Elizabeth Ann Wedgeworth, known professionally as Ann Wedgeworth, was born on January 21, 1934, in Abilene, Texas, to Cortus and Elizabeth Wedgeworth. She graduated from Highland Park High School in University Park, Texas, where she was a childhood friend and high school classmate of Jayne Mansfield.

After graduating from the University of Texas in 1957, she moved to New York City and was admitted to The Actors Studio after several auditions. Ann dropped her first name Elizabeth after her graduation.

Ann Wedgeworth made her Broadway debut in the play "Make a Million" in 1958. She had many roles on Broadway and off-Broadway productions, including "Period of Adjustment," "Blues for Mister Charlie," "The Last Analysis," and "Thieves."

In 1978, she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for "Chapter Two." She also appeared off-Broadway at New York's Promenade Theatre from December 5, 1985, until June 1, 1986, in Sam Shepard's "A Lie of the Mind," co-starring Harvey Keitel and Geraldine Page.

In the film industry, Ann Wedgeworth had supporting roles in many movies. She had the female leading role opposite Gene Hackman in the 1973 film "Scarecrow" and later co-starred in "Bang the Drum Slowly," "Law and Disorder," "One Summer Love," and "Thieves."

In 1977, she won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in "Handle with Care." Through the 1980s, she had many supporting roles, often playing mothers, such as in "No Small Affair" as Jon Cryer's character's mother, in "Sweet Dreams" as Patsy Cline's mother, followed by 1987's "Made in Heaven" as one unknowingly reunited with her dead son.

In 1989, she portrayed Aunt Fern in "Steel Magnolias." She appeared as Sissy Spacek's character's mother in the 1991 film "Hard Promises." She also appeared in two films opposite Renée Zellweger: "Love and a .45" and "The Whole Wide World." Ann Wedgeworth had her final film role in "The Hawk Is Dying," with Paul Giamatti, which opened at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006.

Ann Wedgeworth was married twice. Her first marriage was to actor Rip Torn from 1955 to 1961, and they had one daughter, Danae Torn. Her second marriage was to Ernest Martin in 1970, and they had one daughter, Dianna Martin. Ann Wedgeworth passed away on November 16, 2017, in North Bergen, New Jersey, after a long illness.