Melora Walters facts for kids

Melora Walters is an American actress and filmmaker. She was born on October 21, 1959. She is well-known for her roles as Wanda Henrickson in the TV show Big Love and Kathy Kone in Pen15.

Melora Walters has worked many times with director Paul Thomas Anderson. She received two special awards nominations for her acting in his films Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999). She has also appeared in other popular movies like Dead Poets Society (1989) and Venom (2018). Besides acting, Melora Walters has also directed and written her own films, such as Waterlily Jaguar (2018) and Drowning (2019).

Melora Walters' Acting Journey

Early Roles in Movies

Melora Walters started her acting career in movies in 1988. Her first role was in a film called Underground. Soon after, she played Gloria, a student, in the well-known movie Dead Poets Society (1989). This movie was directed by Peter Weir.

Throughout the early to mid-1990s, she appeared in several films. These included Beethoven (1992) and Ed Wood (1994), which was directed by Tim Burton. She also had a role in the successful action movie Eraser (1996).

Working with Paul Thomas Anderson

Melora Walters began a special working relationship with director Paul Thomas Anderson. She appeared in his first movie, Hard Eight, in 1996. She received praise for her performances in his next films. These were Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999). A critic from Variety magazine, Emanuel Levy, called her acting in Magnolia "superlative." For her role in Doubting Thomas (2018), she won an award for Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Door Film Festival.

Television Appearances

Melora Walters has also been a guest star on many popular TV shows. Some of these include Roseanne, Seinfeld, CSI, Desperate Housewives, and NCIS.

She also had main roles in several TV series. She played Felicity in L.A. Doctors from 1998 to 1999. From 2006 to 2010, she starred as Wanda Henrickson in the series Big Love. More recently, from 2019 to 2021, she played Kathy Kone in the show Pen15. She also appeared as a waitress in an episode of The Wonder Years in 1991.

Melora Walters' Personal Life

Melora Walters has two children. She was married to actor Christopher Scotellaro from 1990 to 1994. Later, she married actor Dylan Walsh, and they had two children together. They separated in 2003. She then married cinematographer Alex Vendler in 2008, but they separated in 2010.

Key Movies and TV Shows

Melora Walters has been part of many interesting projects. Here are some of her notable roles:

Selected Film Roles

• Dead Poets Society (1989) as Gloria
• Beethoven (1992) as Pet Shop Owner
• Ed Wood (1994) as Secretary #2
• Eraser (1996) as Darleen Casteleone
• Boogie Nights (1997) as Jessie St. Vincent
• Magnolia (1999) as Claudia Wilson Gator
• Matchstick Men (2003) as Heather, Roy's Ex-Wife
• Cold Mountain (2003) as Lila
• The Butterfly Effect (2004) as Andrea Treborn
• Short Term 12 (2013) as Dr. Hendler
• Cam (2018) as Lynne Ackerman
• Venom (2018) as Maria, Homeless Woman
• Offseason (2021) as Ava Aldrich

Selected Television Roles

• Roseanne (1989–1990) as Debbie
• The Wonder Years (1991) as Waitress
• Seinfeld (1994) as Jane
• NYPD Blue (1995) as Holly Snyder
• L.A. Doctors (1998–1999) as Felicity
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005) as Sage
• Big Love (2006–2010) as Wanda Henrickson
• Desperate Housewives (2007) as Sylvia Greene
• NCIS (2016) as Susan Elizabeth Lowe
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2017) as Laurel
• Pen15 (2019–2021) as Kathy Kone

See also

In Spanish: Melora Walters para niños