Christa Miller | |
---|---|
Born | May 28, 1964 |
Occupation(s) | Actress, model |
Years active | 1985–present |
Known for | Kate O'Brien in The Drew Carey Show Jordan Sullivan in Scrubs Ellie Torres in Cougar Town |
Spouse | |
Children | 3, including Charlotte Lawrence |
Relatives | Susan Saint James (aunt) |
Christa Miller (born May 28, 1964) [1] is an American actress known for her roles in television comedies. Her foremost roles include Kate O'Brien in the ABC sitcom The Drew Carey Show , Jordan Sullivan in the NBC/ABC comedy series Scrubs , Liz in the Apple TV+ comedy drama Shrinking , and voicing Cleopatra "Cleo" Smith and Candide Sampson in Clone High . She has also appeared in Seinfeld , The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and CSI: Miami . From 2009 to 2015, she starred in the ABC/TBS sitcom Cougar Town .
Miller's days as a child model were curtailed after an operation for a benign bone tumor. After attending Convent of the Sacred Heart, she returned briefly to modeling, but soon took acting lessons, and gave up modeling when she moved to Los Angeles in 1990. [2]
Miller's first role on television was in Kate & Allie , which starred her real-life aunt, Susan Saint James.[ citation needed ] She then appeared in episodes of Northern Exposure , Fresh Prince of Bel Air , and Party of Five . She had a small role in the horror film Stepfather III (1992) with Priscilla Barnes.
She later appeared twice on Seinfeld , as two different characters. In the 1993 episode "The Sniffing Accountant", she played the prospective boss of George Costanza. She had intended to be a dramatic actress, and this role proved to be a turning point for Miller, who realized how much she enjoyed comedy. Two years later, she returned to Seinfeld in "The Doodle" to play George's girlfriend, Paula. This episode proved to be a boon to her career, as she convinced co-creator Larry David to provide her with a rough-cut video of the still-unaired episode when she auditioned for The Drew Carey Show , whose producers had initially thought she was too inexperienced. David's support helped Miller win over the producers of The Drew Carey Show, [3] who cast her as Kate O'Brien, [4] whom she played from 1995 to 2002.
In 2001, Miller's husband, writer-producer Bill Lawrence,[ citation needed ] conceived a new comedy drama, Scrubs . Miller was given a guest role as Dr. Cox's (John C. McGinley) acerbic ex-wife Jordan Sullivan. Originally, the character was intended to appear in only one episode; in season 2, the role became recurring. When her young cousin Teddy Ebersol, son of Susan St. James and Dick Ebersol, died in a plane crash in 2004,[ citation needed ]Scrubs dedicated the season 4 episode "My Lucky Charm" to him. Miller also was the voice of Cleopatra in the short-lived animated show Clone High . She had a leading role in the 2008 two-part TV miniseries The Andromeda Strain . She also appeared in the CSI: Miami episode Divorce Party .
In 2009, Miller began starring on Cougar Town , a sitcom created and produced by her husband and starring Courteney Cox, with whom Miller worked in a three-part story-arc of season 8 of Scrubs.
Miller married Bill Lawrence in 1999. [4] They have three children; Charlotte, [5] William, [6] and Henry. [7] Her aunt is actress Susan Saint James.[ citation needed ]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Love and Happiness | ||
1997 | Kiss & Tell | Alex Stoddard | |
1999 | Smiling Fish and Goat on Fire | Kathy | |
2000 | The Operator | Janice Wheelan | |
2016 | Hot Air [8] | Kate | |
2018 | Breaking In [9] | Maggie Harris |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985, 1988 | Kate & Allie | Student | Episode: "Allie's Affair" |
Blair | Episodes: "Allie Doesn't Live Here Anymore" and "The Odd Couples" | ||
1990 | Northern Exposure | Laurie Batan | Episode: "Soapy Sanderson" |
1992 | Stepfather III | Beth Davis | Television film |
1993, 1995 | Seinfeld | Ellen | Episode: "The Sniffing Accountant" |
Paula | Episode: "The Doodle" | ||
1994 | A Friend to Die For | Terri | Television film |
1994 | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Girl | Episode: "Who's the Boss?" |
1994 | Party of Five | Theresa | Episode: "Much Ado" |
1995–2002 | The Drew Carey Show | Kate O'Brien | Series regular, 183 episodes |
2001–2010 | Scrubs | Jordan Sullivan | Recurring role, 89 episodes Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (2003–04) |
2002–2003, 2023–2024 | Clone High | Cleopatra "Cleo" Smith (voice) | Series regular, 13 episodes |
Candide Sampson (voice) | Series regular, (Season 2–3) | ||
2008 | The Andromeda Strain | Dr. Angela Noyce | Miniseries |
2009 | CSI: Miami | Amy Lansing | Episode: "Divorce Party" |
2009–2015 | Cougar Town | Ellie Torres | Series regular, 102 episodes Gracie Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy Series (2014) |
2015 | Undateable | Ally/Jackie | 3 episodes |
2019 | Whiskey Cavalier | Kelly Ashland | Episode: "Two of a Kind" |
2021 | Head of the Class | Principal Maris | Recurring role |
2023–present | Shrinking | Liz | Series regular, also music supervisor |
Scrubs is an American medical sitcom created by Bill Lawrence that aired from October 2, 2001, to March 17, 2010, on NBC and later ABC. The series follows the lives of employees at the fictional Sacred Heart Hospital, which is a teaching hospital. The title is a play on surgical scrubs and a term for a low-ranking person because at the beginning of the series, most of the main characters are medical interns.
Kellie Suzanne Waymire was an American stage, television, and film actress. She was known for her television roles on Six Feet Under, Friends, and Star Trek: Enterprise.
Sarah Louise Christine Chalke is a Canadian actress and model. She is known for her starring roles as the second Becky Conner in the ABC sitcom Roseanne (1993–1997), Elliot Reid in the NBC/ABC medical comedy series Scrubs (2001–2010), Beth Smith and Space Beth in the Adult Swim animated science fiction series Rick and Morty (2013–present), and Kate Mularkey in the Netflix drama series Firefly Lane (2021–2023).
Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles in various television comedies. She starred as Judith Tupper Stone in the HBO sitcom Dream On, and as Nina Van Horn in the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, for which she was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe Award.
Susan Saint James is an American former actress and activist, most widely known for her work in television during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, especially the detective series McMillan & Wife (1971–1976) and the sitcom Kate & Allie (1984–1989).
Marcus G. Curry, known professionally as Mark Curry, is an American actor, comedian, and television host. He is best known for his role as Mark Cooper, ex–basketball player turned teacher on the ABC sitcom Hangin' with Mr. Cooper which originally aired from 1992 to 1997. Curry also served as one of the various hosts of the syndicated series It's Showtime at the Apollo during the early 1990s. Curry co-starred in all three seasons of See Dad Run, Nick at Nite's first original live-action family comedy series, from 2012 to 2015.
Kathleen Erin Walsh is an American actress and businesswoman. She is best known for her role as Dr. Addison Montgomery in the ABC medical drama series Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice (2007–2013).
Kathy Kinney is an American actress and comedian. After appearing as Prudence Godard on the CBS sitcom Newhart (1989–1990), she achieved fame with her portrayal of Mimi Bobeck on ABC's The Drew Carey Show (1995–2004). Her film credits include Parting Glances (1987), Scrooged (1988), Three Fugitives (1989), Stanley & Iris, Arachnophobia, This Boy's Life (1993), and Picking Up the Pieces (2000).
Julia Campbell is an American actress. She began her career starring in the daytime television soap operas Ryan's Hope and Santa Barbara, before playing the lead in the short-lived sitcom Women in Prison (1987–1988). Her most noted role to date was "mean girl" Christie Masters in the 1997 comedy film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.
Neil Richard Flynn is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his roles as Janitor on Scrubs and Clone High, and Mike Heck in the ABC comedy series The Middle. He has had notable appearances in television series, such as That '70s Show, CSI, and Smallville, and the television films It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie and Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie.
Ian Braque Gomez is an American actor known for his comedic TV work, which includes series-regular roles as Javier on Felicity and Andy on Cougar Town.
William Van Duzer Lawrence IV is an American television producer, screenwriter, and director. He is the creator of the series Scrubs and co-creator of shows including the live-action Cougar Town, Spin City, Ground Floor, Ted Lasso, and Shrinking, and the animated series Clone High, in which he also voiced the leader of the shadowy figures. He has written for many other shows, including The Nanny and Boy Meets World.
Katy Selverstone is an American actress. She is primarily known for her work on The Drew Carey Show as Lisa Robbins, Drew Carey's girlfriend in the first and second seasons.
The Drew Carey Show is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1995, to September 8, 2004. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, the series revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized version of the comedian.
Diana Maria Riva is an American actress, known for her performances on television. She was a regular cast member in series including Philly (2001–02), Side Order of Life (2007), The Good Guys (2010), Telenovela (2015–16) and Gordita Chronicles (2022). Riva also had major recurring roles in The West Wing, The Bridge, Dead to Me and Glamorous.
"Pilot" is the pilot episode of the American television sitcom Cougar Town, which premiered on ABC on September 23, 2009. The episode was directed by series creator Bill Lawrence, and written by Lawrence and Kevin Biegel. The pilot introduces seven main cast members: Jules Cobb as a 40-year-old mother who's newly single; Ellie Torres, Jules' next door neighbor and best friend; Laurie Keller, Jules' younger employee; Bobby Cobb, Jules' unemployed ex-husband; Travis Cobb, Jules' 17-year-old son; Andy Torres, Ellie's husband; and Grayson Ellis, Jules' newly divorced neighbor.
The first season of Cougar Town, an American television series, began airing on September 23, 2009, and concluded on May 19, 2010, after Modern Family and before Eastwick. Season one regular cast members include Courteney Cox, Christa Miller, Busy Philipps, Brian Van Holt, Dan Byrd, Ian Gomez, and Josh Hopkins. The sitcom was created by Bill Lawrence and Kevin Biegel.
"Drew Cam" is the ninth episode of the fifth season of the American sitcom The Drew Carey Show, and the 110th overall. The episode sees Drew becoming a 24-hour salesman for the Winfred-Louder department store. Webcams are installed in his house and he has to promote the store's range of appliances. While Drew is out, the webcams continue to stream events that occur in his house. When the viewers become bored of Drew's life, Kate O'Brien is hired to play his girlfriend for the show. She is soon replaced by Isabel, who Kate becomes jealous of. She eventually tells Drew that she loves him during the webcast.
"Pilot" is the first episode and the series premiere of the American sitcom The Drew Carey Show. It first aired on September 13, 1995, on the ABC network in the United States. The premise of the show revolves around the life Drew Carey would have lived if he had not become a stand-up comedian. The pilot introduces the main characters of Drew (Carey), Kate, Lewis and Oswald, as well as Drew's workplace, the fictional Winfred-Lauder department store, and enemy Mimi Bobeck.
"Drew Live" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of the American sitcom The Drew Carey Show, and the 109th overall. The episode's plot focuses on Drew trying to stop his friend, Kate, from pursuing a relationship with a mystery man, as Drew is in love with her. However, Drew is unaware that he is stopping Kate from pursuing him. Meanwhile, Drew's brother Steve Carey and his fiancée Mimi Bobeck hold a joint bachelor and bachelorette party.