Rebecca Wisocky

Summary

Rebecca Wisocky (born November 12, 1971[1]) is an American actress.[2] Best known for her role as Evelyn Powell in the Lifetime comedy-drama series Devious Maids (2013–16), as of 2021 she is starring as Hetty Woodstone on the CBS sitcom Ghosts.

Rebecca Wisocky
Wisocky in 2013
Born (1971-11-12) November 12, 1971 (age 52)
EducationNew York University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active1995–present
Spouse
(m. 2015)

Early life edit

Wisocky was born in York, Pennsylvania.[3] She began her acting career in York at York Little Theatre, a community theater, where she said she spent most of her childhood.[3] She also attended the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts.[4] Wisocky later moved to New York City, and graduated from the New York University Experimental Theatre Wing.[5]

Career edit

Wisocky began work in the theatre, appearing on Broadway in 1995 in The Play's the Thing. Wisocky later performed in many stage productions, primarily playing strong women, like Lady Macbeth and Medea.[3] In 2008, she won the Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for her role as Nazi-era German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl in Jordan Harrison's Amazons and Their Men.[5][6][7] She also acted in several other Off-Broadway plays, including Don Juan Comes Back from the War, The Tooth of Crime, and Hot 'N Throbbing.[8]

Wisocky had supporting roles in number of films, including Pollock (2000), Funny Money (2006), and Atlas Shrugged: Part I (2011). She made her television debut in 2000, on an episode of HBO comedy Sex and the City. In later years, she also guest starred on Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Sopranos, NCIS, Bones, Emma Smith in Big Love, and as Queen Mab on True Blood.[9][10] Wisocky had a recurring roles in the CW series 90210 from 2010 to 2011, CBS's The Mentalist (2010-2013) as Brenda Shettrick, and in the first season of FX series American Horror Story as Lorraine Harvey.[11]

In early 2012, Marc Cherry cast Wisocky in his comedy-drama television pilot Devious Maids as Evelyn Powell, the main antagonist of the show.[11][12] Previously, she played Bree's Mother on Desperate Housewives (episode "Women and Death"). The series was originally in development to air on ABC, but not picked. In June 2012, Lifetime picked up the pilot with a thirteen-episode order to air in early 2013.[13] Wisocky received positive reviews from critics for her performance in the series.[14][15] In 2014, Wisocky had guest-starring roles in the ABC dramas Castle and Once Upon a Time.[16][17] In 2015, she appeared opposite Sally Field in the comedy-drama film, Hello, My Name Is Doris, directed by Michael Showalter.[18] The following years, Wisocky appeared on The X-Files, The Sinner, Modern Family, 9-1-1, For All Mankind, and Star Trek: Picard. In 2021, she began starring as Hetty Woodstone, the deceased lady of the manor, on the CBS comedy series, Ghosts.[19]

Personal life edit

On January 5, 2015, Wisocky became engaged to Lap Chi Chu, a theatrical lighting designer, on the Pont de la Tournelle in Paris.[20] They married in Boston on October 10, 2015.[21]

Filmography edit

Film edit

Year Title Role Notes
1996 The Fountain of Death Ashley
2000 It Had to Be You Waitress
Pollock Dorothy Seiberling
2005 Flightless Birds DeAnn Short film
Escape Artists Rachel
2006 Funny Money MM. Virginia
2007 The Picture of Dorian Gray Ursula Wooten
2008 Henry May Long Mary Sterling
2009 My Two Fans Patricia
2011 Atlas Shrugged: Part I Lillian Rearden
2014 Swallow Dr. Nagle Short film
2015 Hello, My Name Is Doris Anne Patterson
2018 Ralph Breaks the Internet eBay Elayne Voice
2022 Blonde Yvet
Amsterdam Mrs. Moran

Television edit

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Sex and the City Stephanie Episode: "Frenemies"
2002, 2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent CSU Tech / Dede McCann 2 episodes: "Crazy" and "Diamond Dogs"
2003 Law & Order Louise Episode: "Star Crossed"
2003, 2006 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Marcy Cochran / Dr. Paula Greenfield 2 episodes: "Serendipity" and "Fault"
2004 Third Watch Wanda Episode: "Obsession"
2006 Untitled Patricia Heaton Project Heike Gaert TV movie
The Sopranos Rene Cabot Moskowitz Episode: "Moe n' Joe"
NCIS Jody Carvell Episode: "Dead and Unburied"
Without a Trace Cara Nelson Episode: "The Thing with Feathers"
2007 Medium Janice - Red Haired Woman Episode: "Apocalypse, Push"
Cold Case Alice B. Harris - 1919 Episode: "Torn"
Ugly Betty Marsha Stein Episode: "Grin and Bear It"
2009 Bones Dr. Maura Bailey Episode: "The Doctor in the Den"
Samantha Who? Lindsey Episode: "The Amazing Racist"
Saving Grace Millie Holm 2 episodes: "Looks Like a Lesbian Attack to Me" and "Am I Gonna Die Today?"
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Shirley Episode: "Appendicitement"
2010 Ghosts/Aliens Deb Hamburger TV movie
Miami Medical Jennifer Seaver Episode: "Like a Hurricane"
Svetlana Dr. Veronica Episode: "Eco-Shlong"
2010–2011 90210 Principal Nowack Recurring role, 4 episodes
2010–2013 The Mentalist Brenda Shettrick Recurring role, 9 episodes
2011 Big Love Emma Smith 2 episodes: "The Oath" and "Where Men and Mountains Meet"
Swallow Dr. Nagle TV movie
True Blood Queen Mab Episode: "She's Not There"
The Young and the Restless Judge Click 3 episodes
American Horror Story: Murder House Lorraine Harvey Recurring role, 3 episodes
Circling the Drain Elise Fama TV movie
2012 In Plain Sight Professor Lynn Gunter Episode: "The Anti-Social Network"
Desperate Housewives Bree's Mother Episode: "Women and Death"
Longmire Rachel Clausen Episode: "The Dark Road"
Criminal Minds Sheriff Olivia Corwin Episode: "The Good Earth"
2013 1600 Penn Bianca Episode: "Meet the Parent"
Major Crimes Madeline Morgan Episode: "All In"
2013–2016 Devious Maids Evelyn Powell Series regular, 46 episodes
2014 Castle Dr. Elena Sarkov Episode: "Clear & Present Danger"
Once Upon a Time Madam Faustina Episode: "Shattered Sight"
2015 The Exes Victoria 2 episodes: "Holly Franklin Goes to Washington" and "A Bride Too Far"
Grimm Lily Hinkley Episode: "Death Do Us Part"
2016 The X-Files Jackie Goldman Episode: "Founder's Mutation"
2016–2017 Graves Dr. Sandra Schwartz 2 episodes: "A Tincture of Madness" and "Cradle to the Graves"
2017 Rebel Elsa Folster 3 episodes
The Sinner Margaret Lacey 2 episodes: "Part II" and "Part III"
NCIS: Los Angeles Sasha Livingston Episode: "Plain Sight"
Modern Family Mrs. Graham Episode: "No Small Feet"
2018 9-1-1 Marjorie Daniels Episode: "Trapped"
Lethal Weapon Commissioner Debra Episode: "Family Ties"
Heathers Martha Chandler Recurring role, 4 episodes
NCIS: New Orleans Bernadine Caldwell Episode: "Sheepdogs"
2019 S.W.A.T. Ruth Pearson Episode: "Bad Faith"
All Rise Margot Baxter Episode: "Devotees in the Courthouse of Love"
The Purge Deb Parker Episode: "House of Mirrors"
For All Mankind Marge Slayton Recurring role, 4 episodes
2020 Bull AUSA Lambert Episode: "Quid Pro Quo"
The Resident Dr. Judith Brown Episode: "Doll E. Wood"
Star Trek: Picard Ramdha Recurring role, 3 episodes
Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist Nancy Wellington Episode: "Zoey's Extraordinary Confession"
2021 United States of Al Lisa Patterson Episode: "Fundraiser/Baspana Towlawal"
Why Women Kill Harriet Episode: "They Made Me a Killer"
Brooklyn Nine-Nine Captain Lamazar Episode: "The Good Ones"
Dopesick Cynthia McCormick Mini-series, 3 episodes
2021–present Ghosts Hetty Woodstone Series regular
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television (2024)
Nominated — Astra Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in Broadcast Network or Cable Comedy Series (2024)

Video games edit

Theatre edit

  • God's Ear as Lenora (Vineyard Theatre)
  • Amazons and Their Men as Leni Riefenstahl (Clubbed Thumb)
  • Hot'n'Throbbing as VO (Signature)
  • Medea in Jerusalem as Medea (Rattlestick)
  • Tatjana in Color as Wally (Culture Project)
  • Antigone as Creon (Classic Stage Company)
  • The Squirrel as Jessica (SPF)
  • The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant as Petra (Henry Miller Theatre)
  • Sueno as Estrella (MCC)
  • Middle Finger as Myrna (Ma-Yi)
  • A Tale of Two Cities as Madame Defarge (Culture Project)
  • Hot Keys as Calitha (P.S. 122)
  • Tooth of Crime as Becky Lou (Second Stage/Signature)
  • 36 Views as Elizabeth (NYSF/The Public)

References edit

  1. ^ "Devious Maids - Tijdlijnfoto's". Facebook. Retrieved 2013-11-13.
  2. ^ Reviews, New York Times Theater (2001-12-21). The New York Times Theatre Reviews 1999-2000. Taylor & Francis. pp. 183–. ISBN 9780415936972. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Central PA (2013-08-11). "York actress Rebecca Wisocky brings experience as a villain to Lifetime's 'Devious Maids'". PennLive.com. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
  4. ^ "Rebecca Wisocky Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
  5. ^ a b "Rebecca Wisocky as Evelyn Powell". Lifetime. Archived from the original on 2013-06-18. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  6. ^ Andrew Gans (May 18, 2008). "Foote, Hwang, Cromer, Hamilton, Mulgrew and Stew Among 2008 Obie Award Winners". Playbill. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 10, 2013.
  7. ^ BWW News Desk. "2008 Obie Awards Winners Announced". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  8. ^ "Lortel Archives-The Internet Off-Broadway Database". Lortel.org. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
  9. ^ *HS* (December 15, 2010). "Dane DeHaan and Rebecca Wisocky Join Cast of True Blood". TV Fanatic. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  10. ^ "Dane DeHaan, Rebecca Wisocky for 'Blood' - True Blood News - Cult". Digital Spy. 2010-12-16. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  11. ^ a b "Rebecca Wisocky joins 'Devious Maids' pilot". Digital Spy. 23 February 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  12. ^ ""Devious Maids" star Rebecca Wisocky born to play bad | The Highlighter". Wsnhighlighter.com. 2013-06-27. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  13. ^ "Official: Marc Cherry's 'Devious Maids' going to Lifetime". EW.com. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  14. ^ Stanley, Alessandra (June 21, 2013). "The Women Who Really Run the House". The New York Times.
  15. ^ Lori Acken (June 25, 2014). "We talk Devious Maids with the show's own Evelyn Powell, Rebecca Wisocky". ChannelGuideMag. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  16. ^ "'Once Upon a Time' Season 4 — Rebecca Wisocky Cast as Charlatan - TVLine". TVLine. 16 October 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  17. ^ "Once Upon a Time casts Devious Maids star Rebecca Wisocky". Digital Spy. 17 October 2014. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
  18. ^ Daniel Falconer (August 5, 2014). "Rebecca Wisocky exclusive interview - Devious Maids, cookery shows and more". Femalefirst. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
  19. ^ Rinaldi, Peter (November 30, 2021). "Back to One, Episode 180: Rebecca Wisocky | Filmmaker Magazine".
  20. ^ Rebecca Wisocky (4 February 2015). "I'm a very lucky lady". Twitter. Retrieved 22 February 2015.
  21. ^ Emily Strohm (October 10, 2015). "Inside Devious Maids Star Rebecca Wisocky's Wedding at a Turn-of-the-Century Mansion". People.com. Retrieved October 10, 2015.

External links edit