Amy Acker

Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976)<ref name="dallasnews.com">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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. Her mother is a homemaker and her father is a lawyer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed She studied ballet and modern dance for fourteen years, but ended her lessons while in high school after an operation on one of her knees.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> She graduated from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas in 1995, and subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Southern Methodist University in 1999.<ref name="dallasnews.com"/>

In her junior year of college, Acker modeled for the J. Crew catalog. She worked as a stage actress for several seasons, including a stint at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> She won the 2003 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television for her portrayal.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2005, Acker provided voice acting for the character of Huntress (Helena Rosa Bertinelli) on the animated series Justice League Unlimited.<ref name="btva" /> She went on to make a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother,<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> 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,<ref name=":3">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite web</ref> On May 25, 2010, she appeared on CBS's The Good Wife. She appeared in the horror movie The Cabin in the Woods,<ref name=":5">Template:Cite web</ref> released April 13, 2012. In 2012, she made guest performances in Warehouse 13, Once Upon a Time,<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> and Grimm.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2012, she starred as Beatrice in Joss Whedon's film Much Ado About Nothing.<ref name=":8">Template:Cite web</ref>

Acker appeared in season three of the sitcom Husbands as Claudia, Brad Kelly's ex-fiancée who unexpectedly shows up.<ref name="The Hollywood Reporter">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

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.<ref name=PoI1/><ref name=PoI2>Template:Cite magazine</ref> In the series finale, she also appeared as the visual manifestation of the Machine.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In March 2017, Acker was cast as Caitlin Strucker in the pilot for the prospective Fox television series The Gifted,<ref name="Gifted">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> which was picked up to series in May 2017.<ref name="V-TG">Template:Cite web</ref> The Gifted began airing on October 2, 2017, and Fox canceled the series after two seasons on April 17, 2019.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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

File:Amy Acker, James Carpinello.jpg

Acker with her husband, James Carpinello, in 2005

Acker married actor James Carpinello. They have a son, born in 2005, and a daughter, born in 2006.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	The Accident	Nina
2002	Groom Lake	Kate	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Catch Me If You Can	Miggy
2006	The Novice	Jill Yarrut	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009	21 and a Wake-Up	Caitlin Murphy	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2011	Sironia	Molly Fisher	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2012	The Cabin in the Woods	Wendy Lin	<ref name=":5" />
	Much Ado About Nothing	Beatrice	<ref name=":8" />
2014	Let's Kill Ward's Wife	Gina	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016	The Energy Specialist	Claire
2017	Amanda & Jack Go Glamping	Amanda	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2020	Superman: Red Son	Lois Lane (voice)	Direct-to-video<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="btva">Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
2020	Outside	Woman	Short film; also co-director<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024	Ordinary Angels	Theresa	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2024	Average Joe	Denise	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2025	The Unbreakable Boy	Lori	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1998-1999	Wishbone	Priscilla / Catherine Morland / Venus	Episodes: "A Bone of Contention", "Pup Fiction", "A Roamin' Nose"
1999	To Serve and Protect	Melissa Jorgensen	Episode: "Part II"
2001–2004	Angel	Winifred "Fred" Burkle / Illyria	Recurring role (season 2); Main role (seasons 3–5)<ref name=":0" />
2003	Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt	Bonnie Lindsay	Television film (CBS)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004	Johnny Bravo	Jackie, Cashier (voice)	Episode: "Double Vision"<ref name="btva" />
2005	Supernatural	Andrea Barr	Episode: "Dead in the Water"
2005–2006	Justice League Unlimited	Huntress / Helena Bertinelli (voice)	4 episodes<ref name="btva" />
	Alias	Kelly Peyton	Main role (season 5); 13 episodes<ref name=":1" />
2006	How I Met Your Mother	Penelope	Episode: "Come On"<ref name=":2" />
2007	Drive	Kathryn Tully	3 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	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)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles	Princess Luisa	Television film (Syfy)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	October Road	Girl in Blue Uniform / Jenny Bristol	2 episodes
	Private Practice	Molly Madison	Episode: "A Family Thing"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2009–2010	Dollhouse	Dr. Claire Saunders / Whiskey	Recurring role; 14 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2010	Human Target	Katherine Walters	Episode: "Christopher Chance"<ref name=":4" />
	Template:Sortname	Trish Arkin	Episode: "Running"
	Happy Town	Rachel Conroy	Main role; 8 episodes<ref name=":3" />
	No Ordinary Family	Amanda Grayson	Episodes: "No Ordinary Mobster", "No Ordinary Accident"
2011	Dear Santa	Crystal Carruthers	Television film (Lifetime)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2011, 2013	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Sandy Colfax	Episodes: "Man Up", "Backfire"
2012	Grimm	Lena Marcenko	Episode: "Tarantella"<ref name=":7" />
	Once Upon a Time	Astrid / Nova	Episode: "Dreamy"<ref name=":6" />
	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);<ref name=PoI1>Template:Cite news</ref> 65 episodes
2013	Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated	Nova (voice)	4 episodes<ref name="btva" />
2014	Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.	Audrey Nathan	Episode: "The Only Light in the Darkness"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2015	A Novel Romance	Sophie	Television film (Hallmark)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Template:Nowrap	Suits	Esther Litt-Edelstein	5 episodes (seasons 5, 8–9)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016–2017	MacGyver	Sarah Adler	Episodes: "Metal Saw", "Screwdriver"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2016	A Nutcracker Christmas	Lily	Television film (Hallmark)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2017–2019	The Gifted	Caitlin Strucker	Main role<ref name="Gifted" />
2019	What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage	Dr. Rachel Layne	Episode: "Family"
	Grey's Anatomy	Kathleen Shepherd	Episode: "Good Shepherd"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2020	God Friended Me	Tammy	Episode: "Almost Famous"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2021	All Rise	Georgia Knight	Episodes: "Georgia", "Leap of Faith"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
	Crashing Through the Snow	Maggie	Television film (Hallmark)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2022	9-1-1: Lone Star	Catherine	6 episodes (season 3)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2023	The Watchful Eye	Tory	Main role<ref name="Pilotorder">Template:Cite web</ref>
2025	Chicago Med	Heather Williams	Episode: "The Book of Archer"<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Web

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2008	Who Cut the Cake?	Ellen	3 episodes
2013	Husbands	Claudia	"I Do Over" installment<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2015–2017	Con Man	Dawn Jones	8 episodes<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Work	Result	Refs
2001	Saturn Awards	Cinescape Genre Face of the Future Award - Female	Angel	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2002	Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Angel	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
2003	Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Angel	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004	Satellite Awards	Best Supporting Actress - Drama Series	Angel	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2004	Saturn Awards	Best Supporting Actress on Television	Angel	Template:Nom	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
2014	Indie Series Awards	Best Guest Star – Comedy	Husbands	Template:Won	<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

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