KIMBERLY WILLIAMS-PAISLEY

Biography

Kimberly Williams-Paisley first lit up the screen as the radiant young bride in Touchstone’s hit comedy Father of the Bride. Today, she continues to affirm her place as one of Hollywood’s brightest young stars in film, television and on the legitimate stage.

Presently seen on the ABC Television Network in According to Jim, Williams-Paisley is co-starring with Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith on the popular sitcom, seen Tuesday nights at 9:00pm - 8:00pm Central.

A native New Yorker, Williams-Paisley began her career as a teenager doing commercials and appearing in the ABC After School Special Stood Up. After high school, she was accepted to the prestigious School of Speech at Northwestern University. In her sophomore year, she was chosen from hundreds of hopefuls for the coveted role as Steve Martin’s daughter in the remake of Father of the Bride. The film went on to become an international blockbuster, garnering rave reviews and attention around the world for the newcomer

Despite her auspicious debut, Williams-Paisley put Hollywood on hold, returning to Northwestern to complete her degree. “College was important for me,” she explains. “I was already part of a group of people on a journey and I wanted to complete the trip. I also wanted to study theater in-depth and establish a foundation on which to build my career.” During her time at Northwestern, Williams-Paisley found the time to complete a starring role in Touchstone Picture’s ensemble comedy drama Indian Summer, which gave her a chance to show a more adventurous and sexy side than she’d shown in her previous film.

Hollywood may be notorious for having a short memory, but talent and tenacity have a tendency to spark it. After earning her degree with honors, Williams-Paisley resumed her acting career, without missing a beat. 
Williams-Paisley starred in Touchstone’s The War at Home, co-starring and directed by Emilio Estevez. Williams-Paisley played the role of Estevez’s sister who, along with her parents (portrayed by Kathy Bates and Martin Sheen), tries to cope when Estevez returns home from the Vietnam War. She also reprised the role that won the hearts of movie audiences, when she reunited with Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short in the sequel to Father of the Bride, which like its predecessor, achieved critical and box office success.
She starred opposite Jason Priestly in the offbeat dark comedy Cold Blooded, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. No blushing bride this time, Williams-Paisley played Jasmine, a yoga instructor whose seemingly serene exterior masks a woman wounded by bad relationships. She also appeared in Neil Simon’s “Jake’s Women,” a critically acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame production, which aired on CBS. Williams-Paisley played Molly, the daughter of Jake, portrayed by Alan Alda. She was thrilled to work with Neil Simon, having studied many of his plays when she was younger.

Williams-Paisley made her television series debut as Isabel Lukens in ABC’s Relativity, created by Zwick-Herskovitz, the team behind thirtysomething. While it lasted only one season, the series and Kimberly enjoyed critical praise.

A few years ago Williams-Paisley was seen in NBC’s 10-hour mini-series, The Tenth Kingdom, for producer Robert Halmi opposite Dianne Wiest, John Laroquette and Rutger Hauer. She also appeared on the big screen again; first, in the independent romantic comedy Just a Little Harmless Sex with co-stars Alison Eastwood, Jonathan Silverman, Jessica Lundy, Rachel Hunter and Lauren Hutton, and then in Fine Line’s “Simpatico,” a filmed adaptation of a Sam Shephard play, also starring Sharon Stone, Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte. Set in the world of horse racing, “Simpatico” is the story of a scam that causes the relationship between three friends to deteriorate, bringing them together 20 years later to settle the score. Williams-Paisley played the younger version of Stone’s character.

   Last year Williams-Paisley completed her Los Angeles run in the acclaimed production of Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, opposite Phylicia Rashad and Carol Kane. This marked her second stint with the show following her Off Broadway performance earlier in the year opposite Brett Butler and Tonya Pinkins. Before that, Williams-Paisley made her London stage debut in a critically acclaimed production of David Mamet’s Speed the Plow. The play is a black comedy set in Hollywood. Williams played Karen, a seemingly naïve
secretary who later evolves into a conniving Hollywood player. The show was directed by Peter Gill and also starred Mark Strong and playwright/director Patrick Marber.

Williams-Paisley made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning Best Drama, The Last Night of Ballyhoo, and she received glowing reviews for her role in the 1998 Geffen Playhouse production of the comedy All in the Timing in Los Angeles. She also starred in the CBS movie Follow The Stars Home with Campbell Scott and Eric Close.

In Summer 2003, Williams-Paisley starred in Lucky Seven, a romantic comedy for The ABC Family Network. She also served as Co-Producer of the project, which co-starred Patrick Dempsey and was directed by Harry Winer.

Williams-Paisley starred with Rob Lowe in The Christmas Shoes, a heartrending and inspiring holiday story for the CBS Network. She will also be seen in the indie flicks, Ten Tiny Love Stories and How to Go On a Date In Queens with Jason Alexander, Ron Pearlman and Alison Eastwood.

Williams-Paisley is actively involved with the Elizabeth Glazer Pediatric AIDS Foundation as a spokesperson. She is also on the Board of Directors at ECO - Earth Communication Office.

Kim and Brad have a itty bitty puppy. His name is “Holler,” He’s a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Kim got to spend a lot of time the last several months with him, training him and playing with him, and holding him asleep in my lap. He knows “shake” and “sit” and “down” and “fetch” (sometimes) and “potty.” I bet that he’s kept them very busy!!

What has Kim been in, well just check below and you shall find out...

- Early in her Career, Williams-Paisley Filmed Network Television Commercials

- ABC After School Special "Stood Up"

- "Father of the Bride"
co-starring with Steve Martin.

- Returned to College at Northwestern

- Touchstone Pictures - "Indian Summer"

- Touchstone Pictures - "The War at Home"
co-starring and directed by Emilio Estevez. Also co-starring Kathy Bates and Martin Sheen.

- "Father of the Bride II"
Steve Martin, Diane Keaton and Martin Short.

- "Cold Blooded"
Co-starring Jason Priestly. Debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. 

- Neil Simon’s - "Jake’s Women"
Critically acclaimed Hallmark Hall of Fame production. which aired on CBS. When she was younger, Williams-Paisley studied many of Neil Simon's plays.

- ABC - "Relativity"
Created by Zwick-Herskovitz, Williams-Paisley made her television series debut as Isabel Lukens. While it lasted only one season, the series and Kimberly enjoyed critical praise.

- NBC - "The Tenth Kingdom"
10-hour mini-series, producer Robert Halmi. Co-starring  Dianne Wiest, John Laroquette and Rutger Hauer.

- "Just a Little Harmless Sex"
Independent romantic comedy. Co-starring Alison Eastwood (Clint Eastwood's Daughter,) Jonathan Silverman, Jessica Lundy, Rachel Hunter and Lauren Hutton.

- "The Last Night of Ballyhoo"
Williams-Paisley made her Broadway debut in this Tony Award-winning Best Drama.

- "All in the Timing in Los Angeles"
Williams-Paisley received glowing reviews for her role in this Geffen Playhouse production.

- CBS Movie - "Follow The Stars Home"
Co-starring Campbell Scott and Eric Close.

- Fine Line Production - "Simpatico"
Filmed adaptation of a Sam Shephard play. Co-starring Sharon Stone, Jeff Bridges and Nick Nolte. Williams-Paisley played the younger version of Stone’s character.

- David Mamet’s - "Speed the Plow"
Williams-Paisley's London stage debut.Critically acclaimed production. Directed by Peter Gill. Co-starring Mark Strong and playwright/director Patrick Marber.

- 2002 - "The Vagina Monologues"
acclaimed production of Eve Ensler. Co-starring Phylicia Rashad and Carol Kane. This marked her second stint with the show following her Off Broadway performance earlier in the year opposite Brett Butler and Tonya Pinkins. 

- 2003 - ABC Family - "Lucky Seven"
Williams-Paisley starred in this romantic comedy. She also served as Co-Producer of the project, which co-starred Patrick Dempsey and was directed by Harry Winer.

- CBS - "The Christmas Shoes"
Co-starring Rob Lowe.

- Independent Film - "Ten Tiny Love Stories"

- Independent Film - "How to Go On a Date In Queens"
Co-starring Jason Alexander, Ron Pearlman and Alison Eastwood.

- ABC - "According to Jim"
co-starring with Jim Belushi and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The popular sitcom can be seen Tuesday nights at 9:00pm / 8:00pm Central.

Here you will find some fun & interesting facts about Kim...

• When Kim was a kid, she had a blue parakeet. She and her family also had snakes, mice, and guinea pigs---but no cats or dogs because Kim was allergic.

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• When she moved to LA, Kim got a cockatiel and named it "Louis," with the intention of getting another one and naming it "Clark". Louis turned out to be such a handful, that Kim never got Clark. Then Louis suddenly started laying eggs and had to be renamed "Louise". Kim finally had to give Louis away because the bird had free reign of the house---eating most of her books and leaving behind great dollops of doo.

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• Kim can touch her tongue to her nose. 

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• When Kim was little, she had a pretend friend named "Joshua."

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• Kim is a sleep walker. Once as a kid, her mom opened the bedroom door in the middle of the night to find Kim sitting on the floor in the hallway with a big blanket in her arms. "The woman upstairs wanted me to give this to you,” Kim told her mom. No word if there was anyone upstairs besides Kim's brother... but who knows?

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• Immediately after shooting the film " Father of the Bride," Kimberly went to Europe for the first time. She studied for a summer, and then traveled alone for a little while in Ireland, France and Germany. Kim says she will never forget the smell of a middle bunk in a full train car riding through Germany on a hot summer night.... Nor will she miss it.

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• Kim really doesn't like the sound a camel makes.