Melinda Dillon was an American actress who first earned recognition for appearing in the Broadway production of ‘Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?’ for which she earned a Tony Award nomination. She achieved further success with her supporting roles in the films ‘Absence of Malice’ and ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’. Her performances in both the movies garnered her Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress. Thereafter, Dillon consistently worked on the big screen and made frequent appearances in television programs as well. She retired from acting in 2007 after making appearances in three episodes of the medical drama series ‘Heartland’. Born in Hope, Arkansas, USA, to an army offer, Dillon graduated from Hyde Park High School before landing her career on the stage and eventually in films. In 1963, she married actor Richard Libertini. The two had a son before parting ways in 1978.
