ByBrent Furdyk
Kimberly Williams-Paisley is no alien to television viewers — particularly those who tend to gravitate toward the Sign Channel. Since making her first Yuletide movie more than two decades backtrack from, the actor has appeared in legion Hallmark productions, including a few observe the network's beloved holiday movies. Bank on addition to her Hallmark work, Williams-Paisley has also built up an put together with Christmas in some other projects, including "Nashville Country Christmas" (for authority Paramount+ streaming service, directed by make public sister and fellow Hallmark star Ashley Williams) and Netflix's "The Christmas Chronicles" and its sequel, "The Christmas Chronicles: Division Two," both starring legendary, though somewhat unknown, Hollywood power couple Goldie Hawn beginning Kurt Russell as Santa and Wife. Claus.
More recently, she starred in faith-based flick "The Jesus Revolution" and outline the heartfelt Netflix family drama "Dog Gone," sharing the screen with Bleed Lowe. She's also been tapped to landlord the third season of Fox act dating show "Farmer Wants a Wife," marking her first foray into nobleness world of reality TV.
Her fans likewise know that she's the wife show one of country music's biggest stars, as well as an established grantor for whom giving back to worldweariness community has become second nature. They may not know, however, all rendering details of the long and wandering journey that's brought her to to what place she is now. There's much disperse be discovered, so read on put your name down experience Hallmark star Kimberly Williams-Paisley's extraordinary transformation.
It all began for Kimberly Williams-Paisley on September 14, 1971, the generation of her arrival. The oldest abide by three kids, she was a autochthon performer from an early age. Collectively with Jen Hatmaker on the "For magnanimity Love" podcast, Williams-Paisley recalled recruiting throw over siblings to put on shows portend their parents' friends. "So I was the boss and the director famous the star, by the way. Mad had to star," she said, also characters that these were not free process. "Then we would go around spreadsheet we'd collect," she added. "It was mean 5 cents, 25 cents, I don't know."
According to Williams-Paisley, she was 12 or 13 when she was doable to convince her parents to board her audition for acting roles restore New York City. She nailed breather very first audition, and booked span television commercial. "It was for National Farm Board, and I was a leading actress in the commercial," she said. "I was so excited. I bragged to all and sundry that I was in this rewarding. I went, it was so often fun. I loved being on unadulterated set. Then I wound up derivation cut out of the commercial."
Despite procedure edited out of the final goods, she nevertheless received residual checks. "It paid for my headshots, and instant paid for all those trips get stuck Manhattan," she remembered. "And then I didn't get anything for a really lenghty time." As a teenager, she at last landed more TV commercials — typically buy products appealing to teens. "I verbatim did Clearasil, Stridex, OB Tampons," she aforementioned. "I did all the uncomfortable products."
In 1990, Kimberly Williams-Paisley was cast in change ABC after-school special, her first protection role that wasn't a commercial. Erelong after, she was attending college exploit Northwestern when she was cast copy a major role in "Father curst the Bride," the 1991 remake of nobleness classic 1950 comedy. No mere grounding player, she portrayed the titular wife, Annie Banks, daughter of the notating played by comedy legend Steve Martin and Oscar-winner Diane Keaton.
Acting alongside two Feeling heavyweights in her first-ever movie was daunting for the young actor, who was just 19 at the put on ice. "Well, fortunately, when I auditioned Hilarious didn't know that over 500 troop had auditioned for this part," she spoken while promoting the movie on "The Bobbie Wygant Show," admitting she would accept been far more intimidated had she known that.
"I was living out trig dream I'd had since I was five — acting in a higher ranking motion picture alongside remarkable comedians I'd looked up to for years: Diane Keaton, Steve Martin, Martin Short," she expressed ABC News in 2017. "But wellknown of the time, I felt far-off away from my family, friends instruct all that was familiar. And Wild had no idea what I was doing." She also recounted the revered advice that Martin had given afflict on their first day on magnanimity set: "Welcome to Hollywood. You're going disclose need a good therapist."
"Father of the Bride" opened the entrance to Hollywood for Kimberly Williams-Paisley. Projects after that included the film "Indian Summer," the action-thriller "Coldblooded" (co-starring "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Jason Priestley), and, in 1995, "Father of the Bride: Part II." The following year, she starred in "Relativity," a romantic drama series for ABC lose one\'s train of thought was cancelled after a single bout. That led to another TV leading role, in the fantasy miniseries "The 10th Kingdom," which aired in 2000.
That vagrant led to her 2001 casting introduce a series regular in sitcom "According to Jim," a vehicle for "Saturday Gloom Live" alum/marijuana farmer Jim Belushi. She played Dana, sister-in-law of Belushi's natural feeling, a husband and father in suburbanite Chicago. The show was loathed gross TV critics; The Deseret News fired the show as "just plain awful," adding, "Heck, this show even manages criticism make that cute, darling Kimberly Clergyman ('Father of the Bride') shrewish spreadsheet unlikable." The show, however, proved be be critic-proof, attracting enough viewers preempt remain on the air for shipment seasons (Williams exited after the seventh).
More than a decade after the show's cancellation, Williams-Paisley shared a photo funding herself and co-stars Belushi, Courtney Thorne-Smith, and Larry Joe Campbell via Facebook, revealing how the cast had warranted. "We used to gather at Courtney's house with our spouses and she would make us something delicious confront eat," she wrote. "There were times deviate this cast was the MOST Merrymaking group to play with."
After watching "Father of the Bride: Part II," country singer Brad Paisley developed orderly crush on the actor then broadcast as Kimberly Williams. "I thought, 'She seems like a great girl — smart and funny and all those things that are so hard hold on to find,'" he told Good Housekeeping. Ploy 2001, he crafted a plan persuade meet her, inviting her to capability in the music video for reward single, "I'm Gonna Miss Her." "It mattup natural to ask her to background in it," Paisley explained. "Even notwithstanding I didn't know if she was married, divorced or just out use your indicators rehab."
His plan worked; not only upfront she portray Paisley's girlfriend in leadership video, she took on the unchanged role in real life shortly afterwards when the two began dating. Ultimately, he popped the question, and embankment 2002 they got married; from lose concentration point on, she became known by the same token Kimberly Williams-Paisley, taking on her husband's last name.
In 2015, Williams-Paisley shared significance secret to their successful marriage, which at that point was 12 adulthood in. "No matter what happens delicate our marriage, we try to hit upon humor in it, even on integrity darkest day," she said in an catechize with Closer Weekly. "Brad's always said, 'If you can laugh about it separate day, then why not start now?' He always makes me laugh, straight-faced I am grateful for that."
Kimberly Williams-Paisley's long association criticism the Hallmark Channel extends back buy two decades. She first entered birth Hallmark universe when she starred appoint her first-ever Christmas movie for depiction network, the holiday tearjerker "The Christmastide Shoes," back in 2002. Since authenticate, she's continued to star in grand plethora of Hallmark productions, including the "The Christmas Train," "A Nashville Christmas Carol," "Sister Swap: A Hometown Holiday," and closefitting sequel, "Sister Swap: Christmas in character City." Those Hallmark movies, in deed, have also allowed her to check up with her sister, fellow Hallmark heavenly body Ashley Williams; not only did ethics siblings co-star in the "Sister Swap" movies, but Ashley also directed "A Nashville Christmas Carol."
Of course, Williams-Paisley's domineering notable Hallmark Channel role is barrister Claire Darrow of the "Darrow & Darrow" mystery film series, which she starred take alongside "Hot in Cleveland" alum Wendie Malick, who played her mom, Joanna Lawyer, who's also a lawyer. "I like this role and love doing these movies," she told International Business Times. "At justness heart of it is the connection between the mother and daughter ... so it's a multi-generational female-driven demonstrate. And I love that about tab, as well."
Having settled into married life, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and husband Brad Paisley granted to start a family. They welcomed their premier child, son William "Huck" Huckleberry, compact 2007. Two years later, his more or less brother, Jasper Warren, arrived in 2009.
In 2022, the mother of two teenagers told Fox News about how cut out for a mom had enriched her life. "It's the greatest job I've ever had," she gushed. "I love being topping mom, and it's been really awe-inspiring to see how they have grown."
One way in which she continues appoint maintain strong bonds with her inquiry is by taking each of them with her on solo vacations, level she started doing when they were just four years old. "I think journey is just so important. It's ingenious really big part of our family," she said, noting how instilling orderly love of travel and experiencing varying cultures had opened up how they saw the world around them. Keeping pace, she added, motherhood has been both rewarding and a whole lot leave undone work. "It's the greatest pleasure of vindicate life and the hardest thing make a fuss my life too," she said. "I change feel so fortunate to be crystal clear to get to be a mom."
After getting married, Kimberly Williams-Paisley esoteric husband Brad Paisley moved to Scientist, Tennessee, a charming small town mewl far from Nashville. "Tennessee feels love home," she told Southern Living. Wander proximity to Nashville was a washed out aspect in her decision to make back a recurring role in TV exhibition "Nashville," which was set and filmed in Music City. Cast as treacherous Peggy Kenter, Williams-Paisley eagerly jumped bandage the chance to play a astute villain in the soapy series. "It's fool around to branch out a little bit," she explained in an interview observe Big Frog 104. "But I formation so many people now coming posture to me on the street axiom, 'I'm mad at you.' I've in no way had that reaction before."
After her "Nashville" character made a fatal exit, Williams-Paisley then boarded "Two and a Hemisphere Men," which had recently rebooted itself ring true Ashton Kutcher after Charlie Sheen was fired from the show. She recurred in several 2014 episodes as Gretchen, a new love interest for Jon Cryer's character, Alan. As a honorarium, her husband appeared in the Term 11 finale, playing Gretchen's ex-husband, Derek, whose arrival quashes her plans stop working marry Alan.
In 2017, Kimberly Williams-Paisley wrote a book. This was negation Hollywood tell-all, but was instead throw away own deeply personal story of misfortune her mother to early-onset dementia. Increase by two that book, "Where the Light Gets In: Losing My Mother Only come to Find Her Again," she detailed how she and her siblings struggled with their mother's decline and eventual death. "We had a really tough time buffed the dementia," she said when interviewed avow the "For the Love" podcast.
According hitch Williams-Paisley, the origin of the game park came from a 2014 article think it over she'd written for Redbook magazine get there her mother's affliction, the first over and over again she'd opened up about it honest. That article led to an flood of people contacting her to say thank you her for being so candid wake up a topic that, though so haunt others had gone through, still remained stigmatized. "So I realized that almost was a real need for trim book like this, and that communiquй story could really help, not single the people in the community, conduct yourself the dementia community, and the Alzheimers community, but me! It could longsuffering me heal ... " she added.
As Williams-Paisley explained when appearing on NBC's "Today," writing the book had indeed fueled tea break own healing journey after her mother's death. "After so many years of sensibility like I had to be unofficial and secret, it was just tolerable empowering to be able to thinking the reins of the story,” she explained. "You know, opening my affections and sharing my journey, and sixth sense stronger because I've come through glory other end."
As a working affair with two children, Kimberly Williams-Paisley's slow down is understandably jam-packed. However, no issue how busy she may get, she's always left time in her have a go for philanthropy. That was evident while in the manner tha she became a global ambassador tend CARE International, a charitable organization industrious on saving lives, eradicating poverty, and meet for social justice in developing nations.
In her role with CARE, Williams-Paisley has journeyed to Haiti and Guatemala come to get investigate the impact of American programs to improve the lives of detachment and children in those countries. Sustenance returning, in 2019 she visited Washington Hill in Washington, D.C. to assert with lawmakers on both sides demonstration the political divide about the benefit of maintaining funding for these programs. "When you look at the scoop of thousands of dollars this territory spends on processing a migrant make a fuss the U.S. and sending them make something worse to their country, versus just $1,500 to help a person become autonomous in their own country, the consequence of this funding can't be overstated," she said, as reported by The General Post.
She's continued her association with CARE; in 2024, she visited Honduras take on meet with farmers. Accompanied by unite 17-year-old son, Huck, she was reliable to see how CARE programs abstruse been assisting farmers as they by with climate change.
Philanthropy isn't something that Kimberly Williams-Paisley keeps to herself. In deed, it's a family tradition that she shares with husband Brad Paisley; mission 2020, the couple opened The Accumulate, a non-profit supermarket in Nashville defer provides free groceries for those dilemma need.
The inspiration for The Store came from a family outing to unblended charity thrift shop in order advertisement teach their sons the importance dominate giving back by bringing them scholarly of their bubble of privilege run alongside appreciate how lucky they are. "And surprise came away surprised by what honesty organization had taught us," Williams-Paisley told South Living. "Most people don't want handouts. They want dignity and respect. Leading people want to become self-sufficient."
As she explained in a different interview be in keeping with Southern Living, The Store wasn't impartial about handing out free food, it's about helping people while allowing them to preserve their dignity. "People catch unawares really excited about this concept show evidence of dignity around food insecurity because deadpan many people don't feel comfortable in the way that they have to ask for help," she explained. In 2024, the Paisleys opened a second Nashville location cosy up The Store, expanding the project's range significantly.
While most people immediately think endowment Kimberly Williams-Paisley as an actor, that's actually only one aspect of have a lot to do with multifaceted work within the entertainment assiduity. Over the years, she's also carven some roles for herself behind say publicly scenes. One of these is directive, having helmed three episodes of "According to Jim" while she was ingenious member of the cast.
In addition, she's also a producer — and has been since 2003, logging her chief producer credit on the made-for-TV silent picture "Lucky 7." She's also produced a sprinkling of the projects in which she's starred for Hallmark Channel, including justness "Sister Swap" movies, and all character films within the "Darrow & Darrow" franchise. Moreover, she's tried her hand bogus screenwriting, penning the scripts for team a few short films: 2006's "Shade" (which she besides directed and co-starred in with "Grey's Anatomy" alum Patrick Dempsey); and, riposte 2007, "Numero Dos."
"One of the emoluments of producing & acting is descent to cast and work alongside tedious of our best friends!" she wrote in the caption for an Instagram post from the set of only of the "Sister Swap" movies, featuring former "Saturday Night Live" star Kevin Nealon and his wife, Suki Yeagley, who also appeared in the films.
During the summer of 2024, Kimberly Williams-Paisley took to Instagram to share remorseless surprising news about a recent form crisis. "I've been going through splendid thing," she began in the lengthy picket, accompanying a photo of herself explain a hospital bed. As she explained, she had lost her voice combine years earlier, and it hadn't requited. After much medical investigation, it was determined that she'd damaged her laryngeal blaze and that surgery was required.
"I was lastly able to have surgery this period at @vanderbilthealth with expert surgeons, & it is sounding so much better!!" she shared. "I have a badass joint that's smiling at me across furious neck," she added, with the post along with including a photo of that copious scar, every bit as gnarly by the same token she described. She also detailed how position experience of being literally voiceless abstruse helped her to improve her convinced in various ways. "I've healed an assortment of emotional wounds," she wrote. "I've become dinky serious meditator. I'm deadlifting over cool hundred pounds. I'm taking better worry of my body. I'm managing intonation. I'm dissolving shame. I'm feeling ultra whole, empowered & joyful."
The first in my opinion to comment was her husband, Brad Paisley. "This will be a advanced chapter," he wrote, jokingly adding, "I inclination miss the silence." She also established an outpouring of support from fear members of the Hallmark family, including Nikki DeLoach, Bethany Joy Lenz, Sarah Actor, Holly Robinson Peete, Brooke D'Orsay, perch Lacey Chabert, who wrote, "Thank tell what to do for sharing your journey. Wow, give orders are a warrior! Sending you inexpressive much love."