- Born
- Birth nameMargaret Wilson Foster
- Height1.69 m
- Blue-eyed brunette Meg Foster was born in Reading, Pennsylvania on May 10, 1948 to David and Nancy. She has four siblings and grew up in Rowayton, Connecticut. Foster studied acting at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse.
Foster's first role came about in 1969, when she appeared in an episode of NET Playhouse (1964). Throughout the '70s, she guest starred in numerous TV shows including Barnaby Jones (1973), L'homme qui valait 3 milliards (1974), and Hawaii police d'état (1968), and played Hester Prynne, a young woman who has an affair with a pastor, in the miniseries The Scarlet Letter (1979). Foster did not really come to attention until 1982, though, when she replaced Loretta Swit as Christine Cagney in Cagney et Lacey (1981); she herself was later replaced by Sharon Gless (CBS reportedly wanted a more "feminine" actress playing the role of the detective).
Foster began to appear in more movies throughout the late '80s, primarily Les Maîtres de l'Univers (1987), in which she played the nefarious Evil-Lyn. Other notable films include the satirical science fiction flick Invasion Los Angeles (1988), the horror sequel Le beau-père 2 (1989), and the comedic martial arts movie Vengeance aveugle (1989) (Terry O'Quinn also appeared in the latter two).
Foster continued to work prolifically throughout the '90s, mostly appearing in science fiction films. She also guest starred in many popular television shows such as Code Quantum (1989), Urgences (1994), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Arabesque (1984), and Sliders, les mondes parallèles (1995).
After appearing in a 2000 episode of Xena, la guerrière (1995), Foster took a decade-long break from the acting industry. She returned in 2011 with roles in indie flicks 25 Hill (2011) and Sebastian (2011), and had a villainous role as a revenge-seeking witch in Rob Zombie's '70s-esque horror movie Lords of Salem (2012). Additionally, Foster appeared in the TV show The Originals (2013), as well as Pretty Little Liars (2010) and its short-lived spin-off Ravenswood (2013). She re-teamed with Rob Zombie in 2016 for his horror film 31 (2016), in which Foster plays a kidnapped carnival worker.
Foster has a son, Christopher, with Ron Starr. At one point, she was married to actor Stephen McHattie.- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous
- SpouseStephen McHattie(April 2, 1976 - ?) (divorced)
- Children
- ParentsNancy FosterDavid Foster
- RelativesJan Foster(Sibling)Gray Foster(Sibling)Nina Foster(Sibling)Ian Foster(Sibling)
- Strikingly pale blue eyes
- Husky yet smooth voice
- Frequently plays duplicitous villains or traitorous double agents
- Has said in interviews that she sometimes wears tinted contacts when filming because her natural eye color can come across as "a character trait all its own.".
- Was replaced with Sharon Gless on Cagney et Lacey (1981) after six episodes. CBS reportedly wanted somebody more "feminine".
- Had a relationship with Ron Starr, they had a son named Christopher Starr. She and son Christopher starred together in Osterman Weekend (1983) directed by Sam Peckinpah, who directed Ron in Coups de feu dans la Sierra (1962).
- Has worked extensively in the theatre since studying with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York. Her stage credits include "King Lear", "Barabbas", "Three Sisters" and "Extremities", among others.
- Stated that she based her character Evil-Lyn in Les Maîtres de l'Univers (1987) on that of William Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth. In the beginning of the film, she is a pantomime villainess but obviously deeply in love with Skeletor. As the story line progresses, she gradually comes to realize that he does not truly care for her and she finally abandons him to his fate, her withdrawal of her forces leading to his eventual defeat. In her opinion, the character progresses from out-and-out evildoer to scorned woman to tragic heroine.
- The role I'd like to play is the role I'm doing next. I take it day by day.
- [1978] Working is an important part of my life and identity. To be a fulfilled person, I would have to be doing something in addition to raising a child and running a house. Unless I'm feeling good about myself, I wouldn't be able to create the right environment for my family.
- [on Lords of Salem (2012)] The film is about what happens to Heidi [Sheri Moon Zombie]. You follow her, but one doesn't really know if this is real. Is she really being haunted? Is it the result of stopping the drugs? Is it her mind? Is it a fantasy? There are some other people who live in the building where she lives who get involved also. It's really about so many things. As a viewer, I wasn't sure which way to turn; every character spoke to me, which I thought was brilliant. The visuals are extraordinary. There's this wonderful 1970s feel about everything. And being from New England I loved it. I was very personally reminded of when I grew up in the 1950s. And for the 1692 witches, Jennifer Spence created this incredible hovel out in the wilderness and it was so beautiful. There were chickens and birds that came and made nests. It was just extraordinary.
- [on her Lords of Salem (2012) character] I didn't think of her as evil. I thought of her as a witch. I just let go. I didn't really plan anything and just tried to be in the moment.
- [on her chanting and dialogue in Lords of Salem (2012)] I call it talking in tongues. That's what the witch's coven did in the 1600s. I knew what I was saying. I didn't feel frightened. It wasn't just a job. If you're in the moment of bringing life to the character inside and out, you tend to go places that are correct on a creative level.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content