Amy Acker

Amy Acker
Acker in 2005
Born	Amy Louise Acker (1976-12-05) December 5, 1976 (age 47) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Education	Southern Methodist University (BFA)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1998–present
Spouse	James Carpinello ​ (m. 2003)​
Children	2
Website	www.amyacker.com

Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976)^[1][2] is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Winifred Burkle and Illyria on the supernatural drama series Angel (2001–2004), as Kelly Peyton on the action drama series Alias (2005–2006), and as Root on the science-fiction drama series Person of Interest (2012–2016). From 2017 to 2019, she starred as Caitlin Strucker on the superhero drama series The Gifted, based on Marvel Comics' X-Men.

Early life

Amy Louise Acker was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, to a homemaker mother and a lawyer father.^{[3][better source needed]} She studied ballet and modern dance for 14 years. She underwent knee surgery while in high school, ending her ballet career.^[4] Acker graduated from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas in 1995. She subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Southern Methodist University in 1999.^[1]

In her junior year of college, Acker modeled for the J. Crew catalog. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the same year. She worked as a stage actress for several seasons, including a stint at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.^[5]

Career

Acker made her major television debut when she starred as Winifred "Fred" Burkle in Angel (seasons 2–5), and also as the character of Illyria for part of the show's fifth and final season. She won the 2003 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television for her portrayal.^[6]

Acker joined the cast of Alias in 2005 for its final season, playing villainess Kelly Peyton. Acker graduated from guest star to cast member as the show entered the final episodes in April and May 2006.^{[citation needed]} Also in 2005, Acker provided voice acting for the character of Huntress (Helena Rosa Bertinelli) on the animated series Justice League Unlimited. She went on to make a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother, in which she was reunited with Angel co-star Alexis Denisof (the real-life husband of HIMYM star Alyson Hannigan), who had a recurring role on the show.

Acker portrayed Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey, a recurring character, on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse.^[7] She guest-starred in 10 of the 13 episodes of the first season and three episodes of the second.

In 2010, Acker was a series regular in the ABC drama Happy Town, portraying the character Rachel Conroy. That same year, she starred in the season-one finale of the Fox series Human Target as the mysterious Katherine Walters. On May 25, 2010, she appeared on CBS's The Good Wife. She appeared in the horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, released April 13, 2012. In 2012, she made guest performances in Warehouse 13, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm. Also in 2012, she starred as Beatrice in Joss Whedon's film Much Ado About Nothing.

Acker appeared in season three of the sitcom Husbands as Claudia, Brad Kelt's ex-fiancée of who unexpectedly shows up.^[8] In March 2014, Acker was cast as Audrey Nathan, a former lover to Phil Coulson in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.^[9]

Between 2012 and 2016, Acker portrayed Samantha "Root" Groves on the CBS drama Person of Interest; Groves became a regular character starting in the series' third season. Starting with the series' 100th episode, Acker took on the voice role of the Machine.^[10][11] In the series finale, she also appeared as the visual manifestation of the Machine.^[12]

In March 2017, Acker was cast as Caitlin Strucker in the pilot for the prospective Fox television series The Gifted,^[13][14] which was picked up to series in May 2017.^[15] The Gifted began airing on October 2, 2017, and Fox canceled the series after two seasons on April 17, 2019.^[16]

In 2019, Acker appeared in What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage, a parody of aftershows. She plays Dr. Rachel Layne in the "show-within-a-show", a fictional drama series called The Flare.

Personal life

Acker with her husband, James Carpinello, in 2005

On April 25, 2003, Acker married actor James Carpinello in California. They have a son, born in 2005, and a daughter, born in 2006.^[17]

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	The Accident	Nina
2002	Groom Lake	Kate
2002	Catch Me If You Can	Miggy
2006	The Novice	Jill Yarrut
2009	21 and a Wake-Up	Caitlin Murphy
2011	Sironia	Molly Fisher
2012	The Cabin in the Woods	Wendy Lin
2012	Much Ado About Nothing	Beatrice
2014	Let's Kill Ward's Wife	Gina
2016	The Energy Specialist	Claire
2017	Amanda & Jack Go Glamping	Amanda
2020	Superman: Red Son	Lois Lane	Voice role
2024	Ordinary Angels	Theresa	Completed[18][19]
2025	The Unbreakable Boy	Lori	Completed

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998	Wishbone	Catherine Morland	Episode: "Pup Fiction"
1999	To Serve and Protect	Melissa Jorgensen	Episode: "Part II"
	Wishbone	Priscilla / Venus	Episodes: "A Bone of Contention", "A Roamin' Nose"
2001	Special Unit 2	Nancy	Episode: "The Invisible"
2001–2004	Angel	Winifred "Fred" Burkle / Illyria	Recurring role (season 2); Main role (seasons 3–5)
2003	Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt	Bonnie Lindsay	Television film (CBS)
2005	Supernatural	Andrea Barr	Episode: "Dead in the Water"
2005–2006	Justice League Unlimited	Huntress / Helena Bertinelli	Voice role; 4 episodes
	Alias	Kelly Peyton	Main role (season 5); 13 episodes
2006	How I Met Your Mother	Penelope	Episode: "Come On"
2007	Drive	Kathryn Tully	3 episodes
	Law & Order: Criminal Intent	Leslie LeZard	Episode: "Smile"
	Ghost Whisperer	Tessa	Episode: "Weight of What Was"
2008	Voices	Ellie Daly	Television film (a.k.a. A Near Death Experience)
	Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles	Princess Luisa	Television film (Syfy)
	October Road	Girl in Blue Uniform / Jenny Bristol	2 episodes
	Private Practice	Molly Madison	Episode: "A Family Thing"
2009–2010	Dollhouse	Dr. Claire Saunders / Whiskey	Recurring role; 14 episodes
2010	Human Target	Katherine Walters	Episode: "Christopher Chance"
	The Good Wife	Trish Arkin	Episode: "Running"
	Happy Town	Rachel Conroy	Main role; 8 episodes
	No Ordinary Family	Amanda Grayson	Episodes: "No Ordinary Mobster", "No Ordinary Accident"
2011	Dear Santa	Crystal Carruthers	Television film (Lifetime)
2011, 2013	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Sandy Colfax	Episodes: "Man Up", "Backfire"
2012	Grimm	Lena Marcenko	Episode: "Tarantella"
	Once Upon a Time	Astrid / Nova	Episode: "Dreamy"
	Warehouse 13	Tracey	Episode: "The Ones You Love"
2012–2016	Person of Interest	Samantha "Root" Groves	Guest role (season 1); Recurring role (season 2); Main role (seasons 3–5);[10] 65 episodes
2013	Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated	Nova	Voice role; 4 episodes
2014	Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.	Audrey Nathan	Episode: "The Only Light in the Darkness"
2015	A Novel Romance	Sophie	Television film (Hallmark)
2015–2019	Suits	Esther Litt-Edelstein	5 episodes (seasons 5, 8–9)
2016–2017	MacGyver	Sarah Adler	Episodes: "Metal Saw", "Screwdriver"
2016	A Nutcracker Christmas	Lily	Television film (Hallmark)
2017–2019	The Gifted	Caitlin Strucker	Main role
2019	What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage	Dr. Rachel Layne	Episode: "Family"
	Grey's Anatomy	Kathleen Shepherd	Episode: "Good Shepherd"[20]
2020	God Friended Me	Tammy	Episode: "Almost Famous"
2021	All Rise	Georgia Knight	Episodes: "Georgia", "Leap of Faith"
	Crashing Through the Snow	Maggie	Television film (Hallmark)
2022	9-1-1: Lone Star	Catherine	6 episodes (season 3)
2023	The Watchful Eye	Tory	Main role[21]

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Who Cut the Cake?	Ellen	3 episodes
2013	Husbands	Claudia
2015–2017	Con Man	Dawn Jones	8 episodes

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Work	Result	Refs
2003	Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Angel	Won	[22]
2004	Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Angel	Nominated	[23]
2014	Indie Series Awards	Best Guest Star – Comedy	Husbands	Won	[24]

References

1. Anthony Krug, Kurt. "Happy Town star Amy Acker first caught acting bug while growing up in Dallas". Dallas News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011.
2. "Amy Acker". TV Guide. Retrieved June 13, 2023. Birth name: Amy Louise Acker
3. "The Brothers Gililland of Missouri:Information about Amy Louise ACKER". familytreemaker.genealogy.com. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
4. DeCosemo, Nick (August 2003). "Angel!". FHM (Uk). 164: 125.
5. "Actors in Joss Whedon's 'Much Ado' once did Shakespeare at American Players Theatre". The Capital Times. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
6. Peebles, Frank (March 14, 2019). "Amy Acker coming to FanCon". Prince George Citizen. Retrieved January 18, 2021.
7. "Angel Vet Moves into Whedon's Dollhouse!". TV Guide. April 17, 2008. Archived from the original on April 21, 2008. Retrieved April 17, 2008.
8. Ng, Philiana (July 5, 2013). "Amy Acker to Guest Star on 'Husbands' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 6, 2013.
9. Abrams, Natalie (March 26, 2014). "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Exclusive: Amy Acker to Play Famous Role from Coulson's Past". TV Guide. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
10. Webb Mitovich, Matt (July 20, 2013). "Person of Interest: Amy Acker Now Series Regular". TVLine. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
11. Rice, Lynette (May 31, 2016). "Person of Interest death is TV's latest lesbian fatality". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 1, 2016.
12. Piester, Lauren (June 21, 2016). "Who Survived that Beautiful Person of Interest Series Finale?". E! News. Retrieved July 5, 2016.
13. Petski, Denise (March 2, 2017). "Amy Acker To Star In Fox Marvel Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 2, 2017.
14. Outlaw, Kofi (March 10, 2017). "X-Men TV Series 'Gifted' Official Title Revealed". Comicbook.com. Retrieved March 10, 2017.
15. Wagmeister, Elizabeth (May 9, 2017). "Fox Greenlights Marvel Action Series 'The Gifted' From Bryan Singer & Matt Nix — Watch First Teaser". Variety. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
16. Goldberg, Lesley (April 17, 2019). "'The Gifted,' 'Rel' Canceled at Fox". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
17. Gee, Alison (September 7, 2006). "Alias's Amy Acker, Husband Have a Girl". People. Retrieved February 13, 2019.
18. Grobar, Matt (April 18, 2022). "Kingdom Story Company's 'Ordinary Angels' Adds Nancy Travis, Tamala Jones & More". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
19. McKendrick, Devon (April 25, 2022). "Where Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson have been spotted in Winnipeg". CTV News. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
20. Petski, Denise (February 13, 2019). "'Grey's Anatomy': Amy Acker Joins ABC Drama As Member Of The Shepherd Family". Deadline Hollywood.
21. White, Peter (September 13, 2021). "Hitchcockian Nanny Drama From Julie Durk Lands Pilot Order At Freeform; Andrea Londo & Warren Christie Among Stars". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 16, 2023.
22. "30rd Annual Saturn Awards : Cinescape Review". www.whedon.info. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
23. "The SF Site: News". www.sfsite.com. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
24. "5th Annual Indie Series Awards Winners". Indie Series Awards. April 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2020.

External links

• Amy Acker on Twitter
• Amy Acker at IMDb
• Amy Acker at AllMovie
• Amy Acker at TV Guide