Amy Acker
Amy Acker | |
|---|---|
 Acker at the Wizard World Toronto in 2012 | |
| Born | Amy Louise Acker December 5, 1976 |
| Alma mater | Southern Methodist University |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | www |
Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. She played Winifred Burkle and Illyria on the TV series Angel and Kelly Peyton on Alias. Between 2012 and 2016, she played Root on Person of Interest, having become a series regular during the third season.
Early life
Acker was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, to a homemaker mother and a lawyer father.[1][2] She graduated from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas. She subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Southern Methodist University.[3]
In her junior year of college, Acker modeled for J. Crew catalog. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the same year. She worked as a stage actress for several seasons, including a stint at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.
Career
Acker made her major television debut when she starred as Winifred "Fred" Burkle in Angel (seasons 2–5), and also as the character of Illyria for part of the show's fifth and final season. She won the 2003 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television for her portrayal.
She joined the cast of Alias in 2005 for its final season, playing villainess Kelly Peyton. Acker graduated from guest star to fully credited cast member as the show entered the final episodes in April and May 2006. Also in 2005, Acker provided voice acting for the character of Huntress on the animated series Justice League Unlimited. She went on to make a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother, in which she was reunited with Angel co-star, Alexis Denisof (the real-life husband of HIMYM star Alyson Hannigan), who had a recurring role on the show.
She portrayed Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey, a recurring character, on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.[4] Acker guest-starred in 10 of the 13 episodes of the first season and three episodes of the second.
In 2010, she was a series regular in the ABC drama Happy Town, portraying the character Rachel Conroy. That same year, she starred in the season-one finale of the Fox series Human Target, as the mysterious Katherine Walters. On May 25, 2010, she appeared on CBS's The Good Wife. She appeared in the horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, released April 13, 2012. In 2012, she made guest performances in Warehouse 13, Once Upon A Time, and Grimm. In 2012, she starred as Beatrice in Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing.
Acker appeared in the sitcom Husbands's third season as Claudia, the ex-fiancée of Brady Kelly who unexpectedly shows up.[5] In March 2014, Acker was cast as Audrey, a former lover to Phil Coulson in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.[6]
Between 2012 and 2016, Acker portrayed Samantha "Root" Groves on the CBS drama Person of Interest; Groves became a regular character starting in the series' third season. Starting with the series' 100th episode, Acker took on the voice role of the Machine.[7][8] In the series finale, she also appeared as the visual manifestation of the Machine.[9]
Personal life
On April 25, 2003, Acker wed actor James Carpinello in California. They have a son, Jackson (born 2005), and a daughter, Ava (born 2006).[10]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Wishbone | Catherine Morland | Episode: "Pup Fiction" |
| 1999 | To Serve and Protect | Melissa Jorgensen | Episode 1.2 |
| 1999 | Wishbone | Priscilla / Venus | Episodes: "A Bone of Contention", "A Roamin' Nose" |
| 2001 | Special Unit 2 | Nancy | Episode: "The Invisible" |
| 2001–04 | Angel | Winifred 'Fred' Burkle/Illyria | Recurring role: season 2; main role: seasons 3–5 (70 episodes) |
| 2003 | Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt | Bonnie Lindsay | Movie |
| 2005 | Supernatural | Andrea Barr | Episode: "Dead in the Water" |
| 2005–06 | Justice League Unlimited | Huntress/Helena Bertinelli | 4 episodes |
| 2005–06 | Alias | Kelly Peyton | Main role: season 5 (13 episodes) |
| 2006 | How I Met Your Mother | Penelope | Episode: "Come On" |
| 2007 | Drive | Kathryn Tully | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Leslie LeZard | Episode: "Smile" |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Tessa | Episode: "Weight of What Was" |
| 2008 | A Near Death Experience | Ellie Daly | Movie; a.k.a. Voices |
| 2008 | Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles | Princess Luisa | Movie |
| 2008 | October Road | Girl in Blue Uniform | Episode: "Dancing Days Are Here Again" |
| 2008 | October Road | Jenny Bristol | Episode: "Hat? No Hat?" |
| 2008 | Private Practice | Molly Madison | Episode: "A Family Thing" |
| 2009–10 | Dollhouse | Dr. Claire Saunders (Whiskey) | 14 episodes |
| 2010 | Human Target | Katherine Walters | Episode: "Christopher Chance" |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Trish Arkin | Episode: "Running" |
| 2010 | Happy Town | Rachel Conroy | Main role (8 episodes) |
| 2010 | No Ordinary Family | Amanda Grayson | 2 episodes |
| 2011 | Dear Santa | Crystal Carruthers | Movie |
| 2011, 2013 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Sandy Colfax | 2 episodes |
| 2012 | Grimm | Lena Marcenko | Episode: "Tarantella" |
| 2012 | Once Upon a Time | Astrid/Nova | Episode: "Dreamy" |
| 2012 | Warehouse 13 | Tracey | Episode: "The Ones You Love" |
| 2012–16 | Person of Interest | Samantha "Root" Groves / The Machine (voice) | Recurring role: seasons 1–2; main role: season 3–5[7] (65 episodes) |
| 2013 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Nova | 4 episodes |
| 2013 | Husbands | Claudia | |
| 2014 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Audrey Nathan, the Cellist | Episode: "The Only Light in the Darkness" |
| 2015 | A Novel Romance | Sophie | Movie |
| 2015 | Suits | Esther Edelstein (née Litt) | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | MacGyver | Sarah Adler | Episode: "Metal Saw" |
| 2016 | "A Nutcracker Christmas" | Lily |
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | The Accident | Nina | |
| 2002 | Groom Lake | Kate | |
| 2002 | Catch Me If You Can | Miggy | |
| 2005 | Mr. Dramatic | Jodi | Short film |
| 2006 | The Novice | Jill Yarrut | |
| 2009 | 21 and a Wake-Up | Caitlin Murphy | |
| 2011 | Sironia | Molly | |
| 2012 | The Cabin in the Woods | Wendy Lin | |
| 2012 | Much Ado About Nothing | Beatrice | |
| 2014 | Let's Kill Ward's Wife | Geena | |
| 2015 | The Energy Specialist | Claire |
Web
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Who Cut the Cake? | Ellen | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Con Man | Dawn Jones | 3 episodes |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Angel | Won |
| 2004 | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Indie Series Awards | Best Guest Star – Comedy | Husbands | Won |
References
- ^ "Amy Acker Biography (1976–)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved May 29, 2012.
- ^ "The Brothers Gililland of Missouri:Information about Amy Louise ACKER". familytreemaker.genealogy.com. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
- ^ Krug, Kurt Anthony (April 27, 2010). "Happy Town star Amy Acker first caught acting bug while growing up in Dallas". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ "Angel Vet Moves into Whedon's Dollhouse!". TV Guide. April 17, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2008.
- ^ Ng, Philiana (July 5, 2013). "Amy Acker to Guest Star on 'Husbands' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
- ^ Abrams, Natalie (March 26, 2014). "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Exclusive: Amy Acker to Play Famous Role from Coulson's Past". TV Guide. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Webb Mitovich, Matt (July 20, 2013). "Person of Interest: Amy Acker Now Series Regular". TVLine. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
- ^ Rice, Lynette (May 31, 2016). "Person of Interest death is TV's latest lesbian fatality". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
- ^ Piester, Lauren (June 21, 2016). "Who Survived that Beautiful Person of Interest Series Finale?". E! News. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
- ^ "Alias's Amy Acker, Husband Have a Girl". People. September 7, 2006.
External links
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |