Why are comedic parts for women the exception, not the rule?

In 2008 Patricia Clarkson had supporting roles in Elegy as a womanizer's put-upon girlfriend and Woody Allen's Vicky Cristina Barcelona as an unhappily-married housewife. "Aunt Sarah") in HBO's Six Feet Under. In 2006 Patricia Clarkson portrayed Sadie Burke in All the King's Men set in her native New Orleans.

She has starred in many leading and supporting roles in a numerous amount of well-known films such as The Untouchables The Green Mile Far From Heaven Shutter Island Good Night and Good Luck Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Cairo Time and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Pieces of April (2003). Patricia Davies Clarkson (born December 29 1959) is an American actress. After studying drama on the East Coast Clarkson launched her acting career in 1985 (a guest spot on Spenser: for Hire being one of her first acting jobs) and has worked steadily in both film and television since beginning her career.