Tonja Walker

Last updated

Tonja Walker
Born
Tonja Annette Walker

Other namesTonja Davidson
Tonja Walker-Davidson
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1981–present
Relatives Tamara Walker, sister
Website http://www.tonjawalker.net/

Tonja Annette Walker is an American actress and singer, who is also a former beauty pageant titleholder who has competed in the Miss USA pageant. She is known for her role as Alex Olanov on One Life to Live and for her role as Olivia St. John on General Hospital .

Contents

Career

Walker held the Miss Teen All American title in 1979 and won the Miss Maryland USA title in 1980. That year she represented Maryland in the Miss USA 1980 pageant broadcast live from Biloxi, Mississippi, and placed in the top twelve. She placed sixth after the preliminary round of competition, and went on to place eighth in the final swimsuit competition, seventh in interview and sixth in evening gown, and finished seventh overall.[ citation needed ]

Her first acting role was in Liar's Moon with Matt Dillon.

Walker's work has been primarily as a performer on daytime dramas. Her first daytime role was on the television serial Capitol . She played Lizbeth Bachman, a sophisticated heiress torn between playboy Jordy Clegg and handicapped doctor Thomas McCandless. Walker played the role from the show's launch until she left in 1984.

She returned to daytime as mob princess Olivia St. John on General Hospital from 1988 to 1990, playing a villainess complicating the lives of Duke Lavery and his family. Walker would make a brief return to this role in 2017.

Walker was then cast as Alex Olanov Hesser Buchanan Buchanan on One Life to Live . Alex was initially an FBI agent, but became involved with the mob. Walker had the longest run in this role, playing Alex from 1990 to 1997, with several return visits in 2001 and 2002. She made additional appearances as Alex on One Life to Live in August 2007 for the show's 9,999th and 10,000th episodes, [1] [2] Her character later returned again on November 2, 2007 for a brief run [3] and again on January 2, 2009, [4] March 15, 2011 and November 17, 2011.

She also had recurring roles as Marie Green on Guiding Light from 2003 to 2004, where she worked with Capitol costar Marj Dusay, and as D.A. Grace Nancier on Passions , a role meant to spoof Nancy Grace.

Walker is also a singer and has released one album collection of her songs. She produced a film in which she also appeared, The Derby Stallion. The film starred Zac Efron, Bill Cobbs, and William R. Moses and was released on video on demand and on DVD in 2007.

Personal life

Walker has two daughters and three stepchildren. [5] Her two daughters are Isabella and Abrianna, who played her on-screen daughters in The Derby Stallion . Her three stepchildren are named Evan, Samantha, and Alec. All of her children use the last name Davidson. [6]

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<i>Capitol</i> (TV series) American TV series or program

Capitol is an American soap opera which aired on CBS from March 29, 1982, to March 20, 1987, for 1,270 episodes. As its name suggests, the storyline usually revolved around the political intrigues of people whose lives are intertwined in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crystal Chappell</span> American actress (b. 1965)

Crystal Elizabeth Chappell is an American actress who played Carly Manning on Days of Our Lives from 1990 to 1993, Maggie Carpenter on One Life to Live from 1995 to 1997 and Olivia Spencer on Guiding Light from 1999 to 2009.

Miss USA is an American beauty pageant that has been held annually since 1952 to select the entrant from United States in the Miss Universe pageant. The Miss Universe Organization operated both pageants, as well as Miss Teen USA, until 2020, when the organization announced it was licensing operation of the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants to Crystle Stewart, Miss USA for 2008 prior to her suspension in October 2022, thus returning the said pageants to the Miss Universe Organization.

The Miss Maryland USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state Maryland in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by D&D Productions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asa Buchanan</span> Soap opera character

Asa Buchanan is a fictional character and patriarch of the Buchanan family on the American serial drama One Life to Live. The Texan industrialist father of newly arrived characters Clint and Bo Buchanan, Asa was originated in late 1979 by Philip Carey. Carey portrayed the role continually for nearly three decades, through to his final pre-taped appearance in 2008. Throughout those years, Asa's ruthless business dealings and attempts to both protect and control his family members drive much of the drama in the series.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mary Leona Gage</span> American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder

Mary Leona Gage was an American actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss USA 1957, the first from Maryland to capture the Miss USA crown. She was stripped of her title when it was revealed that she was 18, married, and the mother of two children.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shelley Hennig</span> American actress and model (born 1987)

Shelley Hennig is an American actress, model and beauty queen. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Teen Choice Award and two Daytime Emmy Award nominations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Gareis</span> American actress (born 1970)

Jennifer Gareis is an American actress and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for her roles as Grace Turner on The Young and the Restless and as Donna Logan on The Bold and the Beautiful (2006–).

<i>The Derby Stallion</i> 2005 American film

The Derby Stallion is a 2005 film starring Zac Efron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss Maryland</span> Beauty pageant competition

The Miss Maryland competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Maryland in the Miss America pageant.

Kristina Romero is an American writer, course creator and former actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss USA 1992</span> 41st Miss USA pageant

Miss USA 1992 was the 41st Miss USA pageant, televised live from the Century II Convention Center in Wichita, Kansas on February 7, 1992.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Olanov</span> Soap opera character

Alex Gwendolyn Olanov is a fictional character from the long-running ABC soap opera One Life to Live. She was portrayed by Tonja Walker since the character's inception in 1990 to 1997, with appearances in 2001, 2002, 2007, 2009, and 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeannie Mai</span> American television host

Jeannie Camtu Mai is an American television personality, best known for her work on the makeover show How Do I Look? and the syndicated daytime talk show The Real. As a fashion expert, she is frequently featured on television programs such as Today, Extra TV, Entertainment Tonight, and Insider. She has also appeared as a host for E! and as a red carpet host for the American Music Awards. Mai was a correspondent for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 Miss Universe pageants; she co-hosted the 2022 and 2023 editions as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grace Wong</span> Musical artist

Grace Wong Kwan-hing is a Hongkong actress, dancer, singer, tv host and beauty pageant titleholder. She formerly contracted to TVB. She is best known for her role as Fa Man in the martial arts television drama A Fist Within Four Walls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss USA 2012</span> 61st Miss USA pageant

Miss USA 2012 was the 61st Miss USA pageant, held on June 3, 2012, at the PH Live in Las Vegas, Nevada and it was televised live on NBC. Alyssa Campanella of California crowned her successor Olivia Culpo of Rhode Island at the end of the event. This was Rhode Island's first Miss USA title. Culpo represented the United States at Miss Universe 2012 six months later and went on to win the Miss Universe title, becoming the eighth American to do so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nana Meriwether</span> American athlete and beauty pageant titleholder

Nana Meriwether is an American former professional volleyball player and beauty pageant titleholder. She competed at Miss USA 2012, representing Maryland, and finished as the first runner-up. On December 19, 2012, winner Olivia Culpo won Miss Universe 2012, and Meriwether assumed the title of Miss USA three weeks later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miss USA 2015</span> 64th Miss USA pageant

Miss USA 2015 was the 64th Miss USA pageant, held at the Baton Rouge River Center Arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 12, 2015. All fifty states and the District of Columbia competed. Nia Sanchez of Nevada crowned her successor Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma at the end of the event. This was Oklahoma's first Miss USA title in the pageant's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Deshauna Barber</span> American model and U.S. Army officer

Deshauna Barber is an American motivational speaker, beauty pageant titleholder and captain in the United States Army Reserve. On June 5, 2016, she was crowned Miss USA 2016 by the outgoing titleholder Olivia Jordan of Oklahoma. She represented the United States at the Miss Universe 2016 pageant and finished as a Top 9 finalist.

References

  1. "One Life to Live recap (8/16/07)". ABC.com (Internet Archive). August 16, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
  2. "One Life to Live recap (8/17/07)". ABC.com (Internet Archive). August 17, 2007. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved April 23, 2008.
  3. "'One Life To Live' Daily Update". November 2, 2007. Archived from the original on December 17, 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
  4. "Comings and Goings: Tonja Walker (Alex Olanov)". Soap Opera Digest . Vol. 33. December 30, 2008. p. 17.
  5. "Resume". Archived from the original on May 23, 2010.
  6. "Walker, Tonja 1960– (Tonja Walker Davidson, Tonja Walker–Davidson)". Encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.