Brenda Strong facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brenda Strong
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Strong at the PaleyFest 2013 forum for 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 |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 1 |
Brenda Lee Strong (born March 25, 1960) is an American actress. She is famous for her roles in many TV shows and movies. You might know her voice as Mary Alice Young from the TV show Desperate Housewives. She also played Ann Ewing in the TV series Dallas.
Brenda Strong has been acting since 1985. She has appeared in popular shows like Twin Peaks, Party of Five, Seinfeld, and Supergirl.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Brenda Strong was born in Portland, Oregon. When she was younger, she won the title of Miss Arizona in 1980. After college, her first big break was appearing in a music video for Billy Crystal in 1984.
Her first TV roles were in 1985. She had small parts in shows like St. Elsewhere, MacGyver, and Cheers. She also appeared in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Her first movie role was in the 1986 comedy Weekend Warriors. She also had a part in the movie Spaceballs in 1987.
Career Highlights
Early TV and Movie Roles
In the 1990s, Brenda Strong continued to act in many TV shows. She had a regular role in the show Twin Peaks in 1990. From 1996 to 1998, she was known for playing Sue Ellen Mischke on Seinfeld. This character was Elaine's rival.
She also had recurring roles in shows like Party of Five and 7th Heaven. She made guest appearances in many other popular shows. These included ER, Ally McBeal, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Brenda Strong also appeared in several films. She was in My Life and The Craft. In 1997, she played Captain Deladier in the science fiction movie Starship Troopers. She returned for the second movie, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation, as a different character. In 1998, she acted alongside Patrick Swayze in the film Black Dog. The next year, she was in The Deep End of the Ocean with Michelle Pfeiffer.
Becoming Mary Alice Young in Desperate Housewives
From 2004 to 2012, Brenda Strong was a main part of the hit TV show Desperate Housewives. She played Mary Alice Young. Her character was deceased, but she narrated the entire series. She told the stories of her friends and neighbors from beyond the grave.
Her voice-over work earned her two nominations for an Emmy Award. The cast also won two Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. These awards were for their great acting as a group.
Starring in Dallas and Beyond
After Desperate Housewives, Brenda Strong joined the cast of Dallas. This was a new version of the classic TV show. She played Ann Ewing, the wife of Bobby Ewing. The show ran from 2012 to 2014.
During this time, she also became the narrator for the TV series Blood Relatives. She also had a role in the political drama Scandal.
Since 2015, Brenda Strong has continued to appear in many shows. She played Queen Nia in The 100. She also had a recurring role as Lillian Luthor on Supergirl. From 2018 to 2020, she was a regular character, Nora Walker, in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why. She even directed two episodes of that show.
Personal Life
Brenda Strong is a certified yoga instructor. She has taught yoga at UCLA's Mind/Body Institute. She also has an honorary Doctorate of Science for her work with yoga.
She married Tom Henri in 1989, and they have a son named Zakery. They later divorced in 2011. In 2015, she married director and actor John Farmanesh-Bocca.
In 2019, Brenda Strong won an award for her first time directing a short film. The film was called #3 Normandy Lane. She won the Best First Time Filmmaker Award at the GI Film Festival San Diego.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Weekend Warriors | Danielle | |
| 1987 | Spaceballs | Nurse Gretchen | |
| 1989 | Skin Deep | Real Estate Agent | Uncredited |
| 1993 | My Life | Laura | |
| 1993 | Malice | Claudia | |
| 1996 | The Craft | Doctor | |
| 1997 | Starship Troopers | Captain Deladier | |
| 1998 | Get a Job | Emily LaCrosse | |
| 1998 | Black Dog | Melanie | |
| 1998 | Undercurrent | Renee Rivera | |
| 1999 | The Deep End of the Ocean | Ellen | |
| 2000 | Terror Tract | Dr. Helen Corey | |
| 2002 | Teddy Bears' Picnic | Jackie Sloane Chevron | |
| 2002 | Red Dragon | Dinner Guest | |
| 2003 | Missing Brendan | Joyce Calden | |
| 2003 | Exposed | Susan Andrews | |
| 2004 | Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation | Sergeant Dede Rake | |
| 2004 | The Work and the Glory | Mary Ann Steed | |
| 2005 | The Kid & I | Bonnie Roman | |
| 2007 | A Plumm Summer | Viv | |
| 2008 | Ocean of Pearls | Mary Stewart | |
| 2009 | You | Paula | |
| 2010 | Privileged | Mrs. Carrington | |
| 2012 | An Engagement | Mom | Short film |
| 2014 | Teacher of the Year | Ellen Behr | |
| 2014 | I Can See You | Marnie | Short film |
| 2015 | The Leisure Class | Charlotte | |
| 2019 | #3 Normandy Lane | Director | Short film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | St. Elsewhere | Nadine Aurora | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Misfits of Science | Miss Speedway | Episode: "Twin Engines" |
| 1985 | Shadow Chasers | Angela Taylor | Episode: "The Many Lies of Johnathan" |
| 1986 | MacGyver | Lila | Episode: "The Assassin" |
| 1986 | Cheers | Vicki | Episode: "The Cape Cad" |
| 1986 | Sledge Hammer! | Miss Hotchkins | Episode: "Miss of the Spiderwoman" |
| 1987 | Dallas | Episode: "Cat and Mouse" | |
| 1987 | Hotel | Hilary Sinclair | Episode: "Revelations" |
| 1987 | Kenny Rogers as The Gambler, Part III: The Legend Continues | Desiree | Television film |
| 1988 | Star Trek: The Next Generation | Rashella | Episode: "When the Bough Breaks" |
| 1989 | Midnight Caller | Kristen | Episode: "No Exit" |
| 1989 | Hooperman | Nun | Episode: "The Nun and I" |
| 1989 | Matlock | Jan Sinclair | Episode: "The Model" |
| 1990 | Father Dowling Mysteries | Miss Cantrell/O'Grady | Episode: "The Perfect Cover Mystery" |
| 1990 | People Like Us | Brenda Primrose | Television film |
| 1991 | Anything but Love | Unknown | Episode: "My New Best Friend" |
| 1991 | Twin Peaks | Jones | 4 episodes |
| 1991–1992 | Blossom | Diane | 2 episodes |
| 1991 | Murphy Brown | Janine | Episode: "Eldin Inmates Life" |
| 1992 | Rachel Gunn, R.N. | Sheila | Episode: "I Dream of Squidhead" |
| 1992 | Scorch | Allison King | Series regular, 6 episodes |
| 1992 | Sibs | Naomi | Episode: "Warren and the Married Woman" |
| 1992 | Down the Shore | Eileen | Episode: "Turn of the Screw" |
| 1992 | Grapevine | Allison | Episode: "The Allison and Ken Story" |
| 1992 | Dark Justice | Jessica Sadler | Episode: "Happy Mothers Day" |
| 1992–1993 | Herman's Head | Dr. Holland | 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Stepfather III | Lauren Sutliffe | Television film |
| 1993 | The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles | Beatrice Kaufman | Episode: "Young Indian Jones and the Scandal of 1920" |
| 1993 | The Second Half | Heather | Episode: "Guess Who's Channeling Dinner?" |
| 1993 | Picket Fences | Sarah Evans | Episode: "Unlawful Entries" |
| 1993 | Silk Stalkings | Candy Grayson | Episode: "Ladies Night Out" |
| 1994 | Island City | Dr. Sammy Helding | Television pilot (not greenlit) |
| 1994 | ER | Sally Niemeyer | Episode: "Into that Good Night" |
| 1996 | Murphy Brown | Tara Baker | Episode: "Casa Nova" |
| 1996 | The John Larroquette Show | Christine Taylor | Episode: "The Master Class" |
| 1996 | Party of Five | Kathleen Isley | 6 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Miss Frost | 2 episodes |
| 1996–1997 | Seinfeld | Sue Ellen Mischke | 4 episodes |
| 1997 | Roar | Megan | Episode: "Traps" |
| 1997 | Chicago Sons | Nina | Episode: "Infrequent Flyers" |
| 1998–2000 | Sports Night | Sally Sasser | 7 episodes |
| 1998 | The Closer | Susan Bend | Episode: "The Rebound" |
| 1999 | Odd Man Out | Kasey Morton | Episode: "Good Will Hunting" |
| 1999 | Any Day Now | Jana Durham | Episode: "It's Not You, It's Me" |
| 1999 | Safe Harbor | Marilyn Conray | Episode: "Older Women, Younger Men" |
| 2000 | Get Real | Olivia Clark | Episode: "Guilt" |
| 2000 | The Michael Richards Show | Beth | Episode: "Discrimination" |
| 2000–2002 | 7th Heaven | Mrs. Carmen Mackoul | 8 episodes |
| 2001 | Ally McBeal | Jerry Hill | Episode: "Mr. Bo" |
| 2001 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Dr. Leigh Sapien | Episode: "Overload" |
| 2001 | Thieves | Loretta | Episode: "Liver Let Die" |
| 2001 | Gilmore Girls | Eva | Episode: "Like Mother, Like Daughter" |
| 2001 | Dawson's Creek | Kay Liddell | Episode: "High Anxiety" |
| 2002 | Bram & Alice | Theresa | Episode: "Scribbling Rivalry" |
| 2002 | The Court | Marsha Palmer | 4 episodes |
| 2002 | Malcolm in the Middle | Amelia | Episode: "Family Reunion" |
| 2002–2005 | Everwood | Julia Brown | 5 episodes |
| 2003 | A.U.S.A. | Judge Kimberly Flynn | Episode: "The Joint Report...A Love Story" |
| 2003 | Nip/Tuck | Iris | 2 episodes |
| 2003 | The Lyon's Den | Rebecca McCandless | Episode: "Things She Said" |
| 2004 | The Help | Arlene Ridgeway | Series regular, 7 episodes |
| 2004 | Going to the Mat | Patty Newfield | Television film |
| 2004–2012 | Desperate Housewives | Mary Alice Young | Series regular, 179 episodes Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2005–2006) Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2007–2009) Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance (2011–2012) |
| 2005 | The Work and the Glory II: American Zion | Mary Ann Steed | Television film |
| 2006 | Family in Hiding | Carol Peterson | Television film |
| 2006 | Just Legal | Liza Lynch | Episode: "The Bar" |
| 2006 | The Work and the Glory III: A House Divided | Mary Ann Steed | Television film |
| 2006–2007 | Help Me Help You | Linda | 4 episodes |
| 2007 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Dr. Flomm | Episode: "The N Word" |
| 2007 | Shark | Olivia Hartnell | Episode: "In Absentia" |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Kathy Jarrow | Episode: "Betrayed" |
| 2008 | Boston Legal | Judge Judy Beacon | Episode: "True Love" |
| 2010 | Scoundrels | Penny Priest | Episode: "Birds of a Feather Flock Together" |
| 2010 | Rizzoli & Isles | Mel Gaynor-Randle | Episode: "I Kissed a Girl" |
| 2012–2014 | Dallas | Ann Ewing | Series regular, 40 episodes |
| 2012; 2014 | Scandal | Joan Reston | Episodes: "All Roads Lead to Fitz", "The Fluffer" |
| 2012–2015 | Blood Relatives | Narrator | 32 episodes |
| 2014 | The Mysteries of Laura | Margot Preston | Episode: "The Mystery of the Mobile Murder" |
| 2015 | Bones | Senator Hayley Winters | Episode: "The Senator in the Street Sweeper" |
| 2015 | Ice Sculpture Christmas | Chef Gloria | Television film |
| 2016 | Chicago P.D. | Attorney Green | Episode: "Now I'm God" |
| 2016; 2019 | The 100 | Queen Nia | 4 episodes |
| 2016 | Love by Chance | Helen | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2016 | Notorious | Maggie Sherman | Episode: "Missing" |
| 2016–2017 | Fear the Walking Dead | Ilene Stowe | 4 episodes |
| 2016–2021 | Supergirl | Lillian Luthor | 23 episodes |
| 2018–2020 | 13 Reasons Why | Nora Walker | 21 episodes; Also director (season 4) |
| 2020 | All Rise | Jean Ruberstone-Frost | Episode: "My Fair Lockdown" |
| 2023 | Unprisoned | Nadine Gregory | |
| 2023 | Sweeter Than Chocolate | Helen Sweet | TV Movie (Hallmark) |
See also
In Spanish: Brenda Strong para niños
