Margaret JoBeth Williams (born December 6, 1948) is an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Emmy nominated American film and television actress and director, and current President of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Williams rose to prominence appearing in such films as Stir Crazy (1980), Poltergeist (1982), The Big Chill (1983), The Day After (1983), Teachers (1984), and Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986). A three-time Emmy Award nominee, she was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her work in the TV movie Adam (1983) and the TV miniseries Baby M (1988). Her third nomination was for her guest role in the sitcom Frasier (1994). Her directorial debut with the 1994 short film On Hope earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Live Action Short Film. She also starred in the TV series The Client (1995–96), and had recurring roles in the TV series Dexter (2007) and Private Practice (2009–11). In 2009 she began serving as president of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation; she is President Emeritus of the foundation. She has also had numerous guest starring roles on TV and has starred in several TV movies.

Filmography

• 2026Behemoth! — Ginnie Serian
• 2025Not Without Hope — Marcia
• 2024Cash for Gold — Boots
• 2023Chantilly Bridge — Natalie
• 2020What the Night Can Do — Bettye Sue Dryer
• 2019SGT. Will Gardner — Sherry
• A Million Little Things — Lana Strobe
• 2018Alex & the List — Mrs. Stern
• Station 19 — Reggie
• 2017Barracuda — Patricia
• The Good Doctor — Ruth
• Heartbeat — Isobel Dixon
• 2016The Last Film Festival — Mayor
• 2016Within — Rosemary Fletcher
• 2015In My Dreams — Charlotte Smith
• Your Family or Mine — Ricky
• Extant — Leigh Kern
• Marry Me — Myrna
• Perception — Margaret Pierce
• Scandal — Sandra Harding
• Against the Wall — Emily
• Hart of Dixie — Candice Hart
• 2011Love's Christmas Journey — Beatrice
• 2011The Big Year — Edith
• Law & Order: LA — Mrs. Walker
• Rizzoli & Isles — Tilly Dunn
• 2009TiMER — Marion
• 2009Uncorked — Sophia Browning
• Childrens Hospital — Linda
• 2007In the Land of Women — Agnes Webb
• Private Practice — Bizzy Forbes
• 2007Sybil — Hattie Dorsett
• Dexter — Gail Brandon
• The Nine
• Twenty Good Years — Kate
• 200514 Hours — Jeanette Makins
• 2005Crazylove — Mrs. Mayer
• Criminal Minds — Professor Ursula Kent
• 2005Fever Pitch — Maureen Meeks
• 2005Into the Fire — June Sickles
• Numb3rs — Margaret Eppes
• Las Vegas — Liz
• Miss Match — Lianne Fox
• NCIS — Leona Phelps
• 2002Repossessed
• 2002The Curse of Poltergeist
• 2002The Rose Technique — Dr. Lillian Rose
• 24 — Miriam Henderson
• Night Visions — Director
• The Guardian — Sarah
• 2001The Ponder Heart — Edna Earle Ponder
• 2000Frankie & Hazel — Director
• Strong Medicine — Margie
• 2000Trapped in a Purple Haze — Sophie Hanson
• 1999It Came from the Sky — Alice Bridges
• 1999Jackie's Back! — Jo Face (Jackie's Vocal Coach)
• Judging Amy — Gemma Lawnsdale
• 1999Justice — Jane Newhart
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Mrs. Rawley
• Payne — Constance Payne
• 1998A Chance of Snow — Madeline 'Maddie' Parker
• From the Earth to the Moon — Marge Slayton
• 1997Jungle 2 Jungle — Dr. Patricia Cromwell
• 1997Just Write — Sidney Stone
• 1997When Danger Follows You Home — Anne Werden
• 1996After the SIlence — Pam Willis (as Jobeth Williams)
• E! True Hollywood Story
• 1996Ruby Jean and Joe — Rose
• 1995A Season of Hope — Elizabeth Hackett
• The Client — Reggie Love
• 1994On Hope — Director
• 1994Parallel Lives — Winnie Winslow
• 1994Voices from Within — Nancy Parkhurst
• 1994Wyatt Earp — Bessie Earp
• 1993Chantilly Lace — Natalie
• 1993Final Appeal — Christine Biondi
• Frasier — Danielle (voice), Madeline Marshall
• 1993Sex, Love and Cold Hard Cash — Sarah Gallagher
• Batman: The Animated Series — May and June (voice)
• 1992Commercial Entertainment Product — Diane Freeling
• Fish Police — Angel (voice)
• 1992Jonathan: The Boy Nobody Wanted — Ginny Moore
• 1992Me, Myself and I — Crazy / Sane Diane
• 1992Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot — Gwen Harper
• 1991Bump in the Night — Co-Executive Producer
• 1991Dutch — Natalie Standish
• 1991Switch — Margo Brofman
• 1991Victim of Love — Tess Harper
• 1990Child in the Night — Dr. Hollis
• 1990Timeless Tales: The Elves and the Shoemaker — Bettina (voice)
• 1989My Name Is Bill W. — Lois Wilson
• 1989Welcome Home — Sarah
• Baby M — Marybeth Whitehead
• 1988Memories of Me — Lisa
• 1987Murder Ordained — Lorna Anderson
• Murder Ordained — Lorna Anderson
• 1986Adam: His Song Continues — Reve Walsh
• 1986Desert Bloom — Lily Chismore
• 1986Poltergeist II: The Other Side — Diane Freeling
• 1985Kids Don't Tell — Claudia Ryan
• 1984American Dreamer — Cathy Palmer
• 1984Teachers — Lisa Hammond
• 1983Adam — Reve Walsh
• 1983The Big Chill — Karen Bowens
• 1983The Day After — Nurse Nancy Bauer
• 1982Endangered Species — Harriet Purdue
• 1982Poltergeist — Diane Freeling
• 1981Joe Dancer: The Big Black Pill — Tiffany Farinpour
• 1980Fun and Games — Laura Weston
• 1980Stir Crazy — Meredith
• 1980The Dogs of War — Jessie
• 1979Kramer vs. Kramer — Phyllis Bernard
• The White Shadow — Paula Harris
• 1978The World Beyond — Marian Faber
• 1974Feasting with Panthers — Constance Wilde
• Hallmark Hall of Fame — Lois Wilson

Appearances as themselves (7)

• 2026She Was Here — Self
• 2025SEGAL — Self
• Josh Gates Tonight — Self
• 2002Searching for Debra Winger — Self
• 1999The Big Chill: A Reunion — Self
• The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson — Self
• Horrifying Hollywood Murders — Self