Brenda Strong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brenda Strong
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Strong at the PaleyFest in 2013 for the TV show Dallas.
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Brenda Lee Strong
March 25, 1960 Portland, Oregon, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Arizona State University (BMus) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Title | Miss Arizona 1980 |
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| Children | 1 |
Brenda Lee Strong (born March 25, 1960) is an American actress. She is famous for her role as the narrator, Mary Alice Young, in the popular TV series Desperate Housewives.
You might also know her from her roles in other hit shows. She played Lillian Luthor in Supergirl and Nora Walker in 13 Reasons Why. Strong has also appeared in many movies, including the science-fiction film Starship Troopers.
Throughout her career, she has been nominated for two Emmy Awards for her voice-over work. She also won two Screen Actors Guild Awards as part of the cast of Desperate Housewives.
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Early Life and Pageant Win
Brenda Strong was born in Portland, Oregon. When she was 20 years old, she won the title of Miss Arizona in 1980.
After her pageant win, she went to Arizona State University. She studied music and graduated with high honors.
Acting Career
Strong's career began in the mid-1980s. She appeared in music videos and had small roles in popular TV shows like Cheers, MacGyver, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Famous Television Roles
Strong became well-known for playing interesting characters in several major TV shows.
Desperate Housewives
From 2004 to 2012, Strong had her most famous role in the ABC series Desperate Housewives. She played Mary Alice Young, a character who narrates the show from beyond the grave. Even though she was mostly heard and not seen, her voice was a key part of the series. This unique role earned her two Emmy nominations for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance.
Dallas
After Desperate Housewives ended, Strong joined the cast of Dallas from 2012 to 2014. She played Ann Ewing, the wife of Bobby Ewing. This role made her a central character in the updated version of the classic TV show.
Supergirl and 13 Reasons Why
More recently, Strong has taken on roles in shows popular with younger audiences. She played the recurring character Lillian Luthor, the mother of the famous villain Lex Luthor, in the superhero series Supergirl.
She also joined the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why as Nora Walker. She was a recurring character in the second season and became a main character in the third season. She even got to direct two episodes of the show in its final season.
Movie Appearances
Besides television, Strong has acted in many movies. She played Captain Deladier in the science-fiction movie Starship Troopers (1997). She also appeared in its sequel, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004), as a different character.
Some of her other film roles include Black Dog (1998) and The Deep End of the Ocean (1999).
Personal Life
Brenda Strong is a certified yoga instructor. She has taught at UCLA's Mind/Body Institute. For her work connecting yoga and health, she received an honorary Doctorate of Science from Yo San University.
Strong has one son, Zakery, from her first marriage to Tom Henri, which ended in 2011. In 2015, she married director and actor John Farmanesh-Bocca.
In 2019, she won an award for Best First Time Filmmaker at a film festival for her short film #3 Normandy Lane, which she directed.
Selected Film and TV Roles
Here are some of Brenda Strong's most well-known roles:
- Spaceballs (1987) as Nurse Gretchen
- Twin Peaks (1991) as Jones
- Seinfeld (1996–1997) as Sue Ellen Mischke
- Starship Troopers (1997) as Captain Deladier
- 7th Heaven (2000–2002) as Mrs. Carmen Mackoul
- Everwood (2002–2005) as Julia Brown
- Desperate Housewives (2004–2012) as Mary Alice Young
- Dallas (2012–2014) as Ann Ewing
- The 100 (2016, 2019) as Queen Nia
- Supergirl (2016–2021) as Lillian Luthor
- 13 Reasons Why (2018–2020) as Nora Walker
See also
In Spanish: Brenda Strong para niños
