Christine Lahti is an Emmy Award-winning actress, director, and author. She won the Emmy for her role in the television drama series Chicago Hope in 1998. Lahti has also been nominated for Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. She has appeared in films such as Running on Empty, Housekeeping, and The Execution of Private Slovik. Lahti has also directed several films, including My First Mister and The Miracle Worker. In addition to her acting career, she is also an author, having written two books, True Stories from Another Country and A Day in the Life of a Smiling Woman.