Diana Scarwid

Diana Elizabeth Scarwid is a retired American actress, best known for her portrayal of adult Christina Crawford in Mommie Dearest (1980). She received nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Inside Moves (1980), and for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Truman (1995). She has over 70 film and television credits to her name. Her films include Pretty Baby (1978), Honeysuckle Rose (1980), Rumble Fish, Silkwood (both 1983), Psycho III, Heat, Extremities (all 3 in 1986), The Neon Bible (1995), Bastard Out of Carolina (1996), What Lies Beneath (2000), A Guy Thing (2003), Party Monster (2003), The Clearing (2004), and Another Happy Day (2011). She's had roles in numerous TV movies including Truman (1995) as Bess Truman, The Possessed (1977), Desperate Lives (1982), A Bunny's Tale (1985), Night of the Hunter (1991), Ruby Bridges (1998), Before He Wakes (1998), Down Will Come Baby (1999), Path to War (2002), Tribute (2009), and more. She had a main role as Karen Tyler on the series Wonderfalls, and recurring role as Mother Superior on the TV series Pushing Daisies. She has also guest starred on several TV series including Starsky & Hutch, the original Hawaii Five-O, The X-Files, Law & Order, Law & Order: SVU, Prison Break, Lost, Cold Case, Heroes, and Criminal Minds.

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Bastard Out of Carolina (1996)

DepressingHeartbreakingDisturbingEmotional

A poor, struggling South Carolinian mother and daughter face painful choices with their resolve and pride. Bone, the eldest daughter, and Anney her tired mother, grow both closer and farther apart: Anney sees Glen as her last chance.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anjelica Huston
CAST:  Jennifer Jason Leigh  •  Lyle Lovett  •  Christina Ricci  •  Jena Malone

A poor, struggling South Carolinian mother and daughter face painful choices with their resolve and pride. Bone, the eldest daughter, and Anney her tired mother, grow both closer and farther apart: Anney sees Glen as her last chance.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anjelica Huston
CAST:  Jennifer Jason Leigh  •  Lyle Lovett  •  Christina Ricci  •  Jena Malone

Path to War (2003)

A powerful drama of soaring ambition and shattered dreams that takes a provocative insider's look at the way the USA goes to war—as seen from inside the LBJ White House leading up to and during the Vietnam War.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Frankenheimer
CAST:  Michael Gambon  •  Donald Sutherland  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Bruce McGill

A powerful drama of soaring ambition and shattered dreams that takes a provocative insider's look at the way the USA goes to war—as seen from inside the LBJ White House leading up to and during the Vietnam War.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Frankenheimer
CAST:  Michael Gambon  •  Donald Sutherland  •  Alec Baldwin  •  Bruce McGill

Pretty Baby (1978)

Action-packed

Hattie, a New Orleans prostitute, meets a photographer named Bellocq at her brothel one night and, after he photographs her, he befriends her 12-year-old daughter, Violet. When Violet is brought on as a working girl by her mother's madam and Hattie skips town to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Louis Malle
CAST:  Brooke Shields  •  Keith Carradine  •  Susan Sarandon  •  Frances Faye

Hattie, a New Orleans prostitute, meets a photographer named Bellocq at her brothel one night and, after he photographs her, he befriends her 12-year-old daughter, Violet. When Violet is brought on as a working girl by her mother's madam and Hattie skips town to ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Louis Malle
CAST:  Brooke Shields  •  Keith Carradine  •  Susan Sarandon  •  Frances Faye

Psycho III (1986)

Norman Bates is still running his little motel, and he has kept the dressed skeleton he calls 'mother'. One day a nosey journalist comes to see him to ask questions about his past.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Perkins
CAST:  Anthony Perkins  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Jeff Fahey  •  Roberta Maxwell

Norman Bates is still running his little motel, and he has kept the dressed skeleton he calls 'mother'. One day a nosey journalist comes to see him to ask questions about his past.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Anthony Perkins
CAST:  Anthony Perkins  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Jeff Fahey  •  Roberta Maxwell

Rumble Fish (1983)

Rusty James, an absent-minded street thug, struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation, and longs for the days when gang warfare was going on.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Francis Ford Coppola
CAST:  Matt Dillon  •  Mickey Rourke  •  Diane Lane  •  Dennis Hopper

Rusty James, an absent-minded street thug, struggles to live up to his legendary older brother's reputation, and longs for the days when gang warfare was going on.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Francis Ford Coppola
CAST:  Matt Dillon  •  Mickey Rourke  •  Diane Lane  •  Dennis Hopper

Silkwood (1983)

Thought provokingReal

The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kurt Russell  •  Cher  •  Craig T. Nelson

The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mike Nichols
CAST:  Meryl Streep  •  Kurt Russell  •  Cher  •  Craig T. Nelson

Truman (1995)

Biographical account of America's President for the latter part of WWII. Shows Truman's rise from small-town nobody to leader of the USA, his decision to use the Atomic Bomb against Japan, and subsequent election as the US' post-war President.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Pierson
CAST:  Gary Sinise  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Richard Dysart  •  Colm Feore

Biographical account of America's President for the latter part of WWII. Shows Truman's rise from small-town nobody to leader of the USA, his decision to use the Atomic Bomb against Japan, and subsequent election as the US' post-war President.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Pierson
CAST:  Gary Sinise  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Richard Dysart  •  Colm Feore

What Lies Beneath (2000)

When Claire Spencer starts hearing ghostly voices and seeing spooky images, she wonders if an otherworldly spirit is trying to contact her. All the while, her husband tries to reassure her by telling her it's all in her head. But as Claire investigates, she ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Zemeckis
CAST:  Harrison Ford  •  Michelle Pfeiffer  •  Diana Scarwid  •  James Remar

When Claire Spencer starts hearing ghostly voices and seeing spooky images, she wonders if an otherworldly spirit is trying to contact her. All the while, her husband tries to reassure her by telling her it's all in her head. But as Claire investigates, she ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Zemeckis
CAST:  Harrison Ford  •  Michelle Pfeiffer  •  Diana Scarwid  •  James Remar

Party Monster (2003)

The New York club scene of the 80s and 90s was a world like no other. Into this candy-colored, mirror ball playground stepped Michael Alig, a wannabe from nowhere special. Under the watchful eye of veteran club kid James St. James, Alig quickly rose to the top... ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fenton Bailey  •  Randy Barbato
CAST:  Seth Green  •  Macaulay Culkin  •  Chloë Sevigny  •  Diana Scarwid

The New York club scene of the 80s and 90s was a world like no other. Into this candy-colored, mirror ball playground stepped Michael Alig, a wannabe from nowhere special. Under the watchful eye of veteran club kid James St. James, Alig quickly rose to the top... ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Fenton Bailey  •  Randy Barbato
CAST:  Seth Green  •  Macaulay Culkin  •  Chloë Sevigny  •  Diana Scarwid

The Clearing (2004)

Slow movingDepressing

When affluent executive Wayne Hayes is kidnapped by a disgruntled employee and held for ransom in a forest, Wayne’s wife is forced to reckon with the FBI agents as they negotiate with the kidnapper.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Pieter Jan Brugge
CAST:  Robert Redford  •  Helen Mirren  •  Willem Dafoe  •  Alessandro Nivola

When affluent executive Wayne Hayes is kidnapped by a disgruntled employee and held for ransom in a forest, Wayne’s wife is forced to reckon with the FBI agents as they negotiate with the kidnapper.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Pieter Jan Brugge
CAST:  Robert Redford  •  Helen Mirren  •  Willem Dafoe  •  Alessandro Nivola

Inside Moves (1980)

After a failed suicide attempt leaves him partially crippled, Rory begins spending a lot of time at a neighborhood bar full of interesting misfits. When Jerry the bartender suddenly finds himself playing basketball for the Golden State Warriors, Rory and the rest ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Donner
CAST:  John Savage  •  David Morse  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Amy Wright

After a failed suicide attempt leaves him partially crippled, Rory begins spending a lot of time at a neighborhood bar full of interesting misfits. When Jerry the bartender suddenly finds himself playing basketball for the Golden State Warriors, Rory and the rest ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Richard Donner
CAST:  John Savage  •  David Morse  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Amy Wright

A Guy Thing (2003)

Paul Morse is a good guy. When his friends throw him a wild bachelor party, he just wants to keep his conscience clean -- which is why he's shocked when he wakes up in bed with a beautiful girl named Becky and can't remember the night before. Desperate to keep his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Koch
CAST:  Jason Lee  •  Julia Stiles  •  Selma Blair  •  James Brolin

Paul Morse is a good guy. When his friends throw him a wild bachelor party, he just wants to keep his conscience clean -- which is why he's shocked when he wakes up in bed with a beautiful girl named Becky and can't remember the night before. Desperate to keep his ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Chris Koch
CAST:  Jason Lee  •  Julia Stiles  •  Selma Blair  •  James Brolin

The Cure (1995)

Erik, a loner, finds a friend in Dexter, an eleven-year-old boy with AIDS. They vow to find a cure for AIDS together and save Dexter's life in an eventful summer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Horton
CAST:  Brad Renfro  •  Aeryk Egan  •  Nicky Katt  •  Diana Scarwid

Erik, a loner, finds a friend in Dexter, an eleven-year-old boy with AIDS. They vow to find a cure for AIDS together and save Dexter's life in an eventful summer.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Peter Horton
CAST:  Brad Renfro  •  Aeryk Egan  •  Nicky Katt  •  Diana Scarwid

Mommie Dearest (1981)

Renowned actress Joan Crawford, at the height of her career, adopts two orphans — Christina and Christopher — to fill the lonely gap in her personal life. However, as her professional and romantic relationships sour, Joan's already callous and abusive behavior ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Perry
CAST:  Faye Dunaway  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Steve Forrest  •  Howard Da Silva

Renowned actress Joan Crawford, at the height of her career, adopts two orphans — Christina and Christopher — to fill the lonely gap in her personal life. However, as her professional and romantic relationships sour, Joan's already callous and abusive behavior ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Frank Perry
CAST:  Faye Dunaway  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Steve Forrest  •  Howard Da Silva

Forever (1978)

Romantic drama about a teenage girl's first love and the perennial adolescent dilemma of whether to give herself to him in order to hang on to him. Based on the novel by Judy Blume.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Korty
CAST:  Stephanie Zimbalist  •  Dean Butler  •  John Friedrich  •  Beth Raines

Romantic drama about a teenage girl's first love and the perennial adolescent dilemma of whether to give herself to him in order to hang on to him. Based on the novel by Judy Blume.  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Korty
CAST:  Stephanie Zimbalist  •  Dean Butler  •  John Friedrich  •  Beth Raines

The Angel of Pennsylvania Avenue (1996)

When an unemployed Detroit man is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, his three children are determined to get him out of jail in time for Christmas and they decide to enlist the help of "the most powerful man in the world" - President Hoover. En route to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Ellis Miller
CAST:  Diana Scarwid  •  Robert Urich  •  Tegan Moss  •  Britt Irvin

When an unemployed Detroit man is arrested for a crime he didn't commit, his three children are determined to get him out of jail in time for Christmas and they decide to enlist the help of "the most powerful man in the world" - President Hoover. En route to the ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Ellis Miller
CAST:  Diana Scarwid  •  Robert Urich  •  Tegan Moss  •  Britt Irvin

Extremities (1986)

A woman escapes from the man who is about to rape her, but leaves her purse behind. Afraid that her attacker might come after her, she goes to the police, but with no proof of the incident, they can do nothing. In fact, the man does use the information in her bag ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert M. Young
CAST:  Farrah Fawcett  •  James Russo  •  Alfre Woodard  •  Diana Scarwid

A woman escapes from the man who is about to rape her, but leaves her purse behind. Afraid that her attacker might come after her, she goes to the police, but with no proof of the incident, they can do nothing. In fact, the man does use the information in her bag ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert M. Young
CAST:  Farrah Fawcett  •  James Russo  •  Alfre Woodard  •  Diana Scarwid

In the Glitter Palace (1977)

The ex-girlfriend of a laywer, who left him for a lesbian lover, asks him to defend her lover in a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Chad Everett  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Carole Cook  •  Howard Duff

The ex-girlfriend of a laywer, who left him for a lesbian lover, asks him to defend her lover in a murder case.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Butler
CAST:  Chad Everett  •  Barbara Hershey  •  Carole Cook  •  Howard Duff

The Ladies Club (1986)

A policewoman who was raped forms a vigilante group of various rape victims. They abduct and castrate men who have committed repeated violations of women and gotten away with it through legal technicalities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Janet Greek
CAST:  Shera Danese  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Karen Austin  •  Christine Belford

A policewoman who was raped forms a vigilante group of various rape victims. They abduct and castrate men who have committed repeated violations of women and gotten away with it through legal technicalities.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Janet Greek
CAST:  Shera Danese  •  Diana Scarwid  •  Karen Austin  •  Christine Belford

Another Happy Day (2011)

A wedding at her parents' Annapolis estate hurls high-strung Lynn into the center of touchy family dynamics.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Levinson
CAST:  Ellen Barkin  •  Ezra Miller  •  Kate Bosworth  •  Ellen Burstyn

A wedding at her parents' Annapolis estate hurls high-strung Lynn into the center of touchy family dynamics.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Sam Levinson
CAST:  Ellen Barkin  •  Ezra Miller  •  Kate Bosworth  •  Ellen Burstyn
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