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Betsy Brandt

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American actress Not to be confused with Betsy Brantley.

Betsy Brandt
Brandt at the Rose City Comic Con in 2024
Born (1973-03-14) March 14, 1973 (age 51)
Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1998–present
Spouse Grady Olsen ​(m. 1996)​
Children2

Betsy Brandt (born March 14, 1973) is an American actress. She is known for playing Marie Schrader on the AMC crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013) and Heather Hughes on the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces (2015–2019).

Early life

Brandt was born in Bay City, Michigan. She is of German descent. She graduated from Bay City Western High School in Auburn, Michigan, in 1991. 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. 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. 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

Brandt at San Diego Comic-Con in 2012

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. She described her character as "an unpleasant bitch", but also stated that there was more to her than that. "I think we're seeing more of it now that she would be there for her family. But it's all about her." 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. Her performance was met with positive reviews. 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.

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. To date, the pilot remains unaired.

Personal life

Brandt is married to fellow UIUC graduate Grady Olsen; they have two children. 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

Year Title Role Notes
1998 Confidence Natasha Short film
2001 Memphis Bound...and Gagged The Director
The Red Boot Diaries Rachel Short film
2004 Subhuman Nikki Reynolds Also known as Shelf Life
2005 All Features Great and Small Jennifer Short film
2011 Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Madame Zaleski
2012 Magic Mike Banker
2013 The Professor The Professor Short film
2016 Between Us Gigi
Claire in Motion Claire
2018 Anywhere with You Jeanine
2019 Straight Up Topanga
2020 Run Sweetheart Run Judy
2022 The Valet Kathryn Royce

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2001 Judging Amy Elizabeth Granson Episode: "Imbroglio"
2002 JAG Leslie Rosenbaum Episode: "The Promised Land"
2003 ER Franny Myers Episode: "Death and Taxes"
Without a Trace Libby Coulter 2 episodes
The Guardian Sofia Trokey Episode: "The Intersection"
2004 NCIS PO Barbara Swain Episode: "The Good Wives Club"
The Practice Lynda Hobbs Episode: "Adjourned (AKA Cheers)"
Back When We Were Grownups Nono Television film
2005 Medical Investigation Karen Banks Episode: "Ice Station"
2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dawn Hanson Episode: "Burn Out"
Close to Home Karen Randall Episode: "Reasonable Doubts"
2007 Boston Legal Gwen Richards Episode: "Hope and Gory"
Side Order of Life Sara Rose Episode: "Aliens"
2008–2013 Breaking Bad Marie Schrader Main role
2010 The Whole Truth Sister Theresa Bendicta Episode: "Thicker Than Water"
Miami Medical Dana Episode: "Medicine Man"
2011 No Ordinary Family Dr. Lena Hopkins Episode: "No Ordinary Double Standard"
2011–2012 Private Practice Joanna Gibbs 2 episodes
2012–2015 Parenthood Sandy Recurring role; 7 episodes
2012 Fairly Legal Natalie Roberts Episode: "Shattered"
2013 Body of Proof Susan Hart Episode: "Eye for an Eye"
2013–2014 The Michael J. Fox Show Annie Henry Main role
2014 Masters of Sex Barbara Recurring role; 7 episodes
Members Only Leslie Holmes Pilot
Mothers of the Bride Haley Snow Television film
2015–2019 Life in Pieces Heather Hughes Main role
2016 American Dad! Nurse Jocelyn Voice role; episode: "Stan-Dan Deliver"
2017 FANatic Tess Daniels Television film
Flint LeeAnne Walters Television film
2019 Pearson Stephanie Novak Recurring role; 6 episodes
2019–2021 The Unicorn Caroline Recurring role; 5 episodes
2020 Soulmates Caitlen Recurring role
A Million Little Things Colleen Episode: "'Til Death Do Us Part"
Jefferies Cleo Unaired pilot
2021–2022 Love, Victor Dawn Westen Recurring role
2022 Better Call Saul Marie Schrader Episode: "Saul Gone"
2023 Accused Kara Episode: "Jessie's Story"
Saint X Mia Thomas Main role

Awards and nominations

Awards and nominations received by Betsy Brandt
Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Critics' Choice Television Awards 2021 Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Soulmates Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad Nominated
2013 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad Nominated
2014 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad Won

Notes

  1. Indicates the year of ceremony. Each year is linked to the article about the awards held that year, wherever possible.

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. ^ 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. ^ "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. "Q&A;: Betsy Brandt (Marie Schrader) - Breaking Bad - AMC". December 27, 2011. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved September 18, 2024.
  9. "The Michael J. Fox Show Season 1 Review". Metacritic. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  10. Etkin, Jaimie; Jarett Wieselman (May 9, 2014). "Shonda Rhimes Takes Over ABC's Thursday Nights". BuzzFeed. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  11. "Betsy Brandt to co-star in The Club on ABC" (March 2014); accessed April 21, 2014.
  12. Lesley Goldberg (November 23, 2014). "ABC's 'Members Only' Not Moving Forward (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
  13. Andreeva, Nellie (February 24, 2020). "Betsy Brandt To Star In NBC Comedy Pilot 'Jefferies'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  14. "Betsy Brandt of Breaking Bad". Illinois Alumni Magazine. University of Illinois Alumni Association. June 14, 2013.
  15. Campione, Katie (October 27, 2022). "'Saint X': Michael Park, Betsy Brandt Join Hulu's Psychological Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 21, 2023.
  16. Ramos, Dino-Ray (March 8, 2021). "Critics Choice Awards: 'Nomadland', 'The Crown' Among Top Honorees – Complete Winners List". Deadline. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  17. Staff, T. H. R. (January 29, 2012). "SAG Awards 2012: The Winners List". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  18. Finke, Nikki (January 28, 2013). "Screen Actors Guild 2013 Awards: 'Argo' Cast, Daniel Day-Lewis In 'Lincoln', Jennifer Lawrence In 'Silver Linings Playbook', Anne Hathaway in 'Les Miserables', Tommy Lee Jones In 'Lincoln', 'Downton Abbey' Cast, Bryan Cranston In 'Breaking Bad', Claire Danes In 'Homeland', Julianne Moore In 'Game Change', Kevin Costner in 'Hatfields & McCoy', 'Modern Family' Cast, Tina Fey & Alec Baldwin In '30 Rock'". Deadline. Retrieved September 17, 2024.
  19. Ausiello, Michael (January 19, 2014). "2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Breaking Bad, Modern Family Score Multiple Wins". TVLine. Retrieved September 17, 2024.

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