Born March 23, 1964, in Englewood, N.J., Davis graduated from Vassar and studied acting in London before heading back to America to try her luck on the Chicago stage. After appearing in numerous productions at the prestigious Goodman Theatre, she began to get offers from Hollywood.
In 1990, Davis made her film debut in Flatliners and, by the middle of the decade, was receiving acclaim for her roles in indie fare such as Next Stop Wonderland (1998) and Arlington Road (1999). Bigger parts in bigger movies followed, including American Splendor (2003) and Proof (2005). She earned Emmy and Golden Globe nods in 2010 for her performance as Hillary Clinton in the HBO film The Special Relationship.