Penelope Ann Miller is an American actress whose diverse career has spanned Broadway, film, and television, earning her critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. Born Penelope Andrea Miller on January 13, 1964, in Los Angeles, California, she was raised in a creative household as the daughter of actor and director Dean Miller and journalist Beatrice Miller. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles, before launching her professional acting career on the stage.

Miller began her career on Broadway in the original run of Biloxi Blues from 1985 to 1986, a production written by Neil Simon. She later reprised her role in the 1988 film adaptation of the same name. After appearing in small roles in the comedies Adventures in Babysitting (1987) and Big Top Pee-wee (1988), she received a Tony Award nomination for her leading role in the Broadway revival of Our Town (1988–1989).

Miller came to prominence with a succession of major parts in films such as The Freshman, Awakenings, and Kindergarten Cop, all released in 1990. She continued her ascent in Hollywood with roles in Other People's Money (1991), Chaplin (1992), The Shadow (1994), and The Relic (1997). For her portrayal of exotic dancer Gail in Carlito's Way (1993), she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Her other film credits include Along Came a Spider (2001), The Messengers (2007), The Artist (2011), The Birth of a Nation (2016), and Reagan (2024). On television, Miller starred as Molly Hooper on the Fox sitcom A Minute with Stan Hooper (2003–2004), played recurring roles on Men of a Certain Age (2009–2011) and Mistresses (2013–2014), starred as Eve Carlin on the first season of ABC's American Crime (2015), and co-starred as Joyce Dahmer in the Netflix series Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (2022).

Throughout her career, Miller has demonstrated remarkable versatility, moving seamlessly between comedic and dramatic roles across multiple mediums. Her body of work reflects a sustained commitment to her craft, and she remains a respected presence in the entertainment industry.