An actress best known for starring in a beloved 1980s horror classic was recently spotted during a rare outing in Beverly Hills.
The 77-year-old performer has enjoyed a long Hollywood career that began in the mid-1970s with small television roles before going on to share the screen with stars such as Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, and Gene Wilder. She has also earned both Oscar and Emmy nominations throughout her career.
The actress in question is JoBeth Williams, widely recognized for portraying Diane Freeling in the 1982 supernatural hit Poltergeist.
For the daytime outing, Williams kept things relaxed in a black button-up layered over a black top, paired with dark brown sweatpants and comfortable sneakers. She accessorized with black-rimmed sunglasses and carried a black Yves Saint Laurent handbag. Her shoulder-length hair was styled in soft waves.
Born in Houston, Texas, in 1948, Williams discovered her passion for acting as a teenager through stage productions. She later graduated from Brown University with a degree in English and trained at the Trinity Repertory Company.
Her early television work included appearances on Somerset and Guiding Light, but wider recognition came with a supporting role in the Oscar-winning drama Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), starring Hoffman and Streep.
She followed that with roles in films like Stir Crazy (1980) opposite Wilder and Richard Pryor before landing her breakout role in Poltergeist alongside Craig T. Nelson. Directed by Tobe Hooper and developed with strong involvement from Steven Spielberg, the film became both a box-office success and a lasting horror favorite.
Williams later reprised her role in Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and continued appearing in projects such as The Big Chill, Teachers, and Welcome Home. She also earned Emmy nominations for the TV movie Adam and the miniseries Baby M.
Her career remained active through the decades with roles in Frasier, Law & Order: SVU, Criminal Minds, Dexter, NCIS, and The Good Doctor. Her most recent credit came in the 2025 survival thriller Not Without Hope with Zachary Levi.
Beyond acting, Williams also directed the short film On Hope, which received an Academy Award nomination. She has been married since 1982 to director John Pasquin, known for films such as The Santa Clause and Jungle 2 Jungle.
