Kathy Whitton Baker (born on June 8, 1950) is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning American character actress. Baker was born in Midland, Texas, to an American father and a French mother; she was raised a Quaker. Baker has appeared in numerous films and television shows including Edward Scissorhands, Picket Fences, The Cider House Rules and Cold Mountain. She began her career at San Francisco's Magic Theatre, performing in several of Sam Shepard's plays before getting her break in an off-Broadway production of Fool for Love opposite Ed Harris.