Abigail Spencer
Abigail Spencer | |
---|---|
![]() Spencer in 2013 | |
Born | Gulf Breeze, Florida, U.S. | August 4, 1981
Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1999–present |
Spouse |
Andrew Pruett
(m. 2004; div. 2013) |
Children | 1 |
Abigail Leigh Spencer (born August 4, 1981) is an American actress known for her recurring roles on Mad Men and Suits, and for starring in the series Rectify and Timeless.
The Floridian began her career on the ABC daytime television soap opera All My Children, playing Rebecca Tyree from 1999 to 2001, before going on to star in the short-lived Lifetime crime drama series Angela's Eyes (2006).
Spencer has appeared in films such as In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), Chasing Mavericks (2012), The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013), Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and This Is Where I Leave You (2014). On television, she has had recurring roles on Mad Men, Hawthorne, and Suits. From 2013 to 2016, Spencer starred as Amantha Holden in the SundanceTV drama series Rectify, for which she received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination. In 2016, Spencer began playing the leading role of history professor Lucy Preston in the NBC series Timeless.
Early life
Spencer was born and raised in Gulf Breeze, Florida,[1] the daughter of Lydia Ann (Brown) and surfer Yancy Spencer III (1950-2011).[2] She has two brothers, Yancy Spencer IV (born c. 1973) and Sterling Spencer (born c. 1986).
Spencer has stated that she is part Cherokee.[3]
Career
Spencer's first major acting role was playing Rebecca "Becca" Tyree on ABC soap opera All My Children from June 3, 1999, to April 10, 2001.[4][5] She later starred in Lifetime Television original series Angela's Eyes, which was cancelled on December 1, 2006.[1] In the following years she began playing guest roles on television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, How I Met Your Mother, Private Practice and Castle.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/This_Is_Where_I_Leave_You_13_%2815281504761%29.jpg/170px-This_Is_Where_I_Leave_You_13_%2815281504761%29.jpg)
Spencer played the role of a blogging enthusiast in Twix advertisements, and portrayed Miss Farrell, a love interest of Don Draper's, on AMC's Mad Men in 2009. In early 2011, she landed the lead role on ABC drama pilot Grace by Krista Vernoff.[6] Spencer had previously played the title character in another Krista Vernoff drama pilot, Introducing Lennie Rose, in 2005.[7] Spencer appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Erin Jameson on the TNT series Hawthorne in 2010, and since 2011 has had a recurring role as Dana "Scottie" Scott, Gabriel Macht's character's old rival, on the USA Network legal drama Suits.[8][9]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ea/Abigail_Spencer_2014.jpg/170px-Abigail_Spencer_2014.jpg)
Spencer has appeared in several films, including In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), and Chasing Mavericks (2012), and she played the lead role in The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013).[10] She appeared in fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, in 2013.[11]
As of 2013, Spencer has starred as Amantha Holden in the Sundance Channel original drama series Rectify.[12] She was nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her performance in the series.[13][14][15]
Spencer played the lead role in the indie drama A Beautiful Now, written by Daniela Amavia, about a passionate dancer who finds herself considering an extreme act when she reaches a crossroads in her life.[16] She was nominated for a Madrid International Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in film. In 2014, Spencer appeared opposite Jason Bateman in This Is Where I Leave You, an ensemble comedy directed by Shawn Levy,[17] and starred with John Travolta and Christopher Plummer in The Forger.[18][19]
In October 2014, Spencer joined the cast of the second season of HBO crime drama series, True Detective.[20][21]
In 2016, Spencer was cast as lead character Lucy Preston in the NBC series Timeless,[22] where she plays a history professor sent on time travel missions to different eras in an effort to prevent others from disrupting the U.S.-related timestream.[23] A review of the series in Variety called Spencer "prodigiously talented" and that she played "a character whose major personality traits are 'smart' and 'plucky.'"[23] A review in Deadline.com said that the show was a waste of Spencer's talents.[24] The New York Times wrote that "Abigail Spencer is good as Lucy, the spunky historian who is the show's central character."[25] Timeless was renewed by NBC on May 12, 2017. The network had cancelled the series days earlier, but reversed the decision.'[26]
Personal life
Spencer married Andrew Pruett in 2004 and filed for divorce in February 2012.[27]
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2001 | Campfire Stories | Melissa | |
2003 | Truth and Dare | Skye | |
2005 | Fathers and Sons | Clarissa | |
2005 | A Coat of Snow | Sandy | |
2006 | Hooked | Wendy | Short film |
2007 | Passing the Time | Jessica | Short film |
2007 | Jekyll | Talia Carew | |
2010 | In My Sleep | Gwen | |
2011 | Cowboys & Aliens | Alice | |
2012 | This Means War | Katie | |
2012 | Chasing Mavericks | Brenda Hesson | |
2013 | The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia | Lisa Wyrick | |
2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | May | |
2013 | Kilimanjaro | Yvonne | |
2013 | Here and Now | Woman | Short film |
2014 | Beautiful Now | Romy | Nominated – Madrid International Film Festival Award for Best Actress |
2014 | This Is Where I Leave You | Quinn Altman | |
2014 | The Pieces | Vanessa | Short film |
2014 | The Forger | Agent Paisley | |
2015 | H8RZ | Laura Sedgewick | |
2016 | The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards | Abigail | |
2016 | The Sweet Life | Lolita |
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999–2001 | All My Children | Rebecca 'Becca' Tyree | Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer (2000) |
2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Becky Lester | Episode: "Bite Me" |
2005 | Introducing Lennie Rose | Lennie Rose | TV pilot |
2006 | Killer Instinct | Violet Summers | Episode: "Love Hurts" |
2006 | Gilmore Girls | Megan | Episode: "Bridesmaids Revisited" |
2006 | Angela's Eyes | Angela Henson | Lead role, 13 episodes |
2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Cindy Brown | Episode: "Speed Demon" |
2007, 2014 | How I Met Your Mother | Blah Blah (Carol)[28] | Episodes: "How I Met Everyone Else" and "Gary Blauman" |
2008 | Welcome to the Captain | Claire Tanner | Episode: "The Letter" |
2008 | Bones | Phillipa Fitz | Episode: "The Man in the Mud" |
2008 | Moonlight | Simone Walker | Episode: "Sonata" |
2009 | Rex Is Not Your Lawyer | Lindsey Steers | TV pilot |
2009 | Private Practice | Rachel | Episode: "Ex-Life" |
2009 | Mad Men | Suzanne Farrell | Recurring Role, 6 episodes |
2009 | Castle | Sarah Reed | Episode: "One Man's Treasure" |
2010 | The Glades | Ashley Carter | Episode: "The Girlfriend Experience" |
2010 | Hawthorne | Dr. Erin Jameson | Recurring Role, 8 episodes |
2011 | Grace | Sarah Grace | TV pilot |
2011–2016 | Suits | Dana 'Scottie' Scott | Recurring role, 12 episodes |
2012–2013 | Burning Love | Annie | 16 episodes |
2013 | NTSF:SD:SUV | Abigail | Episode: "Comic Con-Air" |
2013–2016 | Rectify | Amantha Holden | Series regular Nominated – Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2013) Nominated – Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama (2014) |
2015 | True Detective | Gena Brune | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
2016 | Comedy Bang! Bang! | Vanna | Episode: "Zach Galifianakis Wears Rolled Khakis and Shoes With Brown Laces" |
2016–present | Timeless | Lucy Preston | Main Role Pending – Teen Choice Award for Choice Sci-Fi/Fantasy TV Actress (2017) |
2017 | The Late Late Show with James Corden [29] | Kellyanne Conway | |
2017 | Grey's Anatomy | Megan Hunt | Recurring role (5 episodes) |
References
- ^ a b "Abigail Spencer Biography". Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ "Yancy Spencer III Obituary: View Yancy Spencer's Obituary by the Pensacola News Journal". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ Friedman, Jennifer D'Angelo. "*Hawthorne* Actress Reveals Her Beauty Secrets".
- ^ "About AMC: About the Actors | Abigail Spencer | All My Children @". Soapcentral. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ "Abigail Spencer". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie. "Abigail Spencer To Star In ABC's 'Grace', Several Other Actors Join Pilots". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ "Breaking News - Development Update: February 17". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ Matt Webb Mitovich (2011-06-14). "Mad Men Alum Abigail Spencer Lawyers Up for USA Network's Suits". TVLine. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ Barrett, Annie (2013-09-17). "'Suits' summer finale preview: Who's a bastard? | Inside TV | EW.com". Insidetv.ew.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ "The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia". 1 February 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ Borys Kit (July 5, 2011). "'Mad Men' Actress Abigail Spencer Heads to 'Oz' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
- ^ "Quintet Of Actors Cast In Sundance Channel's Drama Series 'Rectify'". Deadline. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Sandra Gonzalez (May 22, 2013). "'American Horror Story' and 'The Big Bang Theory' lead Critics Choice nominees". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
- ^ "Big Bang, Horror Story, Parks & Rec, Good Wife, The Americans Lead Critics Choice Nominations". TV Line. May 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
- ^ "2013 Nominations | Categories | International Press Academy". Pressacademy.com. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
- ^ Borys Kit (1 March 2013). "'Oz' Actress Abigail Spencer to Star in 'Beautiful Now' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Borys Kit (April 3, 2013). "Abigail Spencer Joins Jason Bateman in 'This Is Where I Leave You' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
- ^ "Jennifer Ehle, Abigail Spencer Join 'Forger'". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ "Jennifer Ehle, Anson Mount, Abigail Spencer Join 'The Forger'". Variety. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
- ^ "'True Detective' Adds Kelly Reilly, Abigail Spencer, Michael Irby and Leven Rambin - TheWrap". TheWrap. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ "Advertisement - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ Michael Ausiello. "Abigail Spencer to Star in 'Time' for NBC — Drama Pilot From Shawn Ryan, Eric Kripke - TVLine". TVLine. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
- ^ a b Saraiya, Sonia (20 September 2016). "TV Review: 'Timeless'".
- ^ Patten, Dominic (3 October 2016). "'Timeless' & 'Frequency' Review: NBC & CW Time Travel Series Go Nowhere Fast".
- ^ "Review: In 'Timeless,' a Time-Traveling Trio and a High-Stakes Chase". 3 October 2016 – via The New York Times.
- ^ Otterson, Joe (May 13, 2017). "'Timeless' Scores Season 2 Order at NBC After Cancellation". Variety. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
- ^ "'HawthoRNe' Star Abigail Spencer Files for Divorce". TMZ. February 26, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
- ^ "'How I Met Your Mother' Season 9 Recap — Ted/The Mother First Date - TVLine". TVLine. 18 March 2014. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
- ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZWNHCRCpNM
External links
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