Michelle Forbes facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michelle Forbes
Forbes at Comic-Con 2009
Born	Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo (1965-01-08) January 8, 1965 (age 60) Austin, Texas, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1980–present
Spouse(s)	Ross Kettle ​ ​ (m. 1990; div. 1999)​

Michelle Renee Forbes Guajardo (born January 8, 1965) is an American actress. She has appeared in many TV shows and independent movies. She has won a Saturn Award and been nominated for three others.

Michelle Forbes first became well-known for her roles in the daytime TV show Guiding Light. She was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her work on that show. She is also famous for her roles in popular drama and science fiction series. These include Ensign Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard. She also played medical examiner Julianna Cox on Homicide: Life on the Street.

In the 2000s, she had important roles in shows like Battlestar Galactica, 24, and Prison Break. She also played Maryann Forrester in True Blood. Michelle Forbes has also acted in films such as Escape from L.A., Kalifornia, and Swimming with Sharks. In 2011–2012, she starred in The Killing, which earned her a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.

Early Life and Acting Start

Michelle Forbes was born in Austin, Texas. Her family has Mexican American roots.

When she was younger, Michelle dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer. She started learning acting at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston. At 16, while on a trip to New York City, she tried out for a movie. Even though she didn't get the part, she was signed by a talent agency. This is how she began her acting career.

Career Highlights

Early TV Roles

In 1987, at age 22, Michelle Forbes got a role on the TV show Guiding Light. She played Sonni Carrera Lewis. Later, her role was expanded, and she played a second character named Solita Carrera. She was on the show for three years. In 1990, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award for her acting.

After Guiding Light, she acted in theater and took small guest roles on TV shows. She then got a recurring role as Ensign Ro Laren in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The creators of Star Trek wanted her to continue playing Ro in another series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. However, Michelle Forbes chose to focus on movies instead.

Film Work

In 1993, Michelle Forbes received praise for her role as photographer Carrie Laughlin in the movie Kalifornia. She was even nominated for a Saturn Award for this performance. After that, she played a main female role in the 1994 movie Swimming with Sharks. She also had supporting roles in films like The Road Killers and John Carpenter's 1996 science fiction movie Escape from L.A..

She continued to appear on TV during this time. She had guest roles on Seinfeld and The Outer Limits. She also returned to Star Trek: The Next Generation for a special episode to finish Ro Laren's story.

In 1995, she starred in the crime thriller Black Day Blue Night. Critics liked her "compellingly hard-bitten" performance in the movie.

More TV Success

In 1996, Michelle Forbes joined the cast of the police drama Homicide: Life on the Street. She played the chief medical examiner, Dr. Julianna Cox. She stayed with the show for two years. She later returned to play her role in the 2000 TV movie Homicide: The Movie.

She also had a regular role on the ABC series Wonderland. Later, she had a recurring role on the police drama The District.

Forbes at the True Blood premiere party, June 2009

In the early 2000s, she appeared in films like Perfume and American Girl. She also starred in the British TV film Messiah and its sequels. For this role, she even learned some British sign language. From 2002 to 2003, Forbes played Lynne Kresge, a presidential aide, in the second season of the action series 24.

After 24, she had a guest role on Alias. She then played Admiral Helena Cain in Battlestar Galactica and the TV movie Battlestar Galactica: Razor. She also had a recurring role as Agent Samantha Brinker on Prison Break. She made guest appearances on Boston Legal and Lost.

In 2008, Michelle Forbes starred in two HBO drama series. She played the wife of the main character in In Treatment. She also played a Maenad named Maryann Forrester in True Blood. She returned for the second seasons of both shows in 2009. She also joined the cast of the Canadian show Durham County.

From 2011 to 2012, Forbes played Mitch Larsen in the TV series The Killing. This show was a remake of a Danish crime series. She also played Retro Girl in the TV series Powers. She had a supporting role in the movie The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2.

From 2016 to 2019, Michelle Forbes played Valerie Edwards in the TV series Berlin Station. Her character was a strong administrator in a spy agency. In 2021, she joined the cast of the ABC drama Big Sky.

Personal Life

Michelle Forbes has been a vegetarian since she was a teenager. In 2011, she became a vegan. This means she does not eat any animal products.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video Games

Awards and Nominations

Michelle Forbes has been recognized for her acting with several awards and nominations.

See Also

In Spanish: Michelle Forbes para niños