Jayne Atkinson (born 18 February 1959) is a British-American actress. She is best known for the role of Karen Hayes on 24, as well as her Tony Award–nominated roles in The Rainmaker and Enchanted April. She has also appeared in Criminal Minds as BAU Section Chief Erin Strauss, Madam Secretary as United States Vice President Teresa Hurst, and House of Cards as U.S. Secretary of State Catherine Durant. In films, Atkinson notably played foster mother Annie Greenwood in the Free Willy franchise.
Early life Atkinson was born on 18 February 1959 in Bournemouth, England. Her family moved to the United States in 1968 when she was 9 years old. She grew up in North Miami Beach, Florida, and graduated from Pine Crest School, where she was elected Homecoming Queen in 1977. She attended Northwestern University (BS Communications, 1981), where she was initiated as a member of Alpha Chi Omega and a sorority sister of Laura Innes; and graduated with an MFA from the Yale Drama School in 1985.
Career
After working in regional theatres, Atkinson appeared off-Broadway in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Bloody Poetry in 1987. She made her Broadway debut the same year in a revival of Arthur Miller's All My Sons.
Subsequently, she landed title roles in more stage productions, which include Henry VIII, Tru, and The Art of Success. She earned a Drama Desk Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in The Skriker in 1996. Atkinson's work in the Roundabout Theatre Company's 1999 production of The Rainmaker earned her a Tony Award nomination, and her performance in the 2003 play Enchanted April earned her an Outer Critics Circle Award, another Tony Award nomination and a Drama Desk nomination.
In 2009, she starred as Ruth Condomine in a Broadway revival of Noël Coward's Blithe Spirit, which co-starred Rupert Everett, Christine Ebersole, and Angela Lansbury.
She has appeared in such films as Free Willy, Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home, 12 and Holding, Blank Check, The Village and Syriana. Her television acting credits include A Year in the Life, Parenthood, The X-Files, Law & Order, The Practice, Criminal Minds, 24, Gossip Girl and House of Cards, opposite Kevin Spacey and husband Michel Gill. Her performance in the made-for-TV movie Our Town garnered her a Satellite Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Personal life
Atkinson is a dual citizen of the United Kingdom and the United States. She is married to actor Michel Gill, with whom she has one son. Atkinson and Gill met when they appeared together in a 1989 production of The Heiress at the Long Wharf Theater in New Haven, Connecticut. They both appeared in House of Cards, though not as a couple: Gill played President Garrett Walker and Atkinson played Secretary of State Catherine Durant.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 In the Best Interest of the Children Wanda Birney Television movie 1993 Free Willy Annie Greenwood 1994 Blank Check Sandra Waters 1995 Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Annie Greenwood 2003 Our Town Mrs. Gibbs Television movieNominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film 2004 The Village Tabitha Walker 2005 Syriana Division Chief 2006 12 and Holding Ashley Carges 2008 Recount Theresa LePore Television movie 2009 Handsome Harry Kelly's wife 2010 The GetawayMyrtle Sommers Short film 2012 Revenge for Jolly! Receptionist 2016 The Congressman Casey Winship 2022 Baby Ruby Doris
Television Year Title Role Notes 1986–1988 A Year in the Life Lindley Gardner Eisenberg 25 episodes 1989 Moonlighting Robin Fuller Episode: "Shirts and Skins" 1990–1991 Parenthood Karen Buckman 12 episodes 1995 The X-Files Willa Ambrose Episode: "Fearful Symmetry" 1997 The Practice Ruth Gibson Episode: "Part 1" 2001–2002 The Education of Max Bickford Lyla Ortiz 7 episodes 2002 Law & Order Dr. Claire Snyder Episode: "Dazzled" 2004 Joan of Arcadia Fran Montgomery Episode: "Friday Night" 2006–2007 24 Karen Hayes 30 episodesNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2007–2014, 2020 Criminal Minds Erin Strauss 24 episodes 2008 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Marion Springer Episode: "Savant" 2008 Law & Order Senator Melanie Carver Episode: "Political Animal" 2010 Gossip Girl Dean Reuther 4 episodes 2011 White Collar Helen Anderson Episode: "Deadline" 2012 Blue Bloods Sharon Harris Episode: "Reagan V. Reagan" 2012 Perception Helen Paulson 2 episodes 2013 The Following Jacob's mother 2 episodes 2013–2018 House of Cards Secretary of State Catherine Durant 35 episodesNominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series 2015 Zoo Amelia Sage 2 episodes 2016 The Good Wife Nora Valentine Episode: "Landing" 2016 Chicago Med Laura Clay Episode: "Disorder" 2018 Madam Secretary Vice President Teresa Hurst 5 episodes; Seasons 4–5 2018 The Walking Dead Georgie Episode: "The Key" 2018 Castle Rock Daria Reese 2 episodes 2019 Bluff City Law Della Bedford Series Regular 2021 Clarice Ruth Martin 4 episodes 2024 Death and Other Details Katherine Collier Recurring
Stage Year Title Role Notes 1987 All My Sons Sue Bayliss 1989–1990 Tru Jan 1997–1998 Ivanov Anna Petrovna 1999–2000 The Rainmaker Lizzie Curry Nominated—Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play 2002–2003 Our Town Mrs. Gibbs 2003 Enchanted April Lotty Wilton Nominated—Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a PlayNominated—Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play 2009 Blithe Spirit Ruth 2019 Ann Ann Richards Arena Stage, Washington D.C.
References
External links
Jayne Atkinson at Lortel Archives: The Internet Off-Broadway Database