Anne Dudek

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Anne Dudek
Anne Dudek (cropped).jpg
Born (1975-03-22) March 22, 1975 (age 38)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Occupation Actress
Years active 2000–present
Spouse(s) Matthew Heller
Children Akiva Heller (b. 2008)
Saskia Heller (b. 2012)

Anne Louise Dudek (born March 22, 1975) is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Dr. Amber Volakis on American television show House, Clare Pettengill on British television show The Book Group, and Francine Hanson in the American television show Mad Men.

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Early life [edit]

Dudek was born and raised Newton, Massachusetts. She attended Northwestern University. Her surname is Slavic and means hoopoe (a type of bird).

Career [edit]

From the mid-1990s (while at Northwestern University) through 2001, Dudek appeared in various theater productions and on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in Wrong Mountain in 2000,[1] and won the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for outstanding performance in The Glass Menagerie.[2]

After success on Broadway, she made the jump to television, with her first starring role coming on the British comedy drama The Book Group. She has since guest starred on other TV shows, including Desperate Housewives (as Karl Mayer's girlfriend in Season 1), How I Met Your Mother (as Ted's Krav Maga-trained ex-girlfriend), Friends (as 'Precious', Mike Hannigan's girlfriend), ER (as a mother who accidentally shot her son), Charmed, Bones (as Seeley Booth's lawyer girlfriend), Numb3rs and Six Feet Under. She also played Lucinda Barry in the pilot episode of Psych, and a teacher who has a sexual relationship with one of her students (based on the case of Debra Lafave) on Law & Order: Criminal Intent.

Dudek had a recurring role on House beginning in season 4, as Amber Volakis, one of forty physicians under consideration by Dr. House for permanent positions on his team. Her character - nicknamed "Cutthroat Bitch" by House - continued to the end of season but was killed in the two-part season 4 finale, "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart". She would later reappear as an hallucination by House in the season 5 episode "Saviors" and appear as such for the remainder of the season. Dudek later appeared in Mad Men as next-door neighbor Francine Hanson, and on Big Love as one of antagonist Alby Grant's wives, both recurring roles. In 2010, Dudek joined the cast of Covert Affairs, portraying Danielle Brooks, the sister of the central character. On film, she played the role of cruise line heir Tiffany Wilson in the 2004 comedy film White Chicks. She also played Anthony Hopkins' daughter in The Human Stain.

In 2012 Anne Dudek played a role of an ISS astronaut on the TV show Touch in Season 1 Episode 8. She also reprised her role as Amber Volakis for the House finale Everybody Dies.

Personal life [edit]

Dudek is married to artist Matthew Heller. They have a son, Akiva, born on December 14, 2008,[3] and a daughter, Saskia, born in February 2012.[4]

Filmography [edit]

Film [edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2003 Human Stain, TheThe Human Stain Lisa Silk
2004 White Chicks Tiffany Wilson
2004 Educating Lewis Jackie
2004 Naughty Lady, TheThe Naughty Lady Sara Short film
2005 Coat of Snow, AA Coat of Snow Anna Marie
2006 And then it Breaks Girlfriend
2006 Park Meredith
2006 10 Items or Less Lorraine
2007 Speed Dating Amy Short film
2012 Shadow People Ellen

Television [edit]

Year Title Role Notes
2001 ER Paula Gamble Episode: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"
2002 For the People Jennifer Carter Episode: "Pilot"
2002–2003 Book Group, TheThe Book Group Clare Pettengill 12 episodes
2003 Judging Amy Candace Hurley Episode: "Marry, Marry Quite Contrary"
2003 Six Feet Under Allison Williman Episode: "Twilight"
2003 Friends Precious Episode: "The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss"
2004 Desperate Housewives Brandi Episode: "Pretty Little Picture"
2004 Less than Perfect Annie 2 episodes
2005 Charmed Denise Episode: "Ordinary Witches"
2005 Invasion Katie Paxton 2 episodes
2005 Bones Tessa Jankow 2 episodes
2005 How I Met Your Mother Natalie Episode: "Return of the Shirt"
2006 Psych Lucinda Episode: "Pilot"
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Danielle McCaskin Episode: "Tru Love"
2006-2007 Big Day Brittany 3 episodes
2007 Numb3rs Emmanueline Kirtland Episode: "Nine Wives"
2007–2012 House Amber Volakis 19 episodes
2007–2010 Mad Men Francine Hanson 15 episodes
2007–2011 Big Love Lura Grant 19 episodes
2009 Castle Emma Carnes Episode: "The Fifth Bullet"
2010 How I Met Your Mother Natalie Episode: "Say Cheese"
2010–2012 Covert Affairs Danielle Brooks 28 episodes
2012 Touch ISS astronaut Episode: "Zone of Exclusion"
2012 Private Practice Lori Episode: "Drifting Back"
2012 Criminal Minds Emma Kerrigan Episode: "The Good Earth"
2012 The Mentalist Sloan Dietz Episode: "Cherry Picked"

References [edit]

  1. ^ Bio at American Rep. Theatre web site
  2. ^ "Anne Dudek Shows Off Baby Bump on 'Big Love' " Buddy TV.com, August 10, 2008
  3. ^ Mad Men's Anne Dudek Welcomes a Son People Magazine, December 23, 2008
  4. ^ "Anne Dudek Welcomes Baby No. 2: Saskia". CelebrityBabyScoop.com. March 2, 2012. Retrieved September 8, 2012. 

External links [edit]