Wendy Makkena

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Wendy Makkena bigraphy, stories - Actress

Wendy Makkena : biography

October 4, 1963 –

Wendy Makkena (born October 4, 1963) is an American actress.

Career

Born in Manhattan, New York, Makkena started her acting career in 1986 and appeared in the TV show Santa Barbara. She later landed her first movie role in Eight Men Out. She has made various guest appearances in TV shows such as Law & Order, Monsters, NYPD Blue, House, and NCIS.

In 1992 she landed a starring role in the popular movie Sister Act as the shy but talented singing nun Sister Mary Robert, a role she reprised in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit the following year.

She appeared in various other television roles until 1997, when she starred in Air Bud, followed by the independent film Finding North. She continued appearing on television shows such as The Job, Oliver Beene, and Listen Up!

She made a guest appearance on House in 2007. She also made a guest appearance on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in 2009.

Makkena also appeared on the pilot episode of Chuck as an unnamed National Intelligence Director. Some casting lists have her appearing as General Mary Beckman,Actor Credits a rank and surname that would be re-used in future episodes for the recurring character of NSA director Gen. Diane Beckman. The actress in that role, Bonita Friedericy, believes both Beckmans to be the same character.Cast Interview, Bonita Friedericy: Additionally, Beckman’s identification card, shown on (first seen in the second season episode, "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon", and clearly referring to Friedericy’s character by its reference to her relationship with Roan Montgomery) reads "Gen. M. Beckman".

Among her Broadway credits are Lend Me a Tenor (1989) and Side Man (1998).

She currently has a recurring role in NCIS as Dr. Rachel Cranston, a psychologist conducting evaluations on Gibbs and his team who is also the older sister of the deceased Caitlin Todd played by Sasha Alexander.

Personal life

Makkena has been married since 1997, has one child and lives in New York City.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1988 Eight Men Out Kate Jackson
1992 Sister Act Sister Mary Robert
1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Sister Mary Robert
1994 Camp Nowhere Dr. Celeste Dunbar
1995 The|Whiskey Heir|nolink=1}} Maggie Short film
1997 The|People|nolink=1}} Jean Leary
1997 Air Bud Jackie Framm
1998 Finding North Rhonda Portelli
1999 4 a.m.: Open All Night Woman Short film
2004 Noise Del
2009 State of Play Greer Thornton
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1986 Santa Barbara Katie Timmons TV series
1989 Dream Street Harry’s Ex-Wife Episode: "True Love"
1991 Monsters Maggie Price Episode: "Desirable Alien"
1991 Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace Brenda TV movie
1991 Law & Order Officer Nicki Sandoval Episode: "A Death in the Family"
1992 Black Magic Sally Rowe TV movie
1993 Class of ’96 Margaret Parsons Episode: "The Accused"
1993 A|League of Their Own|nolink=1}}’ Mae Mordabito 6 episodes
1994 NYPD Blue Det. Sharon LaSalle 3 episodes
1994 Touched by an Angel Robin Dunwoody Episode: "The Heart of the Matter"
1995 Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Mary Newcombe TV movie
1995 Strange Luck Louise Brooks Episode: "The Box"
1996 Death Benefit Wynn Burkholder TV movie
1996 On Seventh Avenue Nadine Jacobs TV movie
1997 Lies He Told Patty TV movie
1997 C-16: FBI Melanie Harmon Episode: "Orange Kid"
1997 Dellaventura Episode: "Fathers"
1998 Trinity Episode: "No Secrets"Episode: "Hang Man Down"
1999-2000 Judging Amy Susie Nixon 8 episodes
2001-2002 The|Job|The Job (2001 TV series)}} Karen McNeil 6 episodes
2002 Law & Order Janet Weston Episode: "Born Again"
2002 Philly Amanda Royce Episode: "San Diego Padre"
2003-2004 Oliver Beene Charlotte Caraline Beene 24 episodes
2004-2005 Listen Up! Dana Kleinman 18 episodes
2006 Ghost Whisperer Jean Godfrey Episode: "A Grave Matter"
2007 House Dr. Julie Whitner Episode: "Needle in a Haystack"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Doris Babinkian Episode: "Ending Happy"
2007 The|Nine|The Nine (TV series)}} Suzanne Episode: "Confessions"Episode: "Man of the Year"
2007 Chuck National Intelligence Director Episode: "Pilot"
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ellen Van Kuren Episode: "Transitions"
2009 Desperate Housewives Fran Schulman Episode: "Marry Me a Little"
2009 Without a Trace Jubilee Episode: "True"
2009 Numb3rs Kath Berry Episode: "Shadow Markets"
2010 Numb3rs Kath Barry Episode: "Growin’ Up"
2010 The|Deep End|The Deep End (TV series)}} Judge Joan Anderson Episode: "An Innocent Man"
2010 Miami Medical Didi Episode: "What Lies Beneath"
2011-2012 NCIS Dr. Rachel Cranston 3 episodes
2011 Melissa & Joey Suzanne Reback Episode: "Going the Distance?"