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Nicole Sullivan
NicoleSullivanByEricSchwabel.jpg
Nicole Sullivan in 2003
Born (1970-04-21) April 21, 1970 (age 54)
New York City, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • comedian
Years active 1990–present
Spouse(s)
Jason Packham
(m. 2006)
Children 2

Nicole Sullivan (born April 21, 1970) is an American actress and comedian best known for her six seasons (1995–2001) on the sketch comedy series MADtv. She also played Holly Shumpert in five seasons (2001–2005, 2007) of the CBS sitcom The King of Queens.

Sullivan played the recurring character of Jill Tracy on Scrubs. She voiced heroic Mira Nova in Disney/Pixar's Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and the villainous Shego in Disney Channel's Kim Possible. She had recurring voice roles on Family Guy and voiced Franny Robinson in Disney's Meet the Robinsons. From 2008 to 2009, she starred in and was the lead of her own Lifetime television series Rita Rocks. From 2008 to 2013, she voiced Marlene the Otter in The Penguins of Madagascar. She portrayed Lyla in the Disney Channel film Let It Shine in 2012. In 2013, she starred in the short-lived Nickelodeon sitcom Wendell & Vinnie as Wilma Basset. From 2014 to 2022, she portrayed Janine, the Johnsons' next-door neighbor, on the ABC sitcom Black-ish. She also voices Kara Danvers aka Supergirl in DC Super Hero Girls.

Early life

Sullivan was born in Manhattan on April 21, 1970. She took dance classes at age 7 and performed in Off Broadway and Broadway productions with the First All-Children's Theatre. Sullivan's mother Madonna (Rauscher) Sullivan, a businesswoman, and her father Edward C. Sullivan, who represented Manhattan's 69th district in the New York State Assembly from 1977 to 2002, moved the family upstate to Middleburgh, New York, in 1982. During high school, Nicole was class treasurer throughout her junior year. She played soccer in high school, recorded statistics for the boys' basketball team and was a member of student council.

After graduating from Middleburgh in 1987, she attended Northwestern University as a theatre major. She studied William Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, Anton Chekhov, Henrik Ibsen and Greek tragedies while working two jobs to pay her way through college and writing plays and sketches for the student theatre. Sullivan spent her junior year in London, studying at the British American Drama Academy and became a member of the Greenwich Shakespeare Company. Sullivan graduated from Northwestern with honors and then moved to Los Angeles to start a television career. After appearing in commercials and sporadic guest roles on shows including Herman's Head, she was recruited to join the cast of MADtv.

Career

MADtv

Sullivan was among the original cast members on Fox's MADtv when it premiered in 1995. She created numerous characters; her most popular was the mean-spirited Vancome Lady. Sullivan's other characters included X-News reporter Amy, dimwitted Antonia, Eracists leader Debbie, News at 6's Diane Lawyer-Trabajo (pronounced "trebalyo"), racist country singer Darlene McBride. Sullivan appeared with Michael McDonald in a MADtv sketch about making an audition tape to appear on Law & Order that mocked their acting prowess; she later guest-starred in the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit season one episode "Contact". Sullivan was featured in the November/December 2009 issue of Making Music Magazine.

King of Queens

Sullivan played the role of Holly Shumpert from 2001 to 2005. She returned in 2007 to reprise the role for the final season. In most of the show, Holly's profession is a dog walker. The Heffernans hire her to 'walk' Arthur, Carrie's father, to get him some exercise and keep him out of mischief, at least a bit.

Voice acting projects

Sullivan was originally cast as Turanga Leela, one of the main characters in the animated series Futurama, but the role was recast with Katey Sagal before the show went to air.

Sullivan has voiced Marlene the Otter on The Penguins of Madagascar – the first television series of the Madagascar franchise – which aired on Nickelodeon, Shego on Kim Possible; Joan of Arc on Clone High; Mira Nova on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command; and Joan on the Family Guy episode, "I Take Thee Quagmire", along with several other one time voices on the show. Sullivan has also starred in a pilot called Me and My Needs that was rejected by ABC. She played Franny Robinson in Meet the Robinsons. Also, Sullivan was a voice actor in the Monsters, Inc. video game. She played Luna in the 2007 video game Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters. In 2012, she also provided the voice of Supergirl in Super Best Friends Forever, a series of animated shorts which aired on Cartoon Network's DC Nation block. with the role carrying on to television series DC Super Hero Girls, which led to appearances on Teen Titans Go! and a direct-to-video crossover film Teen Titans Go! & DC Superhero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, which was released on May 24, 2022.

Personal life

Sullivan is married to actor Jason Packham. They have two sons, born May 2007 and August 2009.

Sullivan won the first edition of Celebrity Poker Showdown. Her charity was Alley Cat Allies, a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to transforming communities to protect and improve the lives of cats, which received $100,000 as a result of her victory.

Sullivan also made an appearance in an episode of It's Me or the Dog along with her husband, their then twenty-month-old son Dashel (Dash), their three cats, and their four mixed-breed dogs: Paco (a Chihuahua mix), Jackson (a Lab mix), Donut (a Great Pyrenees mix), and Funzies (a Catahoula Leopard mix).

In November 2021, Sullivan listed her home in Hollywood Hills for 1.45 million dollars.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Bar Hopping Mara
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins Mira Nova Voice, direct-to-video
2002 The Third Wheel Sally Uncredited
2005 Guess Who Liz Klein
2005 Sesame Street's All-Star Alphabet Letter A Direct-to-video
2006 The Ant Bully Ant #9 Voice
2007 Meet the Robinsons Franny Voice
2008 Superhero Movie Julia Riker
2009 Black Dynamite Patricia Nixon
2009 17 Again Naomi
2014 Eat with Me Maureen
2016 Pee-wee's Big Holiday Shelly Netflix original film
2018 I'll Be Next Door for Christmas Ms. James
2022 Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse Supergirl Voice, direct-to-video

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Herman's Head Young Woman Episode: "The Last Boy Scout"
1994 Party of Five Terry Episode: "Private Lives"
1994 Diagnosis Murder Nurse #1 Episode: "Murder Most Vial"
1994 Models Inc. Elaine Episode: "Of Models and Men"
1995–2001,
2003–05, 2016
MADtv Various 142 episodes
1997 The Drew Carey Show Diane Pulaski Episode: "Drew Gets Married"
1997–98 Fired Up Debbie 2 episodes
1999 Pepper Ann Tundra Woman Voice, episode: "Dances with Ignorance/Girl Power"
1999 Suddenly Susan Claire Teevens, Nate's ex-wife Episode: "The Cheerleaders"
2000 Daddio Miss Lang Episode: "Of Mice and Math"
2000 Talk to Me Kat Munroe 3 episodes
2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jen Caulder Episode: "Contact"
2000 Titus Carol Episode: "Tommy's Girlfriend"
2000–01 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Mira Nova, additional voices Voice, 60 episodes
2000–02 Baby Blues Bizzy Voice, 13 episodes
2000–21 Family Guy Muriel Goldman, various characters Voice, 34 episodes
2001–07 The King of Queens Holly Shumpert, Marilyn 50 episodes
2001–09 Scrubs Jill Tracy 6 episodes
2001 According to Jim Alicia Episode: "Andy's Girlfriend"
2002 Teamo Supremo Fabrica Voice, episode: "Attack of the Stuffed Stuff"
2002–07 Kim Possible Shego, Miss Go; additional voices Voice, 45 episodes
2002, 2023–present Clone High Joan of Arc, Marie Curie Voice, 23 episodes
2003 Less than Perfect Deirdre Bishop 2 episodes
2003 Rugrats Debbie / Customer Voice, episode: "Baby Sale/Steve"
2003 Miss Match Rachel 1 episode
2003 Stanley Farmer Julie Voice, episode: "Doing Like Ducks/Speedy Does It"
2004 Crank Yankers Esperanza Thomas Voice, 1 episode
2005 Monk Janet Novak Episode: "Mr. Monk and the Kid"
2005 Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama Shego Voice, television film
2005 Lilo & Stitch: The Series Shego Voice, episode: "Rufus"
2005 Hot Properties Chloe Reid 13 episodes
2006 Boston Legal Joan Rubin Episode: "...There's Fire!"
2006 Brandy & Mr. Whiskers Gerri Voice, 2 episodes
2007 Raines Carolyn Crumley
2007 My Boys Kimmie 2 episodes
2007–09 Slacker Cats Louise Voice, 11 episodes
2008 Head Case Herself 2 episodes
2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nancy Twicker Episode: "Bull"
2008 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Miss Klotz Episode: "Let Us Entertain You"
2008–09 Rita Rocks Rita Clemens 40 episodes
2008–10 The Secret Saturdays Drew Saturday Voice, 25 episodes
2009 Leverage Heather Moscone Episode: "The Wedding Job"
2009 It's Me or the Dog Herself Episode: "Hollywood Hounds"
2009 True Jackson, VP Kreuftlva Episode: "True Parade"
2009–15 The Penguins of Madagascar Marlene Voice, 59 episodes
2010 Numb3rs Nancy Hackett Episode: "Scratch"
2010 The Doctors Herself Guest
2010 Firebreather Dr. Pytel Voice, television film
2010–11 $#*! My Dad Says Bonnie 18 episodes
2012 RuPaul's Drag Race Herself Guest judge for "Queens Behind Bars"
2012 The Game Sadie Episode: "Let Them Eat (Cup)cake!"
2012 Super Best Friends Forever Supergirl Voice, TV short
2012 Let It Shine Lyla, Roxie's stylist Disney Channel Original Movie
2013 The Exes Melanie Episode: "My Ex-Boyfriend's Wedding"
2013 Wendell and Vinnie Wilma Baset 20 episodes
2014 The Middle Vicki Episode: "The Walk"
2014 TripTank Sarah, Caitlin Voice, 3 episodes
2014 Devious Maids Molly Episode: "The Visit"
2014 See Dad Run Brooke Episode: "See Dad Live at Five"
2014, 2019 BoJack Horseman Tracy; Fan Girl; Party-goer Voice, 3 episodes
2014–22 Black-ish Janine 23 episodes
2015 Grey's Anatomy J.J. Episode: "She's Leaving Home"
2015 Bones Joanne DeMarco Episode: "The Big Beef at the Royal Diner"
2016 Mutt & Stuff Jenny Jasper Episode: "Goat in 60 Seconds!"
2016 The Thundermans Doggin Episode: "Dog Day After-School"
2016 Worst Cooks in America Celebrity Edition Herself Contestant
2016–20 Rusty Rivets Samantha 78 episodes
2017, 2019 Mom Leanne 2 episodes
2017 Girlboss Teresa 2 episodes
2017 The Mindy Project Dr. Witzel Episode: "A Romantical Decouplement"
2017–18 Disjointed Maria Sherman 16 episodes
2018 Corporate Linda Lee Episode: "Remember Day"
2018 Liverspots and Astronots Big Man, Debra Voice, 21 episodes
2018, 2020–21 Big Hero 6: The Series Stern Woman, Hangry Panda Voice, 6 episodes
2018 Alone Together Becky Episode: "Dog Awards"
2018 The Boss Baby: Back in Business Inside Mom Voice, episode: "Par Avion"
2019 Middle School Moguls Mogul Stern Voice, 2 episodes
2019 9-1-1 Deborah Episode: "Monsters"
2019–20 Team Kaylie Principal Dana 8 episodes
2019–22 DC Super Hero Girls Kara Danvers / Supergirl, Power Girl Voice, main role
2019 Harley Quinn Mrs. Copplepot, Benjamin Voice, episode: "A High Bar"
2019-22 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Carol 3 episodes
2020 Will & Grace Ruth Episode: "Filthy Phil, Part 1"
2020–21 Bob Hearts Abishola Lorraine 3 episodes
2020–21 Teen Titans Go! Kara Danvers / Supergirl Voice, 5 episodes
2021 All Rise Bea Greer Episode: "Bette Davis Eyes"
2021 Good Girls Teacher Episode: "One Night in Bangkok"
2021 HouseBroken Little Cookie, others Voice 5 episodes
2021 The Neighborhood Alexis Episode: "Welcome to the Sister from Another Mister"
2022 Murderville Rebecca Hendricks Episode: "The Cold Case"
2023 Last Week Tonight Pam Episode: "Homeowner associations (HOAs)"
2023 Raven's Home Miss Liza Episode: “Lizard Let Lie"
2023 American Born Chinese Robin Episode: "Beyond Repair"

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2000 Buzz Lightyear of Star Command Mira Nova
2002 Kim Possible: Revenge of Monkey Fist Shego
2006 Kim Possible: What's the Switch? Shego
2007 Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters Luna, Computer
2007 Meet the Robinsons Franny
2009 FusionFall Drew Saturday
2009 The Secret Saturdays: Beasts of the 5th Sun Drew Saturday
2011 Penguins of Madagascar: Dr. Blowhole Returns – Again Marlene
2021 DC Super Hero Girls: Teen Power Supergirl / Kara Danvers

See also

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