Mercedes Ruehl

Mercedes Ruehl is an American actress known for stage and screen performances and for winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The Fisher King (1991).

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The Fisher King: A 1991 film directed by Terry Gilliam, starring Robin Williams and Jeff Bridges. Ruehl won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing Anne Napolitano.
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress: An annual Academy Award recognizing a female performer in a supporting film role. Ruehl received it for The Fisher King, bringing her screen work the film industry’s highest-profile honor.
Terry Gilliam: An American-born film director, screenwriter, animator, and member of the comedy group Monty Python. He directed The Fisher King, the film that earned Ruehl her Academy Award.
American theater: The tradition of live theatrical performance and playwriting in the United States. Ruehl’s Broadway and Off-Broadway work forms a substantial part of her career.
Married to the Mob: A 1988 comedy film directed by Jonathan Demme about a mobster’s widow seeking a new life. Ruehl played Connie Russo, a performance that brought her wider film recognition.
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play: A Tony Award category honoring a leading performance by an actress in a Broadway play. Ruehl won for Lost in Yonkers, reflecting her standing as a stage performer.
Neil Simon: An American playwright and screenwriter known for Broadway comedies and dramas. His Lost in Yonkers gave Ruehl the role for which she won her first Tony Award.
Broadway theatre: Professional theater presented in the Broadway district of Manhattan, New York City. Ruehl won Tony Awards for performances in Broadway productions.
Lost in Yonkers: A 1991 Neil Simon play about two brothers sent to live with their grandmother and aunt. Ruehl won a Tony Award for her Broadway performance as Bella.
Obie Award: An award recognizing achievement in Off-Broadway theater in New York City. Ruehl’s theater career includes Off-Broadway recognition alongside Broadway honors.