Piper Laurie was an Oscar and Emmy-nominated American actress best known for her roles in The Hustler (1961), Carrie (1976) and Children of a Lesser God (1986).

Laurie performed in several acclaimed television shows including Twin Peaks as the villainous Catherine Martell and received Emmy nominations for her performances in Days of Wine and Roses, The Deaf Heart and The Road That Led After. She also made appearances in Matlock, Murder, She Wrote, Frasier, and as George Clooney's mother on ER.

Laurie took a break from acting in the middle of her career, married film critic Joseph Morgenstern, welcomed a daughter and became a noted baker, with her recipes appearing in The New York Times. In 1990, she said, "My life was full. I always liked using my hands, and I always painted."