Kimberly Williams-Paisley has been starring in film, television, and theater for more than twenty-five years. She is best known for her roles as Dana Gibson on the ABC sitcom “According to Jim” and as Margaret "Peggy" Kenter on the musical soap opera “Nashville.”
Williams-Paisley was born in Rye, New York in 1971. While attending Northwestern University she landed her breakout role in “Father of the Bride” and left during her sophomore year. She later returned and completed her degree in drama.
Williams-Paisley’s first role as Annie Banks, the bride in the 1991 comedy “Father of the Bride,” earned her an MTV Movie Award nomination for Best Breakthrough Performance. She reprised her role in the 1995 sequel “Father of the Bride II.”
“Father of the Bride” would also lead her to her husband, country music star Brad Paisley. Paisley’s album “Part II” had a line referencing the film, and he invited the actress to appear in the music video for “I’m Gonna Miss Her.” The two soon began dating and were married in 2003.
Williams-Paisley’s other film credits include “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip,” “You Get Me,” and “The Christmas Chronicles” series. She has also appeared in several made-for-television movies, including “Safe House” and “Lucky 7,” and has produced and starred in the Hallmark Channel's “Witness to Murder: A Darrow Mystery.”
Other television appearances include roles in “Boston Legal,” “Royal Pains,” and “Two and a Half Men.” She also had a leading role in the ABC drama series “Relativity,” which garnered her critical acclaim, but the show was canceled early on due to low ratings.
Williams-Paisley made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-Winning “The Last Night of Ballyhoo” and has appeared on stage in “The Vagina Monologues,” “All in the Timing,” and “Speed-the-Plow.”
Williams-Paisley is also a published author, penning the 2016 book “Where the Light Gets In.” The New York Times best-seller chronicles her mother’s primary progressive aphasia from diagnosis up until her death.
In an interview with Southern Living, Williams-Paisley said, “My mom taught me to seek out adventures and come back with stories. The spirit in me that goes out and does things comes from her.”