Betsy Brandt
Brandt at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1973-03-14) March 14, 1973
Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BFA)
Harvard University (MFA)
Alma materRoyal Conservatoire of Scotland
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present
Spouse
Grady Olsen
​
(m. 1996)​
Children2

Betsy Brandt (born March 14, 1973)[1] is an American actress. She portrayed Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad (2008–2013) and its spinoff show, Better Call Saul (2022) and played Heather Hughes in the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces (2015–2019).

Early life

Brandt was born in Bay City, Michigan.[2] She is of German descent. She graduated from Bay City Western High School in Auburn, Michigan, in 1991.[3] Brandt took an interest in theater from an early age, but unlike many of her peers, she was more interested in directing stage musicals than starring in them. After winning the lead in a high school production of Exit the Body, she shifted her focus to acting.

Brandt received her BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1996.[4][5] She studied for her MFA at Harvard University's Institute for Advanced Theater Training and studied abroad at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow.[6] After graduation, Brandt moved to Seattle, Washington, where she worked in theater while appearing in several short films, beginning with Confidence in 1998. She eventually moved to Los Angeles.

Career

In theater, Brandt has acted in performances of Much Ado About Nothing with the Arizona Theatre Company, with the San Jose Repertory Theatre, Beth Henley's Ridiculous Fraud, Julia Cho's The Language Archive with South Coast Repertory, and Next Fall with Geffen Playhouse. She has had guest roles on the television shows Without a Trace, Judging Amy, ER, Boston Legal, The Practice, and NCIS.

From 2008 to 2013, Brandt portrayed Marie Schrader in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad. She auditioned for three different roles before being offered the part of Marie.[7] In 2012, she was cast as Sandy in Parenthood. Brandt was cast as Annie Henry on The Michael J. Fox Show, which premiered in September 2013.[4] Her performance was met with positive reviews.[8] She reprised her role as Marie Schrader for the Better Call Saul series finale.

In 2014, Brandt was cast as one of the lead characters in the ABC series Members Only created by Susannah Grant, but the series did not go forward.[9][10][11]

From 2015 to 2019, she starred as Heather Short Hughes in the CBS comedy series Life in Pieces. The series was cancelled after four seasons. In 2020, Brandt was announced to be playing the role of Cleo in the pilot episode of the NBC sitcom Jefferies, which was created by Jim Jefferies and Suzanne Martin.[12] To date, the pilot remains unaired.

Personal life

Brandt is married to fellow UIUC graduate Grady Olsen; they have two children.[3][4][13] She gave birth to her second child in 2008 while the second season of Breaking Bad was in production. Brandt and her family reside in Los Angeles.

On June 6, 2010, Brandt was honored as the 2010 Distinguished Alumnus at the Bay City Western High School commencement, and was a featured speaker.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998ConfidenceNatashaShort film
2001Memphis Bound...and Gagged The Director
2001The Red Boot DiariesRachelShort film
2004SubhumanNikki ReynoldsAlso known as Shelf Life
2005All Features Great and SmallJenniferShort film
2011Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of LifeMadame Zaleski
2012Magic MikeBanker
2013The ProfessorThe ProfessorShort film
2016Between UsGigi
2016Claire in MotionClaire
2018Anywhere with YouJeanine
2019Straight UpTopanga
2020Run Sweetheart RunJudy
2022The ValetKathryn Royce

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2001Judging AmyElizabeth GransonEpisode: "Imbroglio"
2002JAGLeslie RosenbaumEpisode: "The Promised Land"
2003ERFranny MyersEpisode: "Death and Taxes"
2003Without a TraceLibby Coulter2 episodes
2003The GuardianSofia TrokeyEpisode: "The Intersection"
2004NCISPO Barbara SwainEpisode: "The Good Wives Club"
2004The PracticeLynda HobbsEpisode: "Adjourned (AKA Cheers)"
2004Back When We Were GrownupsNonoTelevision film
2005Medical InvestigationKaren BanksEpisode: "Ice Station"
2006CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDawn HansonEpisode: "Burn Out"
2006Close to HomeKaren RandallEpisode: "Reasonable Doubts"
2007Boston LegalGwen RichardsEpisode: "Hope and Gory"
2007Side Order of LifeSara RoseEpisode: "Aliens"
2008–2013Breaking BadMarie Schrader51 episodes
2010The Whole TruthSister Theresa BendictaEpisode: "Thicker Than Water"
2010Miami MedicalDanaEpisode: "Medicine Man"
2011No Ordinary FamilyDr. Lena HopkinsEpisode: "No Ordinary Double Standard"
2011–2012Private PracticeJoanna Gibbs2 episodes
2012–2015ParenthoodSandy7 episodes
2012Fairly LegalNatalie RobertsEpisode: "Shattered"
2013Body of ProofSusan HartEpisode: "Eye for an Eye"
2013–2014The Michael J. Fox ShowAnnie Henry22 episodes
2014Masters of SexBarbara7 episodes
2014Members OnlyLeslie HolmesPilot
2014Mothers of the BrideHaley SnowTelevision film
2015–2019Life in PiecesHeather Hughes79 episodes
2016American Dad!Nurse JocelynVoice Role; Episode: "Stan-Dan Deliver"
2017FANaticTess DanielsTelevision film
2017FlintLeeAnne WaltersTelevision film
2019PearsonStephanie Novak6 episodes
2019–2021The UnicornCaroline5 episodes
2020SoulmatesCaitlenRecurring Role
2020A Million Little ThingsColleenEpisode: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
2021–2022Love, VictorDawn WestenRecurring Role
2022Better Call SaulMarie SchraderEpisode: "Saul Gone"
2023Accused KaraEpisode: "Jessie's Story"
2023Saint XMia Thomas[14]Upcoming series; Main cast
TBAJefferiesCleoUnaired television pilot

Awards and nominations

List of awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad Nominated
Nominated
Won
Critics' Choice Television Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Soulmates Nominated

References

  1. ↑ "Happy Birthday!". The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. The Associated Press. March 14, 2015. p. 2A. Actress Betsy Brandt is 42.
  2. ↑ Engel, Justin (August 16, 2022). "Bay City actor reprised 'Breaking Bad' role in 'Better Call Saul' finale. Critics raved". MLive. Retrieved November 17, 2023. ...Bay City-born actor Betsy Brandt...
  3. 1 2 LaLonde, Pati (February 6, 2011). "Bay City's Brandt sinking her teeth into the role of Marie on AMC's 'Breaking Bad'". MLive.com. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 "U of I alum and 'Breaking Bad' star Betsy Brandt". Chicago Sun-Times. July 27, 2013. Archived from the original on August 4, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Actress Betsy Brandt '96 FAA of Breaking Bad talks Hollywood with Illinois Alumni". University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. June 28, 2013. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Betsy Brandt as Marie Schrader". AMC. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved May 7, 2009.
  7. ↑ "Conversations with Ross: Featuring Betsy Brandt". Ross Carey. 2011.
  8. ↑ "The Michael J. Fox Show Season 1 Review". Metacritic. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  9. ↑ Etkin, Jaimie; Jarett Wieselman. "Shonda Rhimes Takes Over ABC's Thursday Nights". BuzzFeed. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  10. ↑ "Betsy Brandt to co-star in The Club on ABC" (March 2014); accessed April 21, 2014.
  11. ↑ Lesley Goldberg. "ABC's 'Members Only' Not Moving Forward (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  12. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2020). "Betsy Brandt To Star In NBC Comedy Pilot 'Jefferies'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  13. ↑ "Betsy Brandt of Breaking Bad". Illinois Alumni Magazine. University of Illinois Alumni Association. June 14, 2013.
  14. ↑ Campione, Katie (October 27, 2022). "'Saint X': Michael Park, Betsy Brandt Join Hulu's Psychological Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
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