Shawnee Smith
Encyclopedia
Shawnee Smith is an American film and television actress and singer. Smith is best known for her roles as Amanda Young
in the Saw films
and Linda in the CBS
sitcom Becker
.
Smith once fronted the metal band Fydolla Ho, with which she toured the United States and the United Kingdom
, and was also half of Smith & Pyle
, a desert country-rock band, with actress Missi Pyle
.
, the second child of Patricia, an oncology
nurse, and Jim Smith, a financial planner and former US Air Force
pilot. The family relocated from South Carolina to Van Nuys, California, when she was a year old; the parents divorced when she was two; and her mother remarried when she was eight. She attended Ranchito Avenue Elementary School in Panorama City, California. She also attended North Hollywood High School
in North Hollywood, California and graduated in 1987.
repertory from ages 8 to 11 and starred in a stage play with Richard Dreyfuss
at age 15. She also performed in the original stage production of To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday and won the Dramalogue Critics Award for her performance. She was the youngest actor up to that time to receive such an honor. She made her television debut in a McDonald's
commercial titled "Best Friends" in 1978. She joined the Screen Actors Guild
at age nine and made her feature film debut in John Huston
's 1982 adaptation
of the Broadway musical Annie
, as one of Aileen Quinn
's fellow orphans. In 1985, Smith co-starred in two troubled-teen melodramas, Not My Kid
and Crime of Innocence. In 1987, Smith co-starred in the hit comedy film Summer School
as pregnant student Rhonda Altobello. The following year, she starred with Kevin Dillon
and the late Joe Seneca
in a 1988 remake of the Steve McQueen
classic The Blob
as Meg Penny.
Smith played a rich teen who helps John Candy
locate her kidnapped sister in 1989's Who's Harry Crumb?
. That same year, she co-starred with Jennie Garth
and Barbara Eden
in the short-lived TV series Brand New Life. The following year, Smith co-starred as the daughter of Anthony Hopkins
and Mimi Rogers
in the remake of Michael Cimino
's thriller The Desperate Hours
. Smith took a three-year break from acting in the early 1990s primarily because she had outgrown teenage roles and had a hard time finding work. During that time she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and competed in a triathlon. Near the end of the hiatus she decided to sell all her belongings and relocate to North Carolina
to visit family and go back to school. When she was about to start attending classes she landed a small role in Leaving Las Vegas
and has had steady work ever since.
Smith's best-known television role was Linda, an air-headed nurse's aide, in the CBS
hit comedy series Becker
with Ted Danson
. She served as a regular cast member in all 129 episodes from 1998–2004. Another well-known television role was that of Julie Lawry in the 1994 miniseries
The Stand
, based on the novel by Stephen King
. She also appeared as a waitress in The Shining
miniseries, which King adapted from his own novel. Besides her regular role on Becker and the cameos in the Stephen King miniseries, Smith made several guest appearances on television shows, such as Cagney & Lacey
; Married With Children; Murder, She Wrote
; The X-Files
; Players; and Law & Order: Los Angeles
. In 2003, she lent her voice to an episode of the Disney cartoon Kim Possible
as Vivian Porter.
Smith has become well known in recent years for her role as Amanda Young
in the Saw
films. She has also been acknowledged as a "scream queen
" due to the number of horror films she has appeared in. In the DVD commentary of Saw
, the producers revealed that her scenes were filmed while she was battling a terrible case of the flu. It is also revealed in the DVD commentary of Saw II
that she was four months pregnant with her second child, Jakson, during filming. Her pregnancy was kept a secret from everyone except director Darren Lynn Bousman
. He mentioned in the commentary that Smith's daughter Verve accidentally told him about the pregnancy during filming. She also wore a man's watch while filming Saw III
, which she kept. She has also said that although she is briefly shown in Saw IV
and Saw V
, she was never on set. Any scenes featuring her were dubbed from file footage. On March 20, 2009, producer Mark Burg
released a statement confirming that Smith would be in Saw VI
. She arrived in Toronto on March 31, 2009 to begin filming brand new flashback sequences.
Smith has repeatedly admitted that she hates being scared and has a hard time watching the Saw films, or any horror movie. She originally turned the role of Amanda Young
down because it was very upsetting to her. After turning the role down, she was shown the eight-minute short film by Leigh Whannell
and James Wan
and changed her mind after the role was offered to her a second time. Smith in the jaw trap became the image on the film poster. She also revealed at SawMania 2008 that her name was initially brought up for the role of Amanda because Saw director James Wan was a big fan of her films in the 1980s and had a longtime crush on her. Director Darren Bousman and Leigh Whannell have also talked about their crushes on Smith in the Saw DVD commentaries.
In 2006, Smith made an appearance in the ten-minute short film trailer Repo! The Genetic Opera
by director Darren Lynn Bousman
. Smith's character was Heather Sweet, the surgery addicted daughter of GeneCo president Rotti Largo. The trailer was filmed in Toronto, Canada and was an adaptation from the stage version. Bousman filmed the trailer after completing Saw III to try to pitch the idea to film producers. Smith did not reprise her role as Heather Sweet when Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures picked up the film in 2007 and was replaced by Paris Hilton
. The character name was also changed from Heather to Amber.
In 2008, Smith played Detective Gina Harcourt in the FEARnet
original series 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust
. The series premiered on July 17, 2008 on FEARnet.com in six 4–6 minute webisodes along with behind the scenes clips. This series is a continuation of the first webisode series 30 Days of Night: Blood Trails
. It is still available on FEARnet.com and can also be seen in its entirety (about 30 minutes straight through) on FEARnet On Demand. She also made her producing debut with this series.
Smith was the host and one of three mentors on the VH1 reality program Scream Queens
which aired from October 20, 2008 to December 8, 2008. In January 2010 it was announced that Smith would not be returning as host and mentor for Season 2 due to scheduling conflicts. She was replaced by Jaime King
.
In 2009, Smith played the role of Dr. Ann Sullivan, a child psychiatrist, the third installment of The Grudge series, The Grudge 3
. The film was a direct to DVD release in May 2009.
Smith appeared as a guest star in the in the ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager
on August 30, 2010. It was her first television appearance since Scream Queens
aired in 2008. Shortly after she appeared in the series premiere of Law & Order: Los Angeles
on September 29, 2010.
Along with acting, she is also a musician; she plays the guitar, piano, drums, and sings. She contributed to the soundtrack of Saw III
with vocals on Hydrovibe's song "Killer Inside" and to the soundtrack for Catacombs
as a solo vocalist with the song "Please Myself." Her voice was also featured in the film Carnival of Souls
where her character Sandra performed a jazz song titled "I Fear."
Smith fronted the punk/metal band Fydolla Ho in the early 2000s. The group was originally formed by Smith, Metallica
bassist Robert Trujillo
, and Skindred
vocalist Benji Webbe
as a small recording project. The band released their debut full-length album Untied in December 2001. She balanced the band with being a regular cast member on the CBS
sitcom Becker. The band officially ended in 2004.
Smith began working on a solo career/album in 2004 with producer Chris Goss
, but the project was never completed. In an interview with Radio Free in October 2005 she stated, "between being a mom, and working, and growing another baby, I have not had time to give attention to music for a while."
She was part of a country music group with actress Missi Pyle
called Smith & Pyle
. The two actresses met while filming an ABC
comedy pilot titled Traveling in Packs. The band started after Smith invited Pyle to join her in attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
. While stuck in traffic, Pyle talked about her dream to be a rock star and Smith agreed to form a band with her. Their first album, It's OK to Be Happy, was released digitally through iTunes
and Amazon.com
in July 2008. The debut album was recorded in Joshua Tree, California
at Rancho de la Luna
and was produced by Chris Goss
. Smith and Pyle have also become business partners and formed their own record label called Urban Prairie Records, which It's OK to be Happy was released under. Smith has talked about the possibility of a Smith & Pyle television or webisode series in the near future. She mentioned the idea of a series on Fangoria radio with Dee Snider
and also on a radio appearance with bandmate Missi Pyle
in April 2009. The band has since disbanded after Smith gave birth to her third child and Pyle moved to live full time in Montana with her husband.
. Both Verve and Jakson were featured in the debut Smith & Pyle album, It's OK to be Happy. The kids are listed in the album credits as having vocals and spoken narrative tracks for two songs. An article published October 28, 2009 highlighting Smith & Pyle's small tour in West Virginia stated that Shawnee was pregnant with her third child. She gave birth to a boy in March 2010.
Smith and ex-husband Jason Reposar eloped in 1998 while on vacation in Scotland
due to the inability to organize a wedding. The song "Sugar," performed by her former country-rock band, Smith & Pyle, was written by Smith after her divorce from Reposar. She describes it as her break-up song that is quite different from Pyle's break-up song, "I Wish You Were Dead."
Smith was featured in Maxim
magazine in June 2001.
Smith married fellow actress, and former bandmate, Missi Pyle
in a faux ceremony at the All Love is Equal Launch Party in West Hollywood
on November 18, 2009. The two actresses pretended to get married in support of repealing Prop 8
in California. Actor Hal Sparks
dressed as a priest and performed the ceremony with them using rainbow-colored hula hoops as rings.
Amanda Young
Amanda Young is a fictional character in the Saw film series. She is portrayed by Shawnee Smith. At first a minor character in the original film, her role expanded in the sequels until she became one of the most important characters in the series, being the only character besides Jigsaw himself to...
in the Saw films
Saw (film series)
Saw is a horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures that consists of seven films and two video games, published by Konami. The franchise began with the 2003 short film which was created by Australian director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell...
and Linda in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
.
Smith once fronted the metal band Fydolla Ho, with which she toured the United States and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and was also half of Smith & Pyle
Smith & Pyle
Smith & Pyle is an American desert country-rock band from Los Angeles, California and is composed of actresses Shawnee Smith and Missi Pyle.-Biography:...
, a desert country-rock band, with actress Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle
Andrea Kay "Missi" Pyle is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in several films, including Galaxy Quest, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Big Fish, 50 First Dates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay...
.
Early life
Shawnee Smith was born in Orangeburg, South CarolinaOrangeburg, South Carolina
Orangeburg, also known as "The Garden City," is the principal city in and the county seat of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city is also the fifth oldest city in the state of South Carolina. The city population was 12,765 at the 2000 census, within a Greater Orangeburg...
, the second child of Patricia, an oncology
Oncology
Oncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
nurse, and Jim Smith, a financial planner and former US Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
pilot. The family relocated from South Carolina to Van Nuys, California, when she was a year old; the parents divorced when she was two; and her mother remarried when she was eight. She attended Ranchito Avenue Elementary School in Panorama City, California. She also attended North Hollywood High School
North Hollywood High School
North Hollywood High School, originally called Lankershim High School when it opened in 1927, is a secondary school in North Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. The school mascot is the husky, and the school colors are blue, white and grey....
in North Hollywood, California and graduated in 1987.
Career
Smith began acting as a child appearing on stage in A Christmas CarolA Christmas Carol
A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens first published by Chapman & Hall on 17 December 1843. The story tells of sour and stingy Ebenezer Scrooge's ideological, ethical, and emotional transformation after the supernatural visits of Jacob Marley and the Ghosts of...
repertory from ages 8 to 11 and starred in a stage play with Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Dreyfuss
Richard Stephen Dreyfuss is an American actor best known for starring in a number of film, television, and theater roles since the late 1960s, including the films American Graffiti, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Goodbye Girl, Whose Life Is It Anyway?, Stakeout, Always, What About...
at age 15. She also performed in the original stage production of To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday and won the Dramalogue Critics Award for her performance. She was the youngest actor up to that time to receive such an honor. She made her television debut in a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
commercial titled "Best Friends" in 1978. She joined the Screen Actors Guild
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild is an American labor union representing over 200,000 film and television principal performers and background performers worldwide...
at age nine and made her feature film debut in John Huston
John Huston
John Marcellus Huston was an American film director, screenwriter and actor. He wrote most of the 37 feature films he directed, many of which are today considered classics: The Maltese Falcon , The Treasure of the Sierra Madre , Key Largo , The Asphalt Jungle , The African Queen , Moulin Rouge...
's 1982 adaptation
Annie (film)
Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,...
of the Broadway musical Annie
Annie (musical)
Annie is a Broadway musical based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie, with music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Martin Charnin, and the book by Thomas Meehan. The original Broadway production opened in 1977 and ran for nearly six years with a blonde Annie as the poster...
, as one of Aileen Quinn
Aileen Quinn
Aileen Marie Quinn is an American actress. She is best-known for having played the title role in the film Annie .-Biography:...
's fellow orphans. In 1985, Smith co-starred in two troubled-teen melodramas, Not My Kid
Not My Kid
Not My Kid is a 1985 television film directed by Michael Tuchner, which was based on a 1984 book of the same name by Beth Polson and Miller Newton...
and Crime of Innocence. In 1987, Smith co-starred in the hit comedy film Summer School
Summer School (film)
Summer School is a 1987 film directed by Carl Reiner about the travails of a high school gym teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class for a bunch of maladjusted goof-off students. It stars Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The original music score was composed by...
as pregnant student Rhonda Altobello. The following year, she starred with Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon
Kevin Dillon is an American actor.Kevin Dillon is also the name of:*Kevin Dillon , character from Rodman Philbrick's young adult novel Freak the Mighty and the film based on it, The Mighty...
and the late Joe Seneca
Joe Seneca
Joe Seneca was an American film and television actor who had a lengthy Hollywood career, portraying bit parts in many major films and television sitcoms spanning from the 1970s to the 1990s....
in a 1988 remake of the Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
classic The Blob
The Blob (1988 film)
The Blob is a 1988 American monster horror film distributed by Tristar Pictures. It is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, which starred Steve McQueen. The film was written by Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont and directed by Russell. The shooting took place in Abbeville, Louisiana.-Plot:A...
as Meg Penny.
Smith played a rich teen who helps John Candy
John Candy
John Franklin Candy was a Canadian actor and comedian. He rose to fame as a member of the Toronto branch of The Second City and its related Second City Television series, and through his appearances in comedy films such as Stripes, Splash, Cool Runnings, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and Uncle...
locate her kidnapped sister in 1989's Who's Harry Crumb?
Who's Harry Crumb?
Who's Harry Crumb? is a comedy-mystery film featuring John Candy as the title character.Paul Flaherty directed the film, which co-stars Annie Potts, Jeffrey Jones and Shawnee Smith...
. That same year, she co-starred with Jennie Garth
Jennie Garth
Jennifer Eve "Jennie" Garth is an American actress and director, best known for starring in the prominent role of Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
and Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden
Barbara Eden is an American film and television actress and singer who is best known for her starring role in the sitcom I Dream of Jeannie.-Early years:...
in the short-lived TV series Brand New Life. The following year, Smith co-starred as the daughter of Anthony Hopkins
Anthony Hopkins
Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
and Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers
Mimi Rogers is an American movie actress and competitive poker player.-Early life:Rogers was born Miriam Spickler in Coral Gables, Florida, the daughter of Philip C...
in the remake of Michael Cimino
Michael Cimino
Michael Cimino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer and author. He is best known for writing and directing Academy Award-winning The Deer Hunter and the infamous Heaven's Gate. His films are characterized by their striking visual style and controversial subject...
's thriller The Desperate Hours
Desperate Hours
Desperate Hours is a 1990 remake of the 1955 William Wyler crime drama of the same title. Both films are based on the novel by Joseph Hayes, who also co-wrote the script for this movie with Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal...
. Smith took a three-year break from acting in the early 1990s primarily because she had outgrown teenage roles and had a hard time finding work. During that time she climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro and competed in a triathlon. Near the end of the hiatus she decided to sell all her belongings and relocate to North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to visit family and go back to school. When she was about to start attending classes she landed a small role in Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas
Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama film directed and written by Mike Figgis, based on a semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic who has ended his personal and professional life to drink himself to death in Las Vegas...
and has had steady work ever since.
Smith's best-known television role was Linda, an air-headed nurse's aide, in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
hit comedy series Becker
Becker (TV series)
Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically...
with Ted Danson
Ted Danson
Edward Bridge “Ted” Danson III is an American actor best known for his role as central character Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, and his role as Dr. John Becker on the series Becker. He also plays a recurring role on Larry David's HBO sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm and starred alongside Glenn Close...
. She served as a regular cast member in all 129 episodes from 1998–2004. Another well-known television role was that of Julie Lawry in the 1994 miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
The Stand
The Stand (TV miniseries)
# Project Blue [1:33]# The Dream Begins [2:08]# On the Road to Kansas [3:57]# The Trashmen in Vegas [1:58]# Headin' West [1:56]# Larry & Nadine [2:38]# Mother Abigail [3:10]# 'Sorry Mister, I Don't Understand' [2:54]# Mid Country [3:22]...
, based on the novel by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
. She also appeared as a waitress in The Shining
The Shining (TV miniseries)
The Shining is a three-part television miniseries based on Stephen King's novel of the same name. Directed by Mick Garris from King's teleplay, the series was first aired in 1997.-Plot:...
miniseries, which King adapted from his own novel. Besides her regular role on Becker and the cameos in the Stephen King miniseries, Smith made several guest appearances on television shows, such as Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey
Cagney & Lacey is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from October 8, 1981 to May 16, 1988...
; Married With Children; Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote
Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,...
; The X-Files
The X-Files
The X-Files is an American science fiction television series and a part of The X-Files franchise, created by screenwriter Chris Carter. The program originally aired from to . The show was a hit for the Fox network, and its characters and slogans became popular culture touchstones in the 1990s...
; Players; and Law & Order: Los Angeles
Law & Order: Los Angeles
Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced...
. In 2003, she lent her voice to an episode of the Disney cartoon Kim Possible
Kim Possible
Kim Possible is an American animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day. The show is action-oriented, but also has a light-hearted atmosphere and often lampoons the conventions and clichés of the...
as Vivian Porter.
Amanda Young
Amanda Young is a fictional character in the Saw film series. She is portrayed by Shawnee Smith. At first a minor character in the original film, her role expanded in the sequels until she became one of the most important characters in the series, being the only character besides Jigsaw himself to...
in the Saw
Saw (film series)
Saw is a horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures that consists of seven films and two video games, published by Konami. The franchise began with the 2003 short film which was created by Australian director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell...
films. She has also been acknowledged as a "scream queen
Scream queen
A scream queen is an actress who has become associated with horror films, either through an appearance in a notable entry in the genre as a frequent victim or through constant appearances as the female protagonist...
" due to the number of horror films she has appeared in. In the DVD commentary of Saw
Saw (film)
Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell...
, the producers revealed that her scenes were filmed while she was battling a terrible case of the flu. It is also revealed in the DVD commentary of Saw II
Saw II
Saw II is a 2005 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and co-written by Bousman and the first film's co-writer Leigh Whannell. It is a sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the seven-part Saw film series...
that she was four months pregnant with her second child, Jakson, during filming. Her pregnancy was kept a secret from everyone except director Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman is an American film director and screenwriter.-Personal life:Bousman was born in Overland Park, Kansas, the son of Nancy and Lynn Bousman. He is a graduate of the Film School at Full Sail University. He attended high school at Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park,...
. He mentioned in the commentary that Smith's daughter Verve accidentally told him about the pregnancy during filming. She also wore a man's watch while filming Saw III
Saw III
Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars...
, which she kept. She has also said that although she is briefly shown in Saw IV
Saw IV
Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007...
and Saw V
Saw V
Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson...
, she was never on set. Any scenes featuring her were dubbed from file footage. On March 20, 2009, producer Mark Burg
Mark Burg
Mark Burg is an American film producer and actor, perhaps best known for his work on the SAW series of films and on the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men.-Career:...
released a statement confirming that Smith would be in Saw VI
Saw VI
Saw VI is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the sixth installment of the seven–part Saw film series and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith...
. She arrived in Toronto on March 31, 2009 to begin filming brand new flashback sequences.
Smith has repeatedly admitted that she hates being scared and has a hard time watching the Saw films, or any horror movie. She originally turned the role of Amanda Young
Amanda Young
Amanda Young is a fictional character in the Saw film series. She is portrayed by Shawnee Smith. At first a minor character in the original film, her role expanded in the sequels until she became one of the most important characters in the series, being the only character besides Jigsaw himself to...
down because it was very upsetting to her. After turning the role down, she was shown the eight-minute short film by Leigh Whannell
Leigh Whannell
Leigh Whannell is an Australian screenwriter, producer, and actor, best known for his work on the Saw franchise.-Life and career:...
and James Wan
James Wan
James Wan is a Malaysian-born Australian producer, screenwriter, and film director of Chinese heritage. He is widely known for directing the horror film Saw and creating Billy the puppet. He also directed Dead Silence, Death Sentence and Insidious.-Life and career:Wan was born in Kuching, Sarawak,...
and changed her mind after the role was offered to her a second time. Smith in the jaw trap became the image on the film poster. She also revealed at SawMania 2008 that her name was initially brought up for the role of Amanda because Saw director James Wan was a big fan of her films in the 1980s and had a longtime crush on her. Director Darren Bousman and Leigh Whannell have also talked about their crushes on Smith in the Saw DVD commentaries.
In 2006, Smith made an appearance in the ten-minute short film trailer Repo! The Genetic Opera
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Repo! The Genetic Opera is a 2008 horror-rock opera musical film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. The film is based on a play written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich....
by director Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman
Darren Lynn Bousman is an American film director and screenwriter.-Personal life:Bousman was born in Overland Park, Kansas, the son of Nancy and Lynn Bousman. He is a graduate of the Film School at Full Sail University. He attended high school at Shawnee Mission North High School in Overland Park,...
. Smith's character was Heather Sweet, the surgery addicted daughter of GeneCo president Rotti Largo. The trailer was filmed in Toronto, Canada and was an adaptation from the stage version. Bousman filmed the trailer after completing Saw III to try to pitch the idea to film producers. Smith did not reprise her role as Heather Sweet when Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures picked up the film in 2007 and was replaced by Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton
Paris Whitney Hilton is an American businesswoman, heiress, and socialite. She is a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton . Hilton is known for her controversial participation in a sex tape in 2003, and appearance on the television series The Simple Life alongside fellow socialite and childhood...
. The character name was also changed from Heather to Amber.
In 2008, Smith played Detective Gina Harcourt in the FEARnet
FEARnet
Fearnet is a cable channel, website and Video on Demand television service owned by Horror Entertainment LLC, a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment...
original series 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust
30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust
30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust is a 6-part miniseries that was released on FEARnet.com and FEARnet On Demand that acts as a sequel to the movie 30 Days of Night. Set one month after the events in the movie, the series focuses on Sara Maguire, a nurse who is attacked by a vampire and slowly...
. The series premiered on July 17, 2008 on FEARnet.com in six 4–6 minute webisodes along with behind the scenes clips. This series is a continuation of the first webisode series 30 Days of Night: Blood Trails
30 Days of Night: Blood Trails
30 Days of Night: Blood Trails is a 7-part miniseries that was released on FEARnet.com and FEARnet On Demand that acts as a prequel to the films 30 Days of Night and 30 Days of Night: Dark Days...
. It is still available on FEARnet.com and can also be seen in its entirety (about 30 minutes straight through) on FEARnet On Demand. She also made her producing debut with this series.
Smith was the host and one of three mentors on the VH1 reality program Scream Queens
Scream Queens (TV series)
Scream Queens is an American reality series on VH1 produced by Joke Productions and Lionsgate Television that premiered in October 2008. The show chronicles a group of unknown actresses competing for a role in the Saw franchise. Tanedra Howard won the first season and gained a role in Saw VI...
which aired from October 20, 2008 to December 8, 2008. In January 2010 it was announced that Smith would not be returning as host and mentor for Season 2 due to scheduling conflicts. She was replaced by Jaime King
Jaime King
Jaime King is an American actress and model. In her modeling career and early film roles, she used the names Jamie King and James King, which was a childhood nickname given to King by her parents, because her agency already represented another Jaime — the older, then more famous model Jaime...
.
In 2009, Smith played the role of Dr. Ann Sullivan, a child psychiatrist, the third installment of The Grudge series, The Grudge 3
The Grudge 3
The Grudge 3 is the direct-to-DVD sequel to the American horror film The Grudge and its sequel, The Grudge 2. The film was directed by Toby Wilkins taking Takashi Shimizu's place. The film was released on May 12, 2009. It stars Johanna Braddy and Shawnee Smith-Plot:Jake is brutally murdered by...
. The film was a direct to DVD release in May 2009.
Smith appeared as a guest star in the in the ABC Family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009...
on August 30, 2010. It was her first television appearance since Scream Queens
Scream Queens (TV series)
Scream Queens is an American reality series on VH1 produced by Joke Productions and Lionsgate Television that premiered in October 2008. The show chronicles a group of unknown actresses competing for a role in the Saw franchise. Tanedra Howard won the first season and gained a role in Saw VI...
aired in 2008. Shortly after she appeared in the series premiere of Law & Order: Los Angeles
Law & Order: Los Angeles
Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced...
on September 29, 2010.
Music career
Saw III
Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars...
with vocals on Hydrovibe's song "Killer Inside" and to the soundtrack for Catacombs
Catacombs (film)
Catacombs is a 2007 horror film starring singer Pink and Shannyn Sossamon. Set in the Paris Catacombs it is about a young woman trying to find her way out while being pursued by a killer. It is the first original movie from FEARnet, collaborating with Lions Gate Entertainment...
as a solo vocalist with the song "Please Myself." Her voice was also featured in the film Carnival of Souls
Carnival of Souls (1998 film)
Carnival of Souls, also billed in full as Wes Craven Presents 'Carnival of Souls', is a 1998 horror film. The film is a remake of Herk Harvey's 1962 horror film Carnival of Souls. The remake was directed by Adam Grossman, and stars Bobbie Phillips and comedian Larry Miller...
where her character Sandra performed a jazz song titled "I Fear."
Smith fronted the punk/metal band Fydolla Ho in the early 2000s. The group was originally formed by Smith, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
bassist Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo
Robert Trujillo is an American bassist who currently plays bass in Metallica. He has also played in Suicidal Tendencies, Infectious Grooves, Black Label Society, and with Jerry Cantrell and Ozzy Osbourne.-Career:...
, and Skindred
Skindred
Skindred is a Welsh rock band from Newport. The band was formed in 1998 following the disbandment of vocalist Benji Webbe's previous band, Dub War. Skindred's musical style mixes alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and reggae...
vocalist Benji Webbe
Benji Webbe
Clive "Benji" Webbe is a Welsh singer best known as the lead vocalist for the alternate rock band Skindred and as a former member of Dub War...
as a small recording project. The band released their debut full-length album Untied in December 2001. She balanced the band with being a regular cast member on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
sitcom Becker. The band officially ended in 2004.
Smith began working on a solo career/album in 2004 with producer Chris Goss
Chris Goss
Christopher Ryan Goss, born August 17, 1958, is an American record producer and musician.-Selected discography:Throughout his career Goss has worked with a wide range of musicians in various genres.* 1988 - Masters of Reality by Masters of Reality...
, but the project was never completed. In an interview with Radio Free in October 2005 she stated, "between being a mom, and working, and growing another baby, I have not had time to give attention to music for a while."
She was part of a country music group with actress Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle
Andrea Kay "Missi" Pyle is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in several films, including Galaxy Quest, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Big Fish, 50 First Dates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay...
called Smith & Pyle
Smith & Pyle
Smith & Pyle is an American desert country-rock band from Los Angeles, California and is composed of actresses Shawnee Smith and Missi Pyle.-Biography:...
. The two actresses met while filming an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
comedy pilot titled Traveling in Packs. The band started after Smith invited Pyle to join her in attending the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
. While stuck in traffic, Pyle talked about her dream to be a rock star and Smith agreed to form a band with her. Their first album, It's OK to Be Happy, was released digitally through iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
and Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...
in July 2008. The debut album was recorded in Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census, up from 4,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua Tree is located in the Mojave Desert at ....
at Rancho de la Luna
Rancho De La Luna
Rancho De La Luna is a recording studio in Joshua Tree, California that was founded in 1993 by Fred Drake. David Catching became Fred Drake's partner at the Rancho in 1994...
and was produced by Chris Goss
Chris Goss
Christopher Ryan Goss, born August 17, 1958, is an American record producer and musician.-Selected discography:Throughout his career Goss has worked with a wide range of musicians in various genres.* 1988 - Masters of Reality by Masters of Reality...
. Smith and Pyle have also become business partners and formed their own record label called Urban Prairie Records, which It's OK to be Happy was released under. Smith has talked about the possibility of a Smith & Pyle television or webisode series in the near future. She mentioned the idea of a series on Fangoria radio with Dee Snider
Dee Snider
Daniel "Dee" Snider is an American singer-songwriter, screenwriter, radio personality, and actor. Snider is most famous for his role as the frontman of the heavy metal band Twisted Sister...
and also on a radio appearance with bandmate Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle
Andrea Kay "Missi" Pyle is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in several films, including Galaxy Quest, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Big Fish, 50 First Dates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay...
in April 2009. The band has since disbanded after Smith gave birth to her third child and Pyle moved to live full time in Montana with her husband.
Personal life
Smith has three children: a daughter named Verve, born in 1999, from her marriage to photographer Jason Reposar (1998–2003), and a son named Jakson, born in 2005, from her brief marriage to musician Kai Mattoon (2005–2006), and a second son born in March 2010. Her daughter was named after Verve RecordsVerve Records
Verve Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group. It was founded by Norman Granz in 1956, absorbing the catalogues of his earlier labels, Clef Records and Norgran Records , and material which had been licensed to Mercury previously.-Jazz and folk origins:The Verve...
. Both Verve and Jakson were featured in the debut Smith & Pyle album, It's OK to be Happy. The kids are listed in the album credits as having vocals and spoken narrative tracks for two songs. An article published October 28, 2009 highlighting Smith & Pyle's small tour in West Virginia stated that Shawnee was pregnant with her third child. She gave birth to a boy in March 2010.
Smith and ex-husband Jason Reposar eloped in 1998 while on vacation in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
due to the inability to organize a wedding. The song "Sugar," performed by her former country-rock band, Smith & Pyle, was written by Smith after her divorce from Reposar. She describes it as her break-up song that is quite different from Pyle's break-up song, "I Wish You Were Dead."
Smith was featured in Maxim
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
magazine in June 2001.
Smith married fellow actress, and former bandmate, Missi Pyle
Missi Pyle
Andrea Kay "Missi" Pyle is an American actress and singer. She has appeared in several films, including Galaxy Quest, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Big Fish, 50 First Dates, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay...
in a faux ceremony at the All Love is Equal Launch Party in West Hollywood
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
on November 18, 2009. The two actresses pretended to get married in support of repealing Prop 8
California Proposition 8 (2008)
Proposition 8 was a ballot proposition and constitutional amendment passed in the November 2008 state elections...
in California. Actor Hal Sparks
Hal Sparks
Hal Harry Magee Sparks III is an American actor, comedian, musician and television personality. He is known for his contributions to VH1, hosting E!'s Talk Soup, and the role of Michael Novotny on the American television series Queer as Folk.-Early life:Sparks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, but...
dressed as a priest and performed the ceremony with them using rainbow-colored hula hoops as rings.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Annie Annie (film) Annie is a 1982 American musical film directed by John Huston and choreographed by Arlene Phillips. The film is an adaption of the 1977 stage musical of the same name, which in turn was based on the 1924 Little Orphan Annie comic strip by Harold Gray. The movie features music by Charles Strouse,... |
Dancer | |
| 1986 | Iron Eagle Iron Eagle Iron Eagle is a 1986 action film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Jason Gedrick and Louis Gossett, Jr. While it received mixed reviews, the film earned US$24,159,872 at the U.S. box office. Iron Eagle was followed by three sequels: Iron Eagle II, Aces: Iron Eagle III and Iron Eagle on the... |
Joenie | |
| 1987 | Summer School Summer School (film) Summer School is a 1987 film directed by Carl Reiner about the travails of a high school gym teacher who is forced to teach a remedial English class for a bunch of maladjusted goof-off students. It stars Mark Harmon, Kirstie Alley, and Courtney Thorne-Smith. The original music score was composed by... |
Rhonda Altobello | |
| 1988 | I Saw What You Did I Saw What You Did (1988 film) I Saw What You Did is a 1988 television film directed by Fred Walton. The film is a remake of the 1965 movie of the same name, starring Joan Crawford. It received generally negative reviews, with only a few exceptions... |
Kim Fielding | |
| 1988 | Meg Penny | Nominated Young Artist Award Best Young Actress in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture | |
| 1989 | Who's Harry Crumb? Who's Harry Crumb? Who's Harry Crumb? is a comedy-mystery film featuring John Candy as the title character.Paul Flaherty directed the film, which co-stars Annie Potts, Jeffrey Jones and Shawnee Smith... |
Nikki Downing | |
| 1990 | Desperate Hours Desperate Hours Desperate Hours is a 1990 remake of the 1955 William Wyler crime drama of the same title. Both films are based on the novel by Joseph Hayes, who also co-wrote the script for this movie with Lawrence Konner and Mark Rosenthal... |
May Cornell | |
| 1995 | Leaving Las Vegas Leaving Las Vegas Leaving Las Vegas is a 1995 romantic drama film directed and written by Mike Figgis, based on a semi-autobiographical novel of the same name by John O'Brien. Nicolas Cage stars as a suicidal alcoholic who has ended his personal and professional life to drink himself to death in Las Vegas... |
Biker girl | |
| 1995 | Little Tramp Woman | ||
| 1996 | Bombshell | Shelly | |
| 1996 | Female Perversions | Make-Up Salesgirl | |
| 1997 | Every Dog Has Its Day | Redhead | |
| 1997 | Dead Men Can't Dance | Sgt. Addy Cooper | |
| 1997 | Dogtown Dogtown (film) Dogtown is a 1997 drama film by George Hickenlooper about life in the small Missouri town of Cuba, Missouri starring Mary Stuart Masterson, Jon Favreau, Rory Cochrane, Harold Russell, and Natasha Gregson Wagner. The film is 93-minute long and was shot entirely in Torrance, California... |
Tammy Hayes | |
| 1997 | Men | Clara | |
| 1998 | Armageddon | Redhead | |
| 1998 | Carnival of Souls Carnival of Souls (1998 film) Carnival of Souls, also billed in full as Wes Craven Presents 'Carnival of Souls', is a 1998 horror film. The film is a remake of Herk Harvey's 1962 horror film Carnival of Souls. The remake was directed by Adam Grossman, and stars Bobbie Phillips and comedian Larry Miller... |
Sandra Grant | |
| 1998 | Carolyn | ||
| 1999 | A Slipping-Down Life A Slipping-Down Life A Slipping-Down Life is a 1999 romantic drama film directed by Toni Kalem. Based on a novel by Anne Tyler, it stars Lili Taylor and Guy Pearce.-Plot:... |
Faye-Jean Lindsay | |
| 1999 | Breakfast of Champions Breakfast of Champions (film) Breakfast of Champions is a 1999 American comedy film adapted and directed by Alan Rudolph from the novel of the same name by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.-Plot:... |
Bonnie MacMahon | |
| 2000 | Eat Your Heart Out | Nicole | Alternative title: American Shrimps |
| 2002 | Never Get Outta the Boat | Dawn | |
| 2004 | Saw Saw (film) Saw is a 2004 American independent horror film directed by James Wan. The screenplay, written by Leigh Whannell, is based on a story by Wan and Whannell. The film stars Cary Elwes, Danny Glover, Monica Potter, Michael Emerson, Ken Leung, Whannell and Tobin Bell... |
Amanda Young Amanda Young Amanda Young is a fictional character in the Saw film series. She is portrayed by Shawnee Smith. At first a minor character in the original film, her role expanded in the sequels until she became one of the most important characters in the series, being the only character besides Jigsaw himself to... |
|
| 2004 | Bigger | ||
| 2005 | Suzie | ||
| 2005 | Saw II Saw II Saw II is a 2005 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and co-written by Bousman and the first film's co-writer Leigh Whannell. It is a sequel to 2004's Saw and the second installment in the seven-part Saw film series... |
Amanda Young | |
| 2006 | Repo! The Genetic Opera Repo! The Genetic Opera Repo! The Genetic Opera is a 2008 horror-rock opera musical film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. The film is based on a play written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich.... |
Heather Sweet | Unreleased short film |
| 2006 | Saw III Saw III Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars... |
Amanda Young | Nominated for an Eyegore Nominated for a Scream Award |
| 2007 | Saw IV Saw IV Saw IV is a 2007 Canadian-American horror film and midquel to 2006's Saw III. It was directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by newcomers Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan and Thomas Fenton. The film was released in North America on October 26, 2007... |
Amanda Young | Archive footage Won an Eyegore Award |
| 2008 | Saw V Saw V Saw V is a 2008 Canadian-American horror film directed by David Hackl and written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor and Scott Patterson... |
Amanda Young | Archive footage |
| 2009 | Dr. Francine Sullivan | Direct-to-DVD release | |
| 2009 | Saw VI Saw VI Saw VI is a 2009 horror film directed by Kevin Greutert from a screenplay written by Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan. It is the sixth installment of the seven–part Saw film series and stars Tobin Bell, Costas Mandylor, Betsy Russell, Mark Rolston, Peter Outerbridge, and Shawnee Smith... |
Amanda Young | |
| 2010 | Kill Speed | Honey | |
| 2010 | Saw 3D | Amanda Young | Archive footage, Uncredited |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Silver Spoons Silver Spoons Silver Spoons is an American sitcom that aired on NBC from September 25, 1982 to May 11, 1986 and in first-run syndication from September 15, 1986 to March 4, 1987... |
Tawny | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Not My Kid Not My Kid Not My Kid is a 1985 television film directed by Michael Tuchner, which was based on a 1984 book of the same name by Beth Polson and Miller Newton... |
Carol | Television film |
| 1985 | It's Your Move It's Your Move It's Your Move is an American sitcom starring Jason Bateman, Tricia Cast, Caren Kaye, Ernie Sabella, David Garrison, and Garrett Morris. The show originally aired on NBC from 1984 to 1985.-Premise:... |
Brenda | 1 episode |
| 1985 | Cagney & Lacey Cagney & Lacey Cagney & Lacey is an American television series that originally aired on the CBS television network for seven seasons from October 8, 1981 to May 16, 1988... |
1 episode | |
| 1985 | Crime of Innocence | Jodi Hayward | Television film, nominated for Exceptional Young Actress Starring in a Television Special or Movie of the Week |
| 1986 | All Is Forgiven | Sonia Russell | 9 episodes |
| 1986 | Easy Prey | Tina Marie Risico | Television film |
| 1988 | Bluegrass | Alice Gibbs | Television film |
| 1988 | I Saw What You Did... and I Know Who You Are! I Saw What You Did (1988 film) I Saw What You Did is a 1988 television film directed by Fred Walton. The film is a remake of the 1965 movie of the same name, starring Joan Crawford. It received generally negative reviews, with only a few exceptions... |
Kim Fielding | Television film |
| 1989– 1990 |
Amanda Gibbons | 6 episodes | |
| 1990 | Lucky/Chances Lucky/Chances Lucky Chances is a 1990 television mini-series written by Jackie Collins and based on her bestselling novels Chances and Lucky. It starred Vincent Irizarry, Sandra Bullock, Eric Braeden, Nicollette Sheridan, Anne-Marie Johnson, Phil Morris, David McCallum, Richard Anderson and Robert Duncan McNeill... |
Olympia Stanislopolous Golden | Miniseries |
| 1993 | Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote Murder, She Wrote is an American television mystery series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer and amateur detective Jessica Fletcher. The series aired for 12 seasons from 1984 to 1996 on the CBS network, with 264 episodes transmitted. It was followed by four TV films and a spin-off series,... |
Jill Cleveland | 1 episode |
| 1994 | Julie Lawry | Miniseries, 2 episodes | |
| 1994 | Jessie O'Neil Firewalker (The X-Files) "Firewalker" is the ninth episode of the second season of The X-Files television series, broadcast by the Fox Broadcasting Company on November 18, 1994... |
1 episode | |
| 1996 | Face of Evil Face of Evil Face of Evil is a 1996 TV movie which stars Tracey Gold as Darcy Palmer, Perry King as Russell Polk and Shawnee Smith as his daughter Jeanelle Polk. Darcy Palmer is a promising young artist. On the night before her wedding, she empties her fiancé's bank account and runs to New York... |
Jeanelle Polk | Television film |
| 1997 | Something Borrowed, Something Blue | Teri | Television film |
| 1997 | Arsenio Arsenio (TV series) Arsenio is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC. The series starred Arsenio Hall and Vivica A. Fox. It aired from March 5 to April 23, 1997 with a total of 7 episodes produced.-Synopsis:... |
Laura Lauman | 6 episodes |
| 1997 | Waitress | Miniseries | |
| 1997– 1998 |
The Tom Show The Tom Show The Tom Show is an American sitcom that aired on The WB on Sunday nights from September 7, 1997 to March 15, 1998.-Premise:The series focused on Tom Amross, a TV producer who moved back to his home town of St... |
Florence Madison | 19 episodes |
| 1998 | Players | Lila | 1 episode |
| 1998 | Twice Upon a Time | Maggie Fowler | Television film |
| 1998– 2004 |
Becker Becker (TV series) Becker is an American television sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Set in the New York City borough of The Bronx, the show starred Ted Danson as John Becker, a misanthropic doctor who operates a small practice and is constantly annoyed by his patients, co-workers, friends, and practically... |
Linda | 129 episodes |
| 2003 | Kim Possible Kim Possible Kim Possible is an American animated television series about a teenage crime fighter who has the task of dealing with worldwide, family, and school issues every day. The show is action-oriented, but also has a light-hearted atmosphere and often lampoons the conventions and clichés of the... |
Vivian Porter | 1 episode |
| 2005 | Washington Street | Television film | |
| 2007 | Traveling in Packs | Ivy | Unsold pilot |
| 2007 | Secrets of an Undercover Wife | Lisa Wilder-Crews | Television film |
| 2008 | 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust 30 Days of Night: Dust to Dust is a 6-part miniseries that was released on FEARnet.com and FEARnet On Demand that acts as a sequel to the movie 30 Days of Night. Set one month after the events in the movie, the series focuses on Sara Maguire, a nurse who is attacked by a vampire and slowly... |
Detective Gina Harcourt | Miniseries Executive producer |
| 2008 | Scream Queens Scream Queens (TV series) Scream Queens is an American reality series on VH1 produced by Joke Productions and Lionsgate Television that premiered in October 2008. The show chronicles a group of unknown actresses competing for a role in the Saw franchise. Tanedra Howard won the first season and gained a role in Saw VI... |
Herself | Host and mentor (8 episodes) |
| 2010 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager The Secret Life of the American Teenager The Secret Life of the American Teenager is an American teen drama television series created by Brenda Hampton. It first aired on ABC Family on July 1, 2008. The show was renewed for a second season consisting of 24 episodes on February 9, 2009, which began airing on June 22, 2009... |
Carrie | Guest Star |
| 2010 | Law & Order: Los Angeles Law & Order: Los Angeles Law & Order: LA, originally titled Law & Order: Los Angeles, is an American police procedural and legal drama television series set in Los Angeles, where it was produced... |
Trudy | Guest star |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Result | Category | Film or series |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Dramalogue Critics Award Drama-Logue Award The Drama-Logue Award was a theater award established in 1977, given by the publishers of Drama-Logue newspaper, a weekly west-coast theater trade publication. Winners were selected by the publication's theater critics, and would receive a certificate at an annual awards ceremony... |
Won | Performance | To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday |
| 1987 | Young Artist Award Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Foundation, a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to recognize and award excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged.The Young Artist... |
Nominated | Exceptional Young Actress Starring in a Television Special or Movie of the Week | Crime of Innocence |
| 1989 | Young Artist Award | Nominated | Best Young Actress in a Horror or Mystery Motion Picture | The Blob The Blob (1988 film) The Blob is a 1988 American monster horror film distributed by Tristar Pictures. It is a remake of the 1958 film of the same name, which starred Steve McQueen. The film was written by Chuck Russell and Frank Darabont and directed by Russell. The shooting took place in Abbeville, Louisiana.-Plot:A... |
| 2007 | Spike TV Scream Awards Scream Awards The Scream Awards is an award show dedicated to the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy genres of feature films. Originally only having Scream Queen and Heroic Performance awards for actors, the personnel awards have expanded to include actors and actresses of all three recognized genres. In addition,... |
Nominated | Most Vile Villain | Saw III Saw III Saw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars... , with Tobin Bell Tobin Bell Tobin Bell is an American film and television character actor. After years of work doing stand-ins and background work on films, he got his first major acting job in Mississippi Burning and went on to star in made-for-television films and guest star in television shows throughout the 1990s.Bell... |
| 2007 | Chiller-Eyegore Awards | Won | Saw franchise Saw (film series) Saw is a horror franchise distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment and produced by Twisted Pictures that consists of seven films and two video games, published by Konami. The franchise began with the 2003 short film which was created by Australian director James Wan and screenwriter Leigh Whannell... |
Discography
Albums- Vial, Fydolla Ho (4-track Demo CD, unknown year)
- Untied, Fydolla Ho (2001)
- It's OK to be Happy, Smith & PyleSmith & PyleSmith & Pyle is an American desert country-rock band from Los Angeles, California and is composed of actresses Shawnee Smith and Missi Pyle.-Biography:...
(2008)
Featured in film
- "I Fear," Carnival of Souls (1998)
- "Killer Inside" (with Hydrovibe), Saw IIISaw IIISaw III is a 2006 Canadian-American horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman from a screenplay by Leigh Whannell and story by James Wan and Whannell. Wan and Whannell directed and wrote Saw and Bousman wrote and directed Saw II. It is the third film in the seven-part Saw film series and stars...
soundtrack (2006) - "Zytrate Anatomy," Repo! The Genetic OperaRepo! The Genetic OperaRepo! The Genetic Opera is a 2008 horror-rock opera musical film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. The film is based on a play written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich....
10-minute short film (2006) - "Please Myself," CatacombsCatacombs (film)Catacombs is a 2007 horror film starring singer Pink and Shannyn Sossamon. Set in the Paris Catacombs it is about a young woman trying to find her way out while being pursued by a killer. It is the first original movie from FEARnet, collaborating with Lions Gate Entertainment...
soundtrack (2007)