Carol Kane is an American actress and comedian whose career has spanned more than five decades across film, television, and theater. Born on June 18, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio, she built a reputation as one of the most distinctive and versatile character performers of her generation, earning both Academy Award and Emmy recognition along the way.

Kane gained widespread critical acclaim for her leading role in Hester Street (1975), a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. That same year, she appeared in Dog Day Afternoon, and she followed with a role in Woody Allen's Annie Hall (1977). Her film work throughout the late 1970s and 1980s established her as a familiar presence in both comedy and drama, including the horror thriller When a Stranger Calls (1979), the beloved fantasy The Princess Bride (1987), the holiday comedy Scrooged (1988) opposite Bill Murray, and Flashback (1990).

On television, Kane became widely known in the early 1980s for her role as Simka Gravas on Taxi, playing the wife of Andy Kaufman's character Latka. Her work on the series earned her two Emmy Awards. She later became a main cast member on the Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt from 2015 to 2020, portraying the eccentric landlord Lillian Kaushtupper.

Kane has also enjoyed a significant stage career, most notably playing Madame Morrible in the musical Wicked, a role she performed in both touring productions and on Broadway between 2005 and 2014. In more recent years, she has played the recurring role of Pelia in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, beginning in 2023. With her unmistakable voice and flair for offbeat characters, Kane remains a respected and enduring figure in American entertainment.