Melora Walters (born October 21, 1959) is an American actress and filmmaker, best known for her starring roles as Wanda Henrickson on HBO's Big Love (2006–2010) and Kathy Kone on Hulu's Pen15 (2019–2021). She has frequently collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson, earning two Screen Actors Guild nominations for her work in Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), respectively. Her other film credits include Dead Poets Society (1989), Eraser (1996), Matchstick Men, Cold Mountain (both 2003), The Butterfly Effect (2004), Short Term 12 (2013), Cam, Venom (both 2018), and Offseason (2021). Walters's directorial credits include Waterlily Jaguar (2018) and Drowning (2019), both of which she wrote and co-produced.
Career
Film Walters made her screen debut with a small part in the 1988 film Underground, which she followed with the more substantial role of Gloria, a school student, in Peter Weir's critically acclaimed Dead Poets Society (1989). Following roles in various features throughout the early-mid 1990s, such as Beethoven (1992), Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994), and the commercially successful Eraser (1996), Walters began a professional partnership with Paul Thomas Anderson when she appeared in his directorial debut, the 1996 crime drama Hard Eight. She earned praise for her work in his subsequent films Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), with Variety critic Emanuel Levy describing her portrayal of drug addict Claudia in the latter as "superlative". For her performance in Doubting Thomas (2018), Walters was named Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Door Film Festival.
Television On television, Walters has appeared in guest roles on series such as Roseanne, Nash Bridges, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Californication, The Mentalist, NCIS, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and American Gigolo. She also starred as Felicity on L.A. Doctors (1998–1999), Wanda Henrickson on Big Love (2006–2010), and Kathy Kone on Pen15 (2019–2021). She also played a waitress in The Wonder Years episode "Road Trip" (1991).
Personal life Walters has two children from her marriage to Dylan Walsh; they divorced in 2003. She was previously married to actor Christopher Scotellaro between 1990 and 1994. Walters married cinematographer Alex Vendler on June 21, 2008. She filed for divorce from Vendler in 2010, citing irreconcilable differences.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 1988 Underground Prostitute Staring at the Dark Eden Short 1989 Dead Poets Society Gloria Rude Awakening "Punky" Uncredited 1992 Beethoven Pet Shop Owner 1993 America's Deadliest Home Video Gloria Twenty Bucks The Stripper / Funeral Director 1994 Cabin Boy Trina All Tied Up Bliss Ed Wood Secretary #2 1996 Hard Eight Jimmy's Girl Eraser Darleen Casteleone American Strays Cindy 1997 Los Locos Allison Boogie Nights Jessie St. Vincent Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast 1999 Magnolia Claudia Wilson Gator Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast 2001 Speaking of Sex Melinda Rain Ellen 2002 WiseGirls Kate Desert Saints FBI Agent Bennie Harper 2003 Melvin Goes to Dinner Trenice, Melvin's Girlfriend Copper Wing Award for Best Ensemble The Big Empty Candy Matchstick Men Heather, Roy's Ex-Wife Uncredited Cold Mountain Lila 2004 The Butterfly Effect Andrea Treborn 2007 Brothers Three: An American Gothic Loren 2008 Harrison Montgomery Margo Fleming Black Crescent Moon Katelan Beacon Dark Yellow Woman Short 2009 Hurt Helen Coltrane 2010 Case 219 Victoria Lash Shit Year Shelly Love Ranch Janelle 2011 The River Murders FBI Agent Glover 2012 The Master Band (voice) Mary Mary Short Missing Pieces Delia Greenly 2013 Short Term 12 Dr. Hendler Underdogs Nancy Smith-Burkett Lonely Boy Betsy They Shoot Short 2014 The Young Kieslowski Barbara Kieslowski Sacrifice Enid 2015 Sex, Death and Bowling Evie 2016 Indiscretion Harper The Muse Short; writer and director Sugar Mountain Tracy Huxley 2017 Good After Bad Victoria The Lovers Lucy An American Dog Story Efthemia (voice) Odious Beatrice 2018 Not a Stranger Jill Madden In a Relationship Mia Ziniti Doubting Thomas Kate Golden Door Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress Waterlily Jaguar Writer and director Cam Lynne Ackerman Venom Maria, Homeless Woman The Amaranth Lily Kendrick 2019 Beneath the Leaves Rose Robert the Bruce Ylfa Kleen Judith Short Stuck Nancy Short Drowning Rose Also writer, director, producer Adeline, the Great Ms. Nichols Short Where Are You Edith, The Gatekeeper 2020 The Pale Door Maria Pink Skies Ahead Hayley Hard Luck Love Song Sally "Gypsy Sally" 2021 Far More Evie Flores Offseason Ava Aldrich Severed Silence Naida Attention Attention Ruby West of Eden Evelyn Short 2022 The Hater Sally Jensen2025The IdeaWifeShortSituationsBrianne 2026 Crooks Blanche Post-productionTBA TBA Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes 1989–1990 Roseanne Debbie Recurring (season 2); 5 episodes 1990 How to Murder a Millionaire Ginger Television film 1991 The Wonder Years Waitress Episode: "Road Trip" ABC Afterschool Specials Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll" 1992 Murphy Brown Lisa Episode: "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go" Dear John Maria Episode: "Adult Education" 1993 Telling Secrets Karen Blake Television film Walker, Texas Ranger Star Buckley Episode: "Bounty" Bakersfield P.D. Marnie Archer Episode: "Lucky 13" 1994 Dead Man's Revenge Bunny Television film Seinfeld Jane Episode: "The Hamptons" Midnight Run for Your Life Lorna Bellstratten Television film 1995 The Marshal Sheryl Episode: "The Ballad of Lucas Burke" Picket Fences Sherri Watkins Episode: "Reap the Whirlwind Dream On Dina Episode: "Little Orphan Eddie" NYPD Blue Holly Snyder Episodes: "The Bank Dick" and "Dirty Laundry" 1996 Simon Emily Episode: "Simon Night Fever" Nash Bridges Florence "Flo" Episode: "Skirt Chasers" 1997 High Incident Episode: "Camino High" Brooklyn South Carly Episode: "A Reverend Runs Through It" 1998–1999 L.A. Doctors Felicity Series regular (season 1); 20 episodes 1998 Twice Upon a Time Alannah Merribone Television film 2002 Push, Nevada Grace Main cast; 7 episodes 2003–2004 Threat Matrix Lia "Lark" Larkin Main cast; 13 episodes 2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Sage Episode: "Gum Drops" 2006–2010 Big Love Wanda Henrickson Main cast (seasons 1–4); 35 episodes 2007 Desperate Housewives Sylvia Greene Episodes: "Distant Past", "Something's Coming" 2012 Californication Lisa Episode: "Raw" Franklin & Bash Joan Ackermann Episode: "Strange Brew" 2014 Rake Jan Falcon Episode: "Man's Best Friend" 2015 The Mentalist Amber Episode: "Byzantium" Criminal Minds Paige Episodes: "Protection" and "The Hunt" 2016 NCIS Susan Elizabeth Lowe Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" 2017 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Laurel Episode: "Something Happened" 2018 Cherries Patsy Television film Corporate Nadine Episode: "Corporate Retreat" The Lover in the Attic: A True Story Television film; director 2019 The OA Melody Episode: "Angel of Death" 2019–2021 Pen15 Kathy Kone Main cast; 22 episodes 2022 American Gigolo Maryanne Henderson 3 episodes
Music videos Year Title Artist Notes 1997 "Try" Michael Penn Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson1999 "Save Me" Aimee Mann Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
References
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