Before making it big in Hollywood, this now-celebrated star took on humble, everyday jobs—including slicing meat at a deli—never imagining that her grit and passion for acting would one day land her one of the industry’s most prestigious awards, triumphing over some of the best in the business.
Best known for her unforgettable role in 1996’s Twister, she has spent the majority of her life under the spotlight. Today, she stands as an icon—proof that dedication and love for the craft can weather any storm.
The Celebrity’s Road to Stardom
Born on November 3, 1930, in Topeka, Kansas, this legendary star grew up in a household where creativity and dedication were woven into daily life. Her father worked for the telephone company by day, but by night, he directed biblical plays at their local Protestant church. For this young dreamer, the world of acting felt like a natural calling.
As she fondly recalled, “They weren’t for entertainment,” but she found herself captivated by the plays nonetheless. She loved the rehearsals, and when her father needed a last-minute replacement, she was already prepared—having memorized every line. It was clear early on that she was destined for the stage.
As her father continued directing biblical plays, he eventually handed his youngest daughter an Old Testament costume and gave her her first starring roles. She fondly remembered the thrill of performing, saying, “That was the beginning.” By the time she turned 18, she had already married Wesley Smith, a teacher, and the two soon made the move to New York.
In the bustling city, while chasing acting dreams, she worked at a deli slicing salami and even checked hats at the iconic Russian Tea Room. It was a time of hustle, but she was determined to make it.
When her first acting role came through, she briefly entertained the idea of adopting a more glamorous stage name. Yet, she quickly decided it wasn’t worth the effort and chose to keep her married name—straightforward, simple, and true to herself. Her focus remained squarely on acting, not the fame that often accompanied it.
In 1955, she reached a major milestone when she appeared in LIFE magazine, alongside rising Broadway stars like Jayne Mansfield. Reflecting on the experience, she shrugged and said, “Somebody must have gotten the idea to put us all on the cover.”
For the shoot, she wore an off-the-shoulder red dress—her stage costume—and gazed directly into the camera. The magazine lauded her “pale-faced intensity,” while Mansfield stood just behind her in a glamorous strapless sequin dress.
At 25, the actress was the oldest among the starlets photographed for that iconic LIFE magazine cover, many of whom were still teenagers. By 2017, her career had spanned decades, and when she talked about developing a new line-learning method in “recent years,” she was referring to “the last 25 or so.”
By then, she was the only surviving star from that legendary shoot. Her enduring presence in the industry seemed less like a meticulously planned career strategy and more like the instinct of an actress drawn to new and challenging roles. Reflecting on her path, the star confessed, “I don’t think I was ever particularly a planner.”
At the time of the magazine cover, she told a journalist she hadn’t “realized all my stage ambitions.” It wasn’t fame or accolades she sought—what she longed for was the chance to play Nina in The Seagull.
On Broadway, she eventually performed in works by some of the greatest playwrights: Harold Pinter, Bertolt Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, John Steinbeck, Sam Shepard, and Tony Kushner. She even starred in three Chekhov plays. However, by the time she finally took on The Seagull, she had aged past Nina and portrayed the formidable Madame Arkadina instead.
Beyond the stage, she became widely recognized for her performances in films like Minority Report (2002) and Lady Bird (2017). Despite launching her career when rigid appearance standards for women prevailed and cosmetic procedures were on the rise, she chose to embrace aging naturally.
Sticking to Natural Beauty & Working with Other Greats
At one point, she admitted to worrying about her age—not out of vanity, but because of the changing expectations in the industry. As she grew older and her dark hair began turning white at the roots, she embraced it, letting nature run its course. “Nature just decided to gray me that way,” she explained with a smile, adding, “I really liked the way it happened.”
Before that, her challenge was looking younger than her age—often trying to appear younger than what her driver’s license said. At just 22, she played a 16-year-old drama queen in her Broadway debut in Time Out for Ginger, proving her versatility from the very start.
A few years later, while preparing a skit for The Loretta Young Show, a director remarked that she didn’t look old enough for one of her character’s lines. With a twinkle in her eye, she quipped, “Why don’t we say I’m between 15 and 100?”
The actress had so much fun with the ad-lib that she not only used it on-air during the skit but also worked it into interviews. Her career has flourished ever since, with a steady stream of stage and screen roles, beginning with her Broadway debut in 1952’s Time Out for Ginger, followed shortly by her film debut in East of Eden.
Over the years, she worked alongside some of the most iconic figures in theater, and in 2020, she shared invaluable insights from those experiences during an episode of Stagecraft, Variety’s theater podcast. One such mentor was Lee Strasberg, the legendary acting teacher.
Reflecting on her time in The Inheritance on Broadway and her role in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, she shared that she had learned just as much from watching other actors as from performing herself. That same year, her decades of dedication to the craft culminated in a momentous achievement.
Making History
Lois Smith’s journey to a Tony Award was decades in the making. She was first nominated in 1990 for The Grapes of Wrath, and again in 1996 for Buried Child, both for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
But at 90, she made history as the oldest performer to ever win a Tony Award for acting. Her first win came for her portrayal of Margaret, a caretaker at a sanctuary for men dying from AIDS-related illnesses, in Part 2 of Matthew López’s monumental six-hour-plus epic, The Inheritance.
Reflecting on her work in The Inheritance, Lois Smith shared, “I love the processes of live theater.” She had joined the production during its workshop phase while Matthew López was still fine-tuning the script, inspired by E.M. Forster’s novel Howards End.
She quoted one of the most profound messages from Forster’s work, saying, “‘Only connect.’” She explained, “This two-word message is so apt tonight for all of us here, celebrating the importance and functions of live theater.”
Her performance, in the play’s sole female role, earned high praise. Ben Brantley of The New York Times described it as “quietly brilliant.” She triumphed over formidable nominees, including Jane Alexander for Grand Horizons, Cora Vander Broek for Linda Vista, and Annie McNamara and Chalia La Tour, both nominated for Slave Play.
Lois made history by becoming the oldest performer to win a Tony Award for acting at the age of 90, surpassing Cicely Tyson, who had previously held the record with a win at 88 for The Trip to Bountiful in 2013. In a March 2020 interview with Variety, Lois revealed that her schedule for The Inheritance was fairly light.
“I didn’t appear onstage until late in the play’s two-part run and performed only three times a week,” she explained. “I think to myself, ‘Now what’s going to happen to me?’” She jokingly added, “This may be the end of me. Suppose somebody asks me to do eight shows a week, what am I going to say? It’s hard to imagine at this point!” Yet, years later, Lois continued to act and attend red carpet events, delighting fans who praised her grace and talent.
Still Acting and Gracing Red Carpets
In 2024, Lois made a memorable appearance at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival for her role in The Uninvited. She played Helen, a mysterious intruder at a Hollywood party. When asked what drew her to the role, she explained, “A part of complexity and mystery.” Even in her 90s, Lois’s passion for acting and her captivating presence remain undeniable.
Lois was intrigued by the ambiguity surrounding her character in The Uninvited, particularly whether her character’s behavior was due to illness or if something else was at play. When asked to offer advice to aspiring actors, she recalled a similar question from a past interview. Her advice was refreshingly simple: “Be on time and enjoy yourself.”
In 2023, an X account celebrated her 93rd birthday by sharing a series of photos—from her youth to a recent shot. The caption read, “Happy 93rd Birthday, Lois Smith! Born today, Nov 3, 1930… over 140 roles, and her film debut was in East of Eden…” The tribute served as a testament to Lois’s incredible legacy and enduring presence in the world of entertainment.
Lois Smith’s extraordinary career stands as a tribute to perseverance, passion, and authenticity. Her journey continues to inspire generations of artists and admirers around the world.
