Before becoming a Hollywood icon, this star humbly worked everyday jobs — even slicing cold cuts at a deli — all while chasing her dream. She had no idea that her unwavering passion and perseverance would one day lead her to one of the industry’s most prestigious honors, outshining countless other talented actresses.
Best known for her role in 1996’s Twister, she’s dedicated the majority of her life to the stage. Today, she stands as a true legend in the performing arts world — and her journey is nothing short of inspiring.
The Celebrity’s Road to Stardom
Born on November 3, 1930, in Topeka, Kansas, this legendary actress seemed destined for the stage from the very start. Her father, a dedicated telephone company worker by day and a passionate director of biblical plays by night, unknowingly lit the spark that would guide her life.
“These weren’t meant to entertain,” she once said, reflecting on those early church productions. “But I found them entertaining.” As a child, she eagerly soaked up every line during rehearsals. So when her father needed a last-minute stand-in, she was always ready — already knowing the script by heart.
Eventually, her father handed her an Old Testament costume and cast his youngest daughter in her very own starring roles. It was a simple gesture that would shape the course of her life. “That was the beginning,” she said, recalling the pure joy of performing.
By 18, her personal story took another turn — she married Wesley Smith, a schoolteacher, and the young couple set off for New York City. While chasing auditions and chasing dreams, she took on humble jobs to make ends meet: slicing salami at a deli and checking hats at the iconic Russian Tea Room.
When her first acting job finally came, she flirted briefly with the idea of changing her name to something flashier — something with Hollywood sparkle. But in the end, she stuck with the name she had taken in marriage. It was no-frills, honest, and exactly who she was. For her, it was always about the work, not the spotlight.
Her persistence paid off. In 1955, she hit a major milestone — a feature in LIFE Magazine, pictured alongside rising stars like Jayne Mansfield. “Somebody must’ve gotten the idea to put us all on the cover,” she said with characteristic modesty.
In the striking photo, she wore an off-the-shoulder red dress from her stage role, staring straight into the camera with quiet intensity. The magazine praised her “pale-faced intensity,” a contrast to Mansfield, who shimmered in a strapless sequined gown just behind her.
At the time of that LIFE Magazine cover, the actress was 25 — the oldest among the starlets featured, many of whom were still teenagers. By 2017, her incredible career spanned decades, and when she spoke about refining her method for learning lines, she was referring to the past 25 years, a testament to her enduring craft.
By then, she was the only surviving star from that iconic photo shoot. Her longevity in the industry never seemed like a carefully mapped-out career strategy. Instead, it felt like the natural instinct of an actor who simply couldn’t resist new roles. Reflecting on her journey, she admitted, “I don’t think I was ever particularly a planner.”
Around the same time as the LIFE cover, she confided to a journalist that she hadn’t yet realized all her stage ambitions — not fame or accolades, but something much simpler: to play Nina in The Seagull. She eventually did perform in countless masterpieces by legendary writers such as Harold Pinter, Bertolt Brecht, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, John Steinbeck, Sam Shepard, and Tony Kushner, alongside starring in three Chekhov plays. But by the time The Seagull came around, she had aged out of Nina and took on the formidable role of Madame Arkadina instead.
Her incredible career didn’t stop there. She also delivered memorable performances in films like Minority Report (2002) and Lady Bird (2017). Despite entering the industry during an era when beauty standards were rigid and cosmetic surgery was on the rise, she chose a different path — one of natural aging.
Staying True to Natural Beauty & Collaborating with Legends
For a time, she had her concerns about aging, but not for reasons of vanity. As her dark hair gradually turned white, she embraced it, choosing to let nature take its course. “Nature just decided to gray me that way,” she said, adding, “I really liked the way it happened.”
Before this, her challenge had been looking younger than her years — at just 22, she famously played a 16-year-old drama queen in her Broadway debut, Time Out for Ginger. But as time went on, she learned to embrace her natural beauty and celebrated the authenticity that came with it.
A few years after her Broadway debut, while preparing for a skit on The Loretta Young Show, the director pointed out that she didn’t look old enough to deliver one of her character’s lines. Her witty response? “Why don’t we say I’m between 15 and 100?”
The actress had so much fun with the ad-lib that she used it both on-air during the skit and in subsequent interviews. That spirit of humor and adaptability has been a hallmark of her career, which has spanned stage and screen since her 1952 Broadway debut in Time Out for Ginger. Her film debut followed soon after in East of Eden, and her steady rise continued from there.
Throughout the years, she collaborated with theater legends and shared invaluable insights during a 2020 appearance on Stagecraft, Variety’s theater podcast. One of the most influential figures she worked with was Lee Strasberg, the renowned acting teacher.
While reflecting on her experience in The Inheritance on Broadway and preparing for Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, she emphasized that learning from fellow actors was as important as the roles she performed. In 2020, her career reached another milestone — one that would go down in history.
Making History
Lois Smith’s first Tony nomination came in 1990 for her performance in The Grapes of Wrath, followed by another nomination in 1996 for Buried Child — both for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
At 90, she made history by becoming the oldest performer ever to win a Tony Award for acting, marking her first win. Lois earned the prestigious accolade for her moving portrayal of Margaret, a caretaker at a sanctuary for men dying of AIDS-related illnesses, in Part 2 of Matthew López’s six-hour-plus epic, The Inheritance.
Reflecting on her work, Lois Smith once said, “I love the processes of live theater.” She joined the production of The Inheritance during its workshop phase, when playwright Matthew López was still finalizing the script, inspired by E. M. Forster’s Howards End.
She quoted Forster’s timeless two-word message: “Only connect.” “I think that’s so apt,” she remarked, “for all of us here celebrating the importance and function of live theater.”
Her performance in The Inheritance—the play’s only female role—earned critical acclaim. Ben Brantley of The New York Times described it as “quietly brilliant,” recognizing her profound impact. Lois triumphed over a stellar group of nominees, including Jane Alexander for Grand Horizons, Cora Vander Broek for Linda Vista, and Annie McNamara and Chalia La Tour, both for Slave Play.
At 90, she broke records by becoming the oldest performer to win a Tony Award, surpassing Cicely Tyson, who had previously won at 88 for The Trip to Bountiful in 2013. In a March 2020 interview with Variety, Lois reflected on her schedule for The Inheritance, noting it was relatively light.
She didn’t appear on stage until the latter part of the play’s two-part run and performed only three times a week. “I think to myself, ‘Now what’s going to happen to me?’” she said. “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, she continued acting and attending red carpet events, inspiring fans with her grace and vitality.
Still Acting and Gracing Red Carpets
In 2024, Lois made an 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, and explained what drew her to the part: “A part of complexity and mystery.”
Her enduring presence both on stage and screen proves that age is no barrier to talent and passion. Lois Smith’s journey continues to inspire, reminding us all that the love of acting knows no limits.
Lois Smith was intrigued by the ambiguity of her character in The Uninvited, where it was unclear whether she was ill or if something more mysterious was at play. The complexity of the role captivated her, and when asked about her advice for aspiring actors, Lois drew on her years of experience. Recalling an interview from earlier in her career, she offered simple but sage wisdom: “Be on time and enjoy yourself.”
In 2023, fans celebrated her 93rd birthday with a special post on X (formerly Twitter), sharing a combination of nostalgic photos from her youth alongside a more recent shot. The caption read: “Happy 93rd Birthday Lois Smith! Born today, Nov 3, 1930… over 140 roles, her film debut was in East of Eden…”
Her longevity in the industry and enduring passion for her craft are a testament to her remarkable journey. Lois continues to inspire actors and fans alike with her grace, humility, and dedication.
Lois Smith’s extraordinary career is a living testament to perseverance, passion, and authenticity. With each role she takes on, she continues to inspire generations of artists and admirers around the world, proving that true dedication to one’s craft transcends time.