Barbara Hershey, born Barbara Lynn Herzstein, is an American actress whose career has spanned over fifty years, beginning in the late 1960s. She has achieved international acclaim for her intense performances, winning the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for two consecutive years for *Shy People* (1987) and *A World Apart* (1988). Her filmography includes memorable roles in Woody Allen's *Hannah and Her Sisters*, Martin Scorsese's *The Last Temptation of Christ* as Mary Magdalene, and *The Portrait of a Lady*, for which she received an Academy Award and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress. On television, she won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe for her acclaimed performance in the TV film *A Killing in a Small Town* (1990). Remaining active later in her career, she has appeared in successful productions such as Darren Aronofsky's *Black Swan* and the horror series *Insidious*.