The daughter of actress/director Elaine May, Jeannie Berlin made a name for herself cinematically in Ms. May's The Heartbreak Kid (1974). For her portrayal of a whiny, dumped-on new bride, Jeannie was nominated for an Academy Award. Though Heartbreak Kid was touted as her film debut, Jeannie had been acting professionally since 1970, playing small roles in Getting Straight and in the made-for-TV The Baby Maker.
Briefly retiring from filmmaking after Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York (1975), Jeannie Berlin turned to writing and directing; in 1990, she was back before the cameras in In the Spirit, which was directed by her mother and which she also co-wrote. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide. 