As of 2007, she is one of six women who have received Best Actress nominations for performances directed by their spouses. The other five are Frances McDormand for Fargo (1996), Gena Rowlands for A Woman Under the Influence (1974) & Gloria (1980), Julie Andrews for Victor Victoria (1982), Elisabeth Bergner for Escape Me Never (1935) and Jean Simmons for The Happy Ending (1969). Jules Dassin directed Melina Mercouri in an Oscar-nominated performance (Never on Sunday (1960)), but they weren't married yet at the time of the nomination.
Attended LSU and then headed to New York. She did not attend Sarah Lawrence until much later. She graduated in 1990 alongside her youngest daughter, Claire "Clea" Newman.
Became pregnant by Paul Newman prior to their marriage but she suffered a miscarriage.
Born at 4:00am EST.
Grandmother of Peter (born in May 1996) and Henry Elkind, the sons of her daughter Melissa "Lissy" Newman and her husband, Raphael "Raphe" Elkind.
Had to have her strip/dance scenes in The Stripper (1963) censored and approved by her husband, Paul Newman.
Her all-time favorite actress is Bette Davis and her all-time favorite actor is Laurence Olivier. Other major favorites of hers include John Garfield, Vivien Leigh, Katharine Hepburn and Clark Gable.
Her favorite movies are Gone with the Wind (1939), Wuthering Heights (1939), The Philadelphia Story (1940) and Jezebel (1938).
Her likeness was used for the paintings of Marguerite Wyke in the Laurence Olivier/Michael Caine thriller Sleuth (1972).
In 1960 she became the first actress to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
In the July 21, 1975, issue of People magazine, in which she shared the cover with her husband Paul Newman, Woodward claimed that her older relatives back in a small town in rural Georgia would be upset if they knew that Newman was half Jewish.
Is a graduate of the class of 1947 at Greenville Senior High School in Greenville, South Carolina.
Joanne has three children with Paul Newman: Elinor (Nell), Melissa (Lissy) and Claire (Clea).
Joanne told a 17-year-old Melanie Griffith on the set of The Drowning Pool (1975) that her goals were to marry a movie star (Paul Newman), have beautiful babies (she had 3), and win an Oscar (which she did in 1958). Melanie said that she adopted the same goals for herself by marrying a movie star (Antonio Banderas) and having beautiful babies (she also had 3), but she has expressed frustration that she hasn't won an Oscar, even though she was nominated in 1989.
Lived next door to her idol, Bette Davis, for awhile.
Loves ballet and horseback riding.
Mother of Nell Potts and Claire Newman.
Mother of actress Melissa Newman, whose namesake was the character portrayed by Woodward in Count Three and Pray (1955).
Played mother to real-life daughter Nell Potts in The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds (1972).
Serves as artistic director, Westport Country Playhouse, near her home in Connecticut, where husband Paul stars in "Our Town" June 2002.