Sleep | Mel Olson | TV film |
| 2008 | The Shield | Marianne | Episode: "Family Meeting" |
| 2010 | Law & Order | Danielle Payne | Episode: "Blackmail" |
| 2010 | Medium Rare | Ruth | Episode: "1.1" |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Hildy Glaser | Episode: "Three-in-One" |
| 2011 | L.A. Noire | Elinor Hopkin (voice) | Video game |
| 2011 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Rabbi Stein | Episode: "Palestinian Chicken" |
| 2012 | The Unknown | Susan | Episode: "Yesterday" |
| 2013–14, 2017, 2019 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Diane Schwartz | Episodes: "Military Justice", "Glasgowman's Wrath", "The Newsroom", "Brothel" |
| 2014 | Rake | Anne | Episode: "Cannibal" |
| 2015 | The Bar Mitzvah Club | Mrs. Goldstein | TV film |
| 2016 | Murder in the First | Ruth Adler | Episode: "Follow the Money" |
| 2017 | Grace and Frankie | Cheryl | Episode: "The Other Vibrator" |
| 2017 | Lady Dynamite | Barb Persecki | Episode: "Wet Raccoon" |
| 2017 | Romance at Reindeer Lodge | Val | TV film |
| 2018 | Bad Escorts | Mrs. Worthington | Episodes: "Training Day", "Revelations and Blindfolds", "Rendezvous" |
| 2019 | Total Eclipse | Ms. Reardon | Episodes: "Future Self", "Brownie Points", "One Turkey Sandwich", "Breakout", "Ditch Day", "Lights Out", "Millwood Casanova", "Sam's Jam", "Come with Me" |
| 2019 | Crashing | Shoshanna | Episode: "The Temple Gig" |
| 2019 | This Is Us | Gina | Episode: "Flip a Coin" |
| 2022 | Euphoria | Judy Daley | Episode: "Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys" |
| 2022 | Billions | Lorna MacGowan | Episode: "Lyin' Eyes" |
| 2023 | The Lincoln Lawyer | Margo Schafer | Episodes: "Discovery", "Suspicious Minds" |
| 2023 | The Morning Show | Brenda Litchfield | Episode: "The Overview Effect" |