Wendy Makkena : biography
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
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 |
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?" |