Melora Walters
From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia
Melora Walters | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 21, 1959[1] Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
Melora Walters (born October 21, 1959) is an American actress and filmmaker, best known for her starring roles as Wanda Henrickson on HBO's Big Love (2006–2010) and Kathy Kone on Hulu's PEN15 (2019–2021). She has appeared in several Paul Thomas Anderson films, earning two Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for her work in Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), respectively. Her other film credits include Dead Poets Society (1989), Eraser (1996), Matchstick Men, Cold Mountain (both 2003), The Butterfly Effect (2004), Short Term 12 (2013), Cam, Venom (both 2018), and Offseason (2021). Walters' directorial credits include the features Waterlily Jaguar (2018) and Drowning (2019), both of which she wrote and co-produced.
Career[edit]
Walters made her film debut with a small part in the 1988 film Underground, which she followed with the more substantial role of Gloria in Peter Weir's critically acclaimed Dead Poets Society (1989).[2] She made small appearances in various films throughout the early-mid 1990s, such as Beethoven (1992), Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994), and Eraser (1996). In 1996, Walters began a professional partnership with Paul Thomas Anderson when she appeared in his directorial debut, Hard Eight. Her other collaborations with Anderson include Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999). In his review of the latter for Variety, critic Emanuel Levy described Walters' portrayal of drug-addicted Claudia as "superlative".[3] For her performance in Doubting Thomas (2018), Walters was named Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Door Film Festival.[4]
On television, Walters has appeared in guest roles on series such as Roseanne, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Californication, The Mentalist, NCIS, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and American Gigolo. She also starred as Felicity on L.A. Doctors (1998–1999), Wanda Henrickson on Big Love (2006–2010), and Kathy Kone on PEN15 (2019–2021).
Personal life[edit]
Walters has two children from her marriage to Dylan Walsh. She married cinematographer Alex Vendler on June 21, 2008. She filed for divorce in 2010.[5]
Filmography[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Underground | Prostitute | |
| 1989 | Dead Poets Society | Gloria | |
| 1989 | Rude Awakening | Punky | |
| 1992 | Beethoven | Pet Shop Owner | |
| 1993 | America's Deadliest Home Video | Gloria | |
| 1993 | Twenty Bucks | The Stripper/Funeral Director | |
| 1994 | Cabin Boy | Trina | |
| 1994 | All Tied Up | Bliss | |
| 1994 | Ed Wood | Secretary #2 | |
| 1996 | Hard Eight | Jimmy's Girl | |
| 1996 | Eraser | Darleen | |
| 1996 | American Strays | Cindy | |
| 1997 | Los Locos | Allison | |
| 1997 | Boogie Nights | Jessie St. Vincent | Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast |
| 1999 | Magnolia | Claudia Wilson Gator | Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast |
| 2001 | Speaking of Sex | Melinda | |
| 2001 | Rain | Ellen | |
| 2002 | WiseGirls | Kate | |
| 2002 | Desert Saints | Bennie Harper | |
| 2003 | Melvin Goes to Dinner | Trenice, Melvin's Girlfriend | Copper Wing Award for Best Ensemble |
| 2003 | The Big Empty | Candy | |
| 2003 | Matchstick Men | Heather, Roy's Ex-Wife | Uncredited |
| 2003 | Cold Mountain | Lila | |
| 2004 | The Butterfly Effect | Andrea Treborn | |
| 2007 | Brothers Three: An American Gothic | Loren | |
| 2008 | Harrison Montgomery | Margo Fleming | |
| 2008 | bgFATLdy | Katelan Beacon | |
| 2008 | Dark Yellow | Woman | |
| 2009 | Hurt | Helen Coltrane | |
| 2010 | Case 219 | Victoria Lash | |
| 2010 | Shit Year | Shelly | |
| 2010 | Love Ranch | Janelle | |
| 2011 | The River Murders | Agent Glover | |
| 2012 | The Master | Band (voice) | |
| 2012 | Missing Pieces | Delia Greenly | |
| 2013 | Short Term 12 | Dr. Hendler | |
| 2013 | Underdogs | Nancy Smith-Burkett | |
| 2013 | Lonely Boy | Betsy | |
| 2014 | The Young Kieslowski | Barbara Kieslowski | |
| 2014 | Sacrifice | Enid | |
| 2015 | Sex, Death and Bowling | Evie | |
| 2016 | Indiscretion | Harper | |
| 2016 | Sugar Mountain | Tracy Huxley | |
| 2017 | The Lovers | Lucy | |
| 2018 | Not a Stranger | Jill Madden | |
| 2018 | In a Relationship | Mia Ziniti | |
| 2018 | Doubting Thomas | Kate | Golden Door Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress |
| 2018 | Cam | Lynne Ackerman | |
| 2018 | Venom | Maria | |
| 2019 | Beneath the Leaves | Rose | |
| 2019 | Robert the Bruce | Ylfa | |
| 2019 | Drowning | Rose | Also writer, director, producer |
| 2019 | Where Are You | Edith the Gatekeeper | |
| 2020 | The Pale Door | Maria | |
| 2020 | Pink Skies Ahead | Hayley | |
| 2020 | Hard Luck Love Song | Gypsy Sally | |
| 2021 | Offseason | Ava Aldrich | |
| 2022 | The Hater | Sally Jensen |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989–1990 | Roseanne | Debbie | 5 episodes |
| 1990 | How to Murder a Millionaire | Television film | |
| 1991 | The Wonder Years | Waitress | Episode: "Road Trip" |
| 1991 | ABC Afterschool Specials | Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll" | |
| 1992 | Murphy Brown | Lisa | Episode: "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go" |
| 1992 | Dear John | Maria | Episode: "Adult Education" |
| 1993 | Telling Secrets | Karen Blake | Television film |
| 1993 | Walker, Texas Ranger | Star Buckley | Episode: "Bounty" |
| 1993 | Bakersfield P.D. | Marnie Archer | Episode: "Lucky 13" |
| 1994 | Dead Man's Revenge | Bunny | Television film |
| 1994 | Seinfeld | Jane | Episode: "The Hamptons" |
| 1994 | Midnight Run for Your Life | Lorna Bellstratten | Television film |
| 1995 | The Marshal | Sheryl | Episode: "The Ballad of Lucas Burke" |
| 1995 | Picket Fences | Sherri Watkins | Episode: "Reap the Whirlwind" |
| 1995 | Dream On | Dina | Episode: "Little Orphan Eddie" |
| 1995 | NYPD Blue | Holly Snyder | Episodes: "The Bank Dick" and "Dirty Laundry" |
| 1996 | Simon | Emily | Episode: "Simon Night Fever" |
| 1996 | Nash Bridges | Flo | Episode: "Skirt Chasers" |
| 1997 | High Incident | Episode: "Camino High" | |
| 1997 | Brooklyn South | Carly | Episode: "A Reverend Runs Through It" |
| 1998–1999 | L.A. Doctors | Felicity | 20 episodes |
| 1998 | Twice Upon a Time | Alannah Merribone | Television film |
| 2002 | Push, Nevada | Grace | 7 episodes |
| 2003–2004 | Threat Matrix | Lia "Lark" Larkin | 13 episodes |
| 2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Sage | Episode: "Gum Drops" |
| 2006–2010 | Big Love | Wanda Henrickson | 35 episodes |
| 2007 | Desperate Housewives | Sylvia Greene | Episodes: "Distant Past", "Something's Coming" |
| 2012 | Californication | Lisa | Episode: "Raw" |
| 2012 | Franklin & Bash | Joan Ackermann | Episode: "Strange Brew" |
| 2014 | Rake | Jan Falcon | Episode: "Man's Best Friend" |
| 2015 | The Mentalist | Amber | Episode: "Byzantium" |
| 2015 | Criminal Minds | Paige | Episodes: "Protection" and "The Hunt" |
| 2016 | NCIS | Susan Elizabeth Lowe | Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" |
| 2017 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Laurel | Episode: "Something Happened" |
| 2018 | Corporate | Nadine | Episode: "Corporate Retreat" |
| 2019 | The OA | Melody | Episode: "Angel of Death" |
| 2019–2021 | PEN15 | Kathy Kone | Main cast |
| 2022 | American Gigolo | Maryanne Henderson | 3 episodes |
| Year | Song | Artist | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | "Try" | Michael Penn | |
| 1999 | "Save Me" | Aimee Mann | Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson |
References[edit]
- ^ "Who is Melora Walters? Pictures with Facts You Might Not Know". Glamour Path. June 24, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
- ^ "Dead Poets Society". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved May 17, 2023.
- ^ Emanuel, Levy (December 9, 1999). "Magnolia". Variety. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ Sullivan, Al (October 11, 2018). "The stars came out". The Hudson Reporter. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
- ^ "Big Love' Actress Melora Walters Files For Divorce". RadarOnline.com. September 16, 2010. Retrieved February 25, 2017.
