5:48PM, Sep 12, 2008
The Oscar-nominated actress is probably best known for the role of principled CIA chief Pam Landy in the Bourne series.
However, it was her work as presidential hopeful Laine Hanson in The Contender, Elizabeth Proctor in The Crucible and Pat Nixon in Nixon that gave her industry recognition.
The youngest of four children born to a petrol station owner, Allen attended Rochelle Township High School, where she was "voted most likely to succeed".
She transferred to Northern Illinois University in 1976, where she graduated and subsequently helped join Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company with Gary Sinise and John Malkovich.
She made her TV debut in the drama Say Goodnight, Grace opposite John Malkovich and was first on screen alongside Susan Sarandon in the 1985 comedy mystery Compromising Positions.
In 1986, she starred alongside Brian Cox in Michael Mann's Hannibal Lecter thriller Manhunter (to prepare for the role she went to a school for the blind and wore a blindfold for several days).
Allen went on to feature in Francis Ford Coppola's comedy drama Peggy Sue Got Married and as Jeff Bridges' wife in Tucker: The Man and his Dreams.
In 1989, Allen returned to the stage and won a Tony Award for her Broadway debut performance in Burn This. She also starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play The Heidi Chronicles.
She received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for her roles as Pat Nixon in Oliver Stone's Nixon and as Elizabeth Proctor, a woman accused of witchcraft, in The Crucible.
In 1997, she appeared alongside Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline in Ang Lee's acclaimed drama The Ice Storm and the John Wood thriller Face/Off.
The following year, she played Betty Parker in the fantasy comedy Pleasantville alongside Tobey Maguire and Reese Witherspoon.
She was nominated for a best actress Oscar for her role in The Contender (a film produced by co-star Gary Oldman and Douglas Urbanski), in which she played a politician who becomes the object of scandal.
In 2004, she starred in the Nick Cassavettes weepie The Notebook and made her first appearance as Pam Landy in the second Bourne outing, The Bourne Supremacy with Matt Damon.
The following year she played an alcoholic who falls for fellow drinker Kevin Costner in the entertaining Upside of Anger.
She reprised the role of Pam Landy in the equally impressive The Bourne Ultimatum.
Recent roles have included scheming prison boss Warden Hennessey in the action thriller Death Race with Jason Statham.
