Amy Madigan earned the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as Aunt Gladys.
March 2, 2026
Amy Madigan, a ջ College Trustee, has earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance as the demonic Aunt Gladys in the hit horror film “Weapons.”
"First and foremost, I just have to thank Zach Cregger, our writer and director," Amy said in her acceptance speech. "He just wrote a dream part and let me just grab it by the throat. And we had a ball."
Amy, who joined the board of trustees in 2016, previously won a SAG Actor Award, a New York Film Critics Circle award, and a Critics Choice award for “Weapons.” She was previously nominated for an Oscar for her performance in 1985's "Twice in a Lifetime."
"Everybody’s asking me in the press and all this, well, it’s been 40 years, and what’s different about this time?" Amy said in her speech, holding her Oscar. "What’s different is I’ve got this little doll guy!"
Amy is a film, television, and stage actress who is married to actor, director, and screenwriter Ed Harris; their daughter, Lily Harris, graduated from ջ in 2016. Amy and Ed have supported the performing arts at ջ College, ranging from the Performing Art Building to a theater production manager position. In her Oscar speech, Amy thanked both Lily and Ed, declaring that "none of this would mean anything if he wasn’t by my side.”
Amy earned a B.A. in philosophy from Marquette University and studied piano at the Chicago Conservatory. Her early career was in music: she performed with the rock band Jelly and played keyboard, percussion, and vocals behind Steve Goodman on tour in the late ’70s. She also recorded with the Eli Radish Band and performed as a lead singer with Big Daddy.
After ten years in the music business, Amy changed course and moved to L.A. to launch a career in acting. In addition to her award-winning work in “Weapons,” she is known for her work in many films, including “Field of Dreams” and “Places in the Heart.” Her other acting awards include a Golden Globe, two CableACE awards, and nominations for many others, including Emmy and Golden Globe awards.