| Olivia d'Abo | |
|---|---|
 D'Abo in July 2010 | |
| Born | Olivia Jane d'Abo (1969-01-22) 22 January 1969 (age 55) London, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1984–present |
| Spouse |
Patrick Leonard
(m. 2002; div. 2012) |
| Children | 1 |
| Father | Mike d'Abo |
| Relatives | Maryam d'Abo (first cousin once removed) |
| Website | www |
Olivia Jane d'Abo (/ˈdɑːboʊ/; born 22 January 1969) is a British actress and singer. She is known for her roles as Karen Arnold, Kevin Arnold's rebellious teenaged hippie sister in the ABC comedy-drama series The Wonder Years (1988–1993), as female serial killer Nicole Wallace in Law & Order: Criminal Intent, as Marie Blake on The Single Guy (1995–1997), and Jane Porter in The Legend of Tarzan (2001–2003). Her film appearances include roles in Conan the Destroyer (1984) and Bank Robber (1993).
Early life and education
D'Abo was born on 22 January 1969 in London, England, the daughter of Maggie London, an English model and actress primarily active in the 1960s, and Mike d'Abo, an English singer and member of 1960s musical group Manfred Mann. She has an older brother, two half-brothers and one half-sister: elder brother Ben, younger half-brother Bruno, and younger sibling twins Ella and Louis (born July 2007) on her father's side. Olivia and Ben both attended high school in the United States at Los Feliz Hills School (formerly the Apple School) in Los Angeles, and d'Abo attended Pacoima Junior High School in Pacoima, Los Angeles.
She is the first cousin once removed of her father's cousin Maryam d'Abo (b. 1960), the actress best known for her performance as Kara Milovy in the 1987 James Bond film The Living Daylights. Olivia and Maryam bought a house together in Los Angeles when Olivia was 19 years old.
Career
Acting career
D'Abo's film debut was the supporting role of Princess Jehnna in Conan the Destroyer, released on 29 June 1984. Two months later, she appeared in the supporting role of Paloma the peasant girl in Bolero (1984).
D'Abo portrayed Karen Arnold in the ABC comedy-drama series The Wonder Years for the show's first four seasons, from 1988 to 1991, with two guest star appearances in the show's final two seasons. In 1992, she guest-starred in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode titled "True Q" as Amanda Rogers.
D’Abo played a lesbian visiting college professor/writer named Perry Marks, who became friends with Julia Salinger, for 3 episodes in season 5 (1999) of Party of Five.
An unreleased pilot for an ABC sitcom she led, Olivia Masters' Life, was released on her official website. The pilot shows young, tenacious American woman Olivia Masters as she tries to find her calling and acclimate herself into the professional world, which is not always professional or a breeze, as she finds out.
D'Abo made five appearances as a recurring villain Nicole Wallace in the NBC police procedural drama series Law & Order: Criminal Intent between 2002 and 2008. She reprised the character in the 2013 episode "The Catacombes" in the French police procedural drama series Jo, a show created by René Balcer, who also created Criminal Intent.
In 2007, D'Abo played Abby Carter, the ex-wife of Sheriff Jack Carter, in the Sci-Fi Channel series Eureka for two episodes. She has had numerous supporting roles in other television series and films including The Spirit of '76 (1990), Greedy (1994), The Big Green (1995), and The Twilight Zone (2002). Onstage, she appeared in the 2005 Broadway theatrical production of The Odd Couple alongside Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane.
In animation, D'Abo provided the voices of Sonya Blade in Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (1996); Melanie Walker/Ten in Batman Beyond (1999–2000); Star Sapphire in Justice League (2001); and Morgaine le Fey in Justice League Unlimited (2004); Tak in Invader Zim (2001–2002); Jane Porter in The Legend of Tarzan; Jedi Master Luminara Unduli in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008), which she reprised the character in the cameo role in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019); Carol Ferris in Green Lantern: First Flight (2009); and Natalia Romanoff in Ultimate Avengers and Ultimate Avengers 2: Rise of the Panther (both 2006).
In February 2013, D'Abo began filming for Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure (working title: Project Fedora), a video game that combined live-action footage with 3D graphics.
Music career
D'Abo is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and pianist. She has composed and performed for various soundtracks. Her single "Broken" is in the film Loving Annabelle. Her debut album, Not TV, was released in July 2008.
D'Abo also performed backing vocals for Julian Lennon's Help Yourself, and a duet with Seal's "Broken". She also co-wrote the song "Love Comes from the Inside" with Italian singer Laura Pausini, which was featured on Pausini's English-language debut album, From the Inside.
D'Abo performed a duet on Bon Jovi's "Livin' on a Prayer" for their 2003 acoustic album This Left Feels Right.
Podcast appearances
In October 2015, d'Abo started a weekly podcast called Every Friday with Dan and Olivia, co-hosting the program with Dan Miles of the Friends of Dan music podcast.
On 8 July 2016, d'Abo appeared on Ken Reid's TV Guidance Counselor podcast.
Personal life
D'Abo’s engagement to singer Julian Lennon ended in 1992. Her son, Oliver William d'Abo, was born in 1995. In 1998, she became engaged to actor Thomas Jane after working with him on several projects including The Velocity of Gary and Jonni Nitro. In 2001, the couple called off the engagement. D'Abo was married to songwriter and music producer Patrick Leonard from 2002 to 2012. She dated professional skateboarder James Quakenbush from 2019 to 2022.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Conan the Destroyer | Princess Jehnna | |
| Bolero | Paloma | ||
| 1986 | Flying | Robin Crew | |
| Mission Kill | Rebel Girl | ||
| Bullies | Becky Cullen | ||
| 1988 | Into the Fire | Liette | |
| 1989 | Beyond the Stars | Mara Simons | |
| Another Chance | |||
| 1990 | The Spirit of '76 | Chanel-6 | |
| 1993 | Point of No Return | Angela | |
| Bank Robber | Selina | ||
| Wayne's World 2 | Betty Jo | ||
| 1994 | The Last Good Time | Charlotte Zwicki | |
| Greedy | Molly Richardson | ||
| Clean Slate | Judy | ||
| Pom Poko | Koharu | Voice, English dub | |
| Asterix Conquers America | Additional Voices | English dub, uncredited | |
| 1995 | The Big Green | Miss Anna Montgomery | |
| Kicking and Screaming | Jane | ||
| Live Nude Girls | Chris | ||
| 1997 | Hacks | Lynn | |
| 1998 | The Velocity of Gary * * (Not His Real Name) | Veronica | |
| 1999 | Soccer Dog: The Movie [es; fr; hy; ru; uk] | Elena | |
| A Texas Funeral | Charlotte | ||
| Seven Girlfriends | Hannah | ||
| 2000 | Jonni Nitro | Jonni Nitro | |
| It Had to Be You | Tracy Meltempi | ||
| 2001 | The Enemy | Sgt. Penny Johnson | |
| Tarzan & Jane | Jane Porter | Voice, direct-to-video | |
| 2003 | The Animatrix | Rox | Voice, segment: "Matriculated" |
| 2006 | Ultimate Avengers | Natalia Romanova / Black Widow | Voice, direct-to-video |
| Ultimate Avengers 2 | |||
| 2007 | Dante's Inferno | Beatrice | Voice |
| A Poor Kid's Guide to Success | Lisa Maerd | ||
| 2008 | The Awakening Fire | Narrator | Short film |
| 2009 | Green Lantern: First Flight | Carol Ferris / Star Sapphire | Voice, direct-to-video |
| 2012 | Justice League: Doom | ||
| 2013 | Impirioso | Luccia Rosso | |
| The Devil's Violinist | Primrose Blackston | ||
| 2014 | Sleeping Beauty | Queen Tambria | |
| 2015 | Stolen from the Suburbs | Milena | |
| Robo-Dog | Miranda Austin | ||
| A Christmas Eve Miracle | Sharron Holden | ||
| 2016 | Blue Weekend | Lisa Crawford | |
| 2019 | Invader Zim: Enter the Florpus | Tak's Ship | Voice |
| Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Luminara Unduli | Voice, cameo | |
| 2020 | Unbelieveable!!!!! | Female Larrisha | Filmed in 2015 |
| Angie: Lost Girls | Hayley | ||
| 2021 | Traveling Light | ||
| 2022 | Bandit | Linda Craig | |
| 2023 | Staycation | Grace Baxter | |
| TBA | The Nana Project | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Not My Kid | Student | Television film; uncredited |
| 1985–86 | Growing Pains | Terry / Wendy | 2 episodes |
| 1987 | One Big Family | Joy Fairbanks | Episode: "Joy to the Hattons" |
| Really Weird Tales | Tippy | Television film; segment: "All's Well that Ends Strange" | |
| 1988 | Simon & Simon | Allison Tyner / Angel | Episode: "Shadows" |
| Crash Course | Maria Abeja | Television film | |
| Tour of Duty | Leslie | Episode: "Soldiers" | |
| The Bronx Zoo | Terri Avila | Episode: "Behind Closed Doors" | |
| 1988–93 | The Wonder Years | Karen Arnold | Main (93 episodes) |
| 1991 | The Legend of Prince Valiant | Vesta / Jasmine / Lady Ilene | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1992 | Midnight's Child | Anna Bergman | Television film |
| Star Trek: The Next Generation | Amanda Rogers | Episode: "True Q" | |
| 1993 | For Love and Glory | Emily Doyle | Television film |
| 1995–97 | The Single Guy | Deliah / Marie Blake | Episode: "Pilot" / Main (season 2, 22 episodes) |
| 1996 | Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm | Sonya Blade | Voice, main role (13 episodes) |
| 1997 | Dad's Week Off | Cherice | Television film |
| 1998 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Anne Sullivan | Voice, episode: "Patience" |
| The Wild Thornberrys | Jao | Voice, episode: "Only Child" | |
| Fantasy Island | Florence Jenkins | Episode: "Secret Self" | |
| 1999 | Party of Five | Perry Marks | 3 episodes |
| 1999–2000 | Batman Beyond | Ten / Melanie Walker | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2000 | 3rd Rock from the Sun | Andrea | Episode: "Dick Solomon's Day Off" |
| 2001 | The Triangle | Charlotte 'Charlie' Duval | Television film |
| Spin City | Allison Wright | 3 episodes | |
| 2001–03 | The Legend of Tarzan | Jane Porter | Voice, main role |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | Shannon | Episode: "The Lineman" |
| 2002–03 | Invader Zim | Tak, Tak's Ship, Bus Driver #2 | Voice, 3 episodes |
| 2002–08 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Elizabeth Hitchens, Nicole Wallace | 5 episodes |
| 2002 | Justice League | Star Sapphire, Morgaine le Fey | Voice, recurring role (6 episodes) |
| 2003 | Alias | Emma Wallace | Episode: "Double Agent" |
| 2004 | Justice League Unlimited | Morgaine le Fey | Voice, episode: "Kid Stuff" |
| 2007 | Eureka | Dr. Abby Carter | 2 episodes |
| 2008–09 | Star Wars: The Clone Wars | Luminara Unduli | Voice, recurring role (7 episodes) |
| 2010 | Batman: The Brave and the Bold | Elasti-Girl | Voice, episode: "The Last Patrol!" |
| 2011 | Generator Rex | Five | Voice, 3 episodes |
| We Have Your Husband | Olivia | Television film | |
| 2012 | Nuclear Family | Doctor Hughes | |
| 2013 | Jo | Madeleine Haynes | Episode: "The Catacombes" |
| Elementary | Nigella Mason | Episode: "The Marchioness" | |
| 2014 | Psych | Dierdre | Episode: "Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels and Burton Guster's Goblet of Fire" |
| Presumed Dead in Paradise | Patricia Ashland | Television film | |
| 2015 | When Duty Calls | Commander Kathryn Chapman | |
| 2016 | Inspired to Kill | Charlie | |
| Code Black | Ruth Goldman | Episode: "What Lies Beneath" | |
| 2017 | Secs & Execs | Leslie Mulligan-Ross | Television film (also Web Series) |
| American Dad | Flight Attendant | Voice, episode: "The Bitchin' Race" | |
| 2018 | The Wrong Son (also known as Her Son's Secret) | Sarah | Television film |
| Millennial Rules | Gail Dunn | ||
| 2019 | The Madam of Purity Falls | Courtney | |
| Jane the Virgin | Clarissa | Episode: "Chapter Ninety-Seven" |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Titanic Explorer | Various | |
| 2005 | Medal of Honor: European Assault | Manon du Champ | |
| Neopets: The Darkest Faerie | Jerdana / Aisha Peasant | ||
| 2009 | Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Republic Heroes | Luminara Unduli | |
| 2011 | Green Lantern: Rise of the Manhunters | Queen Aga'po | |
| 2014 | The Elder Scrolls Online | Additional voices | |
| Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham | Star Sapphire | ||
| 2015 | Infinite Crisis | Catwoman |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | It's a Girl | Linda Bragg | Odyssey Theatre |
| 1993 | Scenes from an Execution | Supporta | Mark Taper Forum |
| 2005–06 | The Odd Couple | Gwendolyn Pigeon | Brooks Atkinson Theatre |
| 2010 | It's Just Sex | Joan | Two Roads Theatre |
| 2010–11 | Cyrano de Bergerac | Roxane | Ruskin Theatre |
| 2011 | Entertaining Mr. Sloane | Kath | The Actor's Company |
References
- a. "England & Wales, Birth Index: 1837–1983 database on-line". Ancestry.com. Archived from the original on 26 May 2007 – via Ancestry.co.uk. Original data: General Register Office. England and Wales Civil Registration Indexes. London, England: General Register Office. Lists Olivia Jane d'Abo on the index of births registered in Jan–Mar. 1969.
b. "Olivia's Bio". Archived from the original on 22 August 2006. - "Olivia d'Abo Biography". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 21 December 2016.
- @OliviadAbo (21 December 2015). "@Martytude yes ! She's my beautiful cousin ;)" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Sanz, Cynthia; Sheff, Vicki (21 May 1990). "D'Abo, Teen Rebel of Wonder Years, Handles Fame and a Romance with Julian Lennon Just Like a Grown-Up". People. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- D'Abo, Olivia (1990s). "Olivia Masters Life". Olivia D'Abo.net. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
- "Not TV album blurb at Inner Knot". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
- Stafford, Charity. "Not TV - Olivia d'Abo - Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
- "Olivia d'Abo | Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- "Every Friday with Dan and Olivia on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- "TV Guidance Counselor Podcast: TV Guidance Counselor Episode 160: Olivia d'Abo". tvguidancecounselor.libsyn.com. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
- ^ Cardiga, Manuela (26 February 2020). "Glimpse into Olivia D'Abo's Life after 'The Wonder Years', Including Her Divorce and Son". news.amomama.com. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
- ^ "Olivia d'Abo (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 30 September 2023. 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.
- Turbine. Infinite Crisis. Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Scene: Credits, Voice Over Talent.
External links
| Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star | |
|---|---|
|
- 1969 births
- 20th-century English actresses
- 20th-century English singers
- 20th-century English women singers
- 21st-century English actresses
- 21st-century English singers
- 21st-century English women singers
- Actresses from London
- Actresses from Los Angeles
- D'Abo family
- English child actresses
- English emigrants to the United States
- English film actresses
- English people of Dutch descent
- English stage actresses
- English television actresses
- English voice actresses
- English women songwriters
- Living people
- Singers from London
- Singers from Los Angeles
- Songwriters from California
- Writers from Los Angeles