Williams is perhaps most recognized for her roles in "Stir Crazy" (1980), with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor, and "Poltergeist" (1982), as suburban housewife Diane Freeling, a character she reprised in a sequel, "", 1986). A year later, she was part of the ensemble comedy-drama "The Big Chill" (1983). This led to her only major starring role in a studio feature film, "American Dreamer" (1984), opposite Tom Conti. High-profile co-starring roles in "Teachers" (1984) with Nick Nolte, "Desert Bloom" (1986) with Jon Voight, "Memories of Me" with Billy Crystal (1988), and Blake Edwards's "Switch" (1991) with Ellen Barkin followed.