Kate Walsh (actress) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kate Walsh
Walsh in 2011
Born	Kathleen Erin Walsh (1967-10-13) October 13, 1967 (age 57) San Jose, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress businesswoman
Years active	1995–present
Spouse(s)	Alex Young ​ ​ (m. 2007; div. 2010)​

Kathleen Erin Walsh (born October 13, 1967) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is famous for playing Dr. Addison Montgomery in the TV shows Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice.

She has also appeared in other popular series. These include 13 Reasons Why, The Umbrella Academy, and Emily in Paris.

Early Life and Beginnings

Kate Walsh was born in San Jose, California. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona. Her mother has Italian family roots, and her father was from Ireland.

Kate went to Catalina Magnet High School. She also studied acting at the University of Arizona. Later, she moved to New York City. There, she joined a comedy group called Burn Manhattan. She worked as a waitress to support herself.

Career Highlights

Before acting, Kate worked in fast-food restaurants. She also modeled and taught English in Japan. Later, she moved to Chicago. There, she worked with the Piven Theatre Workshop. In 2010, Kate started her own company, Boyfriend LLC. It focuses on beauty and lifestyle products.

Famous TV Roles

Walsh at the HBO Post-Emmys Party in 2008.

Kate Walsh started her TV career with small roles. In 1997, she got a bigger part. She played Nicki Fifer on The Drew Carey Show. Nicki was a love interest for the main character.

Later, Kate appeared in The Norm Show. She also guest-starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

In 2005, Kate got her most famous role. She played Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy. Addison was the wife of Dr. Derek Shepherd. Her character became very popular.

Because fans loved Addison, she got her own show. This spin-off series was called Private Practice. It started in 2007. Kate played the main role for six seasons. She also returned to Grey's Anatomy for special guest appearances.

In 2014, Kate was in the TV series Fargo. She also starred in Bad Judge. From 2017 to 2019, she played Olivia Baker in the Netflix show 13 Reasons Why. This show was very popular with teens.

Kate also had a big role in The Umbrella Academy. She played a character called "the Handler." More recently, she joined the cast of Emily in Paris. She plays Emily's boss, Madeline Wheeler. In 2021, she announced she would return to Grey's Anatomy again.

Film Appearances

Kate Walsh's first movie was Normal Life in 1995. She played the sister of a bank robber. In 2005, she gained more attention. She played the wife of Will Ferrell's character in Kicking & Screaming. She also appeared with Will Ferrell in Bewitched.

She was in Under the Tuscan Sun in 2003. In 2010, she starred in the movie Legion. Kate also played Charlie's mother in The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Theatre Work

Kate Walsh has also performed on stage. In 2010, she made her off-Broadway debut. She starred in a play called Dusk Rings a Bell. She also had a long career in theater in Chicago. Her roles there included Happy Birthday Wanda June and Troilus and Cressida.

Personal Life

Kate Walsh married Alex Young in 2007. He was an executive at 20th Century Fox. They divorced in 2010.

In October 2022, Kate shared happy news. She announced her engagement to Andrew Nixon, an Australian farmer. Kate now lives in Perth, Western Australia.

Health Journey

In 2017, Kate Walsh shared some personal health news. She had a benign brain tumor in 2015. A benign tumor is not cancerous. She had surgery to remove it. After the surgery, she took a nine-month break to get better. In 2019, she also had a hip replacement.

Making a Difference

Kate Walsh is involved in many causes. Since 2007, she has been a spokesperson for Narcolepsy Network. She helps raise awareness about narcolepsy. This is a sleep disorder.

In 2008, she supported Barack Obama's presidential campaign. She appeared in a video called "Yes We Can". She also campaigned for him in several states.

Kate was elected to the board of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in 2008. This group helps actors. She also supports pet adoption. She often campaigns to help animals find homes. She has worked with groups like Oceana to protect sea turtles.

During the 2016 election, Kate supported Hillary Clinton. She campaigned for her in different states.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

See also

In Spanish: Kate Walsh (actriz) para niños