P. J. Soles, born Pamela Jayne Hardon on July 17, 1950, in Frankfurt, Germany, is a retired American actress known for her roles in several iconic horror films. She moved around the world during her childhood due to her father's job with an international insurance company, living in places like Casablanca, Morocco, and Maracaibo, Venezuela, where she learned to speak fluent Spanish.

She attended the International School of Brussels in Belgium before moving to the United States to study at Briarcliff College and later Georgetown University. Initially aspiring to become the first woman ambassador to the Soviet Union, she changed her career path after visiting the Actors Studio in New York City and decided to pursue acting.

P. J. Soles made her film debut in Brian De Palma's "Carrie" (1976) as Norma Watson, a role that was expanded from a minor part to a significant one due to her impressive audition.

She also starred as Lynda van der Klok in John Carpenter's "Halloween" (1978) and as Riff Randell in "Rock 'n' Roll High School" (1979). Her other notable film credits include "Private Benjamin" (1980), "Stripes" (1981), and cult classics like "The Devil's Rejects" (2005) and "Beg" (2011).

She was married to actor Dennis Quaid from 1978 to 1983 and later to stunt pilot Skip Holm, with whom she had two children.