Merrin Dungey facts for kids

Merrin Melissa Dungey (born August 6, 1971) is an American actress who has appeared in many movies and television shows. She is known for her roles in popular series like The King of Queens, Alias, and Malcolm in the Middle. Many fans also know her as the sea witch Ursula in the fantasy show Once Upon a Time.

Early Life and School

Merrin Dungey was born and raised in Sacramento, California. She is of African American heritage. Her parents are Don and Judith Dungey. As a child, she was very active and enjoyed ballet, dance, and playing the piano. She was also a talented ice skater.

Dungey went to Rio Americano High School and graduated in 1989. After high school, she attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1993. Her older sister, Channing Dungey, is also successful and is the CEO of Warner Bros. Television Studios.

Acting Career

Starting Out

Dungey began her acting career with small parts in movies like Deep Impact and TV shows like Martin. Her big break came when she was cast as Kelly Palmer in the comedy series The King of Queens. She was a recurring character on the show from 1999 to 2007.

Juggling Multiple Roles

For a while, Dungey was very busy acting in three different shows at the same time. While appearing in The King of Queens, she also played Francie Calfo in the spy drama Alias from 2001 to 2003. At the same time, she had a recurring role as Kitty Kenarban, Stevie's mom, on the comedy Malcolm in the Middle.

From 2004 to 2005, she was a main character named Susannah in the drama series Summerland. She also made guest appearances on many famous shows, including Friends, Seinfeld, and The West Wing.

Later Work

Dungey has continued to act in many popular television shows. In 2014, she played the villain Ursula on the ABC show Once Upon a Time. She also had a recurring role as Sharon Jeffords on the comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

From 2016 to 2017, she was a main character, investigator Maxine Bohen, in the legal drama Conviction. She later joined the cast of the medical drama The Resident as Claire Thorpe. More recently, she played Kam in the horror-comedy series Shining Vale from 2022 to 2023.

Personal Life

In May 2007, Dungey married Matthew Drake. They have two daughters, one born in 2008 and the other in 2011. The couple divorced in 2021.

In 2023, Dungey became engaged to Kevin Ryder, a famous radio host. They were married on December 31, 2023.

See also

In Spanish: Merrin Dungey para niños