Amy Pietz

Amy Pietz
Born (1969-03-06) March 6, 1969 (age 55)
EducationDePaul University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Spouses
Kenneth Alan Williams
(m. 1997; div. 2007)
Frank J. Stier
(m. 2010)

Amy Pietz (born March 6, 1969) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She is known for her roles on television. She received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series nomination for her role as Annie Spadaro in the NBC sitcom Caroline in the City (1995–99). She later had starring roles in the short-lived sitcoms Cursed (NBC, 2000–01), Rodney (ABC, 2004–06), and Aliens in America (The CW, 2007–08).

Early life

Pietz was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the adopted daughter of Nancy, a nurse, and Arnold Pietz, a truck driver. She trained throughout her childhood in ballet and prepared to go professional, but eventually decided against it due to the low pay and shifted her focus elsewhere.[1]

She attended the Milwaukee High School of the Arts and graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University.[citation needed]

Career

Pietz began her career playing small roles on television series such as Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as films Rudy (1993) and Jingle All the Way (1996). In 1995, she was regular cast member on the short-lived The WB sitcom Muscle, before her breakthrough role as Annie Spadaro in the NBC sitcom Caroline in the City starring Lea Thompson.[2] The series aired from 1995 to 1999. She was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series for the role in 1999.[3]

The following year, Pietz went to star alongside Steven Weber on the NBC sitcom Cursed.[4] The series was canceled after a single season in 2001. She later played Martha Boswell in the stage musical The Boswell Sisters.[2]

From 2004 to 2006, she appeared in ABC sitcom Rodney. During 2007–08 season, she played the mother in The CW sitcom Aliens in America. She also had guest starring roles on Ally McBeal, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Division, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Burn Notice, The Closer, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives, Two and a Half Men, Mom, and How to Get Away with Murder. She had a recurring role as Donna in the NBC comedy series The Office in 2010.[5]

In 2011, Pietz played Meredith King, the mother of Chloe King, in the short-lived ABC Family drama series The Nine Lives of Chloe King.[6] In 2016, she was cast as lead character's boss in The CW comedy-drama series No Tomorrow.[7]

In 2016, Pietz guest-starred in the 4th season of Marc Maron's IFC series Maron as Natalie, a fellow rehab patient. In 2019, she starred as Ralph Dibny's mother in The Flash.[citation needed]

Personal life

Pietz married actor Kenneth Alan Williams in 1997 in her native Milwaukee. Pietz gave birth to a son when she was 23, Benjamin, whom she subsequently placed for adoption.[8][9]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Rudy Melinda
1996 Jingle All the Way Liza Tisch
2009 Reunion Sadie
2009 You Sam
2010 I Was a 7th Grade Dragon Slayer Officer Annie
2011 Prom Mrs. Doyle
2013 Zephyr Springs Dawn
2013 Autumn Leaves Autumn Short film
2014 The Pact 2 Margaret 'Maggie' Abbot
2017 Halfway Beth
2017 The Year of Spectacular Men Bitchy Casting Director
2020 Hooking Up Betty Beane

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Missing Persons Lucy Stansfield Episode: "Sometimes You Can't Help Getting Involved.."
1994 Star Trek: The Next Generation Lt. Rhodes Episode: "Bloodlines"
1995 Muscle Bronwyn Jones Main role
1995–1999 Caroline in the City Annie Spadaro Main role
1997 All Lies End in Murder Terri Paxton TV film
1997 Every 9 Seconds Carrie TV film
1998 Conrad Bloom Bonnie Episode: "Gone with the Re-Wind"
1999 Starship Regulars Mara Voice
2000–01 The Weber Show Melissa Taylor Main role
2002 Ally McBeal Bonnie Boone Episodes: "A Kick in the Head", "Homecoming"
2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Rebecca McCormick Episode: "Lady Heather's Box"
2003 The Drew Carey Show Elaine Episode: "Two Girls for Every Boy"
2003 ER Pregnant HIV+ Woman Episode: "Freefall"
2003 Newton Alice Pryor TV film
2004 All About the Andersons Mrs. Sandore Episode: "Get Out of Dodge... Ball"
2004 The Division Jo Miller Episode: "Skips and Scones"
2004 I'm with Her Samantha Episodes: "Party of Two", "Friends in Low Places", "Drama Queen"
2004–2006 Rodney Charlie Main role
2005 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Zoe Dunlop Episode: "Alien"
2007–08 Aliens in America Franny Tolchuck Main role
2008 Burn Notice Jeannie Anderson Episode: "Double Booked"
2008 Ghost Whisperer Lisa Keller Episode: "Bloodline"
2009 The Closer Dana Crawford Episode: "Good Faith"
2009 Bones Ellen Clark Episode: "The Salt in the Wounds"
2009 Trust Me Diane Episodes: "What's the Rush?", "Odd Man Out", "The More Things Change"
2009 Hawthorne Gretchen Breyer Episode: "Night Moves"
2009 Curb Your Enthusiasm Wendy Episode: "Denise Handicapped"
2009 Medium Nancy Covington Episode: "Once in a Lifetime"
2010 Nip/Tuck Allison Krieger Episode: "Walter and Edith Krieger"
2010 American Dad! Ally / Elaine (voice) Episode: "Great Space Roaster"
2010 Desperate Housewives Madeline Episode: "You Must Meet My Wife"
2010 The Office Donna Newton Recurring role (seasons 6–7)
2011 Private Practice Isabelle Episode: "Love and Lies"
2011 The Paul Reiser Show Betsy Episode: "The Old Guy"
2011 The Nine Lives of Chloe King Meredith King Main role
2012 Necessary Roughness Corinne Walsh Episode: "All the King's Horses"
2012 Stalked at 17 Karen Curson TV film
2012 Audrey Julie Episodes: "Satisfy Me", "Black Gold", "A Tart Finish"
2013 The Mentalist Joanna Lyle Episode: "Days of Wine and Roses"
2013 Dexter Dr. Kruper Episode: "Remember the Monsters?"
2014 Two and a Half Men Angie Episode: "Lotta Delis in Little Armenia"
2014 How to Get Away with Murder Sharon Remini Episode: "We're Not Friends"
2015 Backstrom Christina Rose Episode: "I Am a Bird Now"
2015 Stalked by My Neighbor Andrea Allen TV film
2015 Devious Maids Susie Episode: "Suspicion"
2016 The Magicians Hannah / The Lamia Episodes: "Impractical Applications", "Remedial Battle Magic"
2016 Maron Natalie Episode: "The 13th Step"
2016–17 No Tomorrow Deirdre Hackmeyer Main role
2017 You're the Worst Adrienne Episode: "A Bunch of Hornballs"
2017 Hit the Road Meg Swallow Main role
2019–20 Modern Family Janice Recurring role (Seasons 10–11)
2019 The Flash Debbie Dibny Episode: "Dead Man Running"
2019 Animal Kingdom Meredith 3 episodes
2020 Mom Rebecca Episode: "Big Sad Eyes and a Wrinkled Hot Dog"
2022 Dynasty Mandy Von Dunkel Episode: "But a Drug Scandal?"
2022 Love, Victor Margaret Campbell Guest role (season 3)
2023 Wolf Pack Kendra Lang Recurring role

References

  1. ^ "Amy Pietz Biography". Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Staff, Hollywood.com (February 2, 2015). "Amy Pietz - Biography and Filmography - 1969". Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  3. ^ "The 5th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards - Screen Actors Guild Awards". Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  4. ^ "NBC delays and overhauls Cursed". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  5. ^ "Amy Pietz Recruited by The Office". March 16, 2010. Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  6. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 12, 2010). "MTV Pilot 'Patito Feo' Casts Lead While ABC Family Pilot 'Nine Lives' Finds Co-Lead". Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  7. ^ Petski, Denise (March 11, 2016). "Amy Pietz Joins The CW Pilot 'No Tomorrow'; Josh Segarra In NBC's Vladimir Caamaño Project". Retrieved June 4, 2016.
  8. ^ "Amy Pietz biodata". Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  9. ^ "Amy Pietz tackles motherhood off-screen". Retrieved November 10, 2021.