Early years

Panabaker was born in Orange, Texas, to Donna (née Mayock) and Harold Panabaker. Following in Danielle's footsteps, she started acting at various community theatres in Chicago, Illinois; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Atlanta, Georgia. In Naperville, Illinois, Kay attended Crone Middle School for sixth grade, and moved to Los Angeles, California, at the start of seventh grade.

Between projects, Kay focuses on her academics. She graduated from high school as valedictorian when she was 13 years old. Kay received two academic scholarships from Glendale Community College, where she studied acting and was on the Dean's list. She graduated with an associate degree with honors when she was 15. She was accepted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), History Program as a junior and completed her bachelor of arts in history before she turned 18.

Career

Panabaker has guest-starred in several television dramas and soap operas. She portrayed Alice Brand in 7th Heaven, Melissa Rue in ER, Sara in Port Charles, Carrie Bauer in The Brothers García, Ellisha in Medium, and Lindsey Willows in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, to name a few. In film, she appeared in Dead Heat as Sam LaRoche; and did some voice work in the Disney/Pixar film, Monsters, Inc.. Panabaker's breakout role came when she starred in The WB's Summerland as Nikki Westerly, in the 2004-05 season. She also appeared as George in the 2007 Nancy Drew: The Mystery in Hollywood Hills alongside Emma Roberts and Amy Bruckner.

Panabaker had a recurring role in Phil of the Future as straight-laced Debbie Berwick, a friend of, and foil to, Pim Diffy (played by Amy Bruckner). She starred in Life Is Ruff as Emily Watson alongside Kyle Massey and Mitchel Musso. In July 2006, she starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie Read It and Weep (based on the book How My Private Personal Journal Became a Bestseller), in which her sister Danielle Panabaker also stars. In 2006, Panabaker was in the first Disney Channel Games, on the Red Team with Zac Efron, Anneliese van der Pol, Moises Arias, Dylan Sprouse, and Shin Koyamada as part of the Disney Channel's So Hot Summer!. Movies include Moondance Alexander and The Prince and the Pauper with Dylan and Cole Sprouse. Panabaker starred in the remake of Fame as Jenny, an actress; the film was released in theaters on September 25, 2009. She also played the teenaged Kitty Walker on Brothers and Sisters.

Panabaker starred in the ABC sci-fi drama series No Ordinary Family (2010-11); the series ran 20 episodes.

In 2011, in what would be her final acting role to date, Kay played Samantha Caldone in the ABC Family movie Cyberbully. In August 2014, Kay left acting to pursue a full-time career as a zoologist.

Filmography

Film

Film roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2001	Monsters, Inc.	Additional voices
2002	Dead Heat	Samantha "Sam"
2007	Moondance Alexander	Moondance Alexander
2007	Nancy Drew	George Fayne
2007	Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper, AA Modern Twain Story: The Prince and the Pauper	Elizabeth
2009	Fame	Jenny Garrison
2010	Lake Effect, TheThe Lake Effect	Celia
2011	Cyberbully	Samantha Caldone
2012	Little Birds	Allison
2012	Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva la Fiesta!	Rosa	Voice role

Television

Television roles

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2002	Port Charles	Sara	1 episode
2002	ER	Melissa Rue	Episode: "The Letter"
2002	7th Heaven	Alice Brand	Episode: "Regarding Eric"
2002-03	Angel	The Girl	Episodes: "Forgiving", "Habeas Corpses"
2003	Division, TheThe Division	Susie Jenkins	Episode: "Cold Comfort"
2003	Brothers García, TheThe Brothers García	Carrie Bauer	Episode: "Moving On Up"
2004-05	Summerland	Nicole "Nikki" Westerly	Main role (26 episodes)
2004-05	Phil of the Future	Deborah "Debbie" Berwick	13 episodes
2005	Mom at Sixteen	Young Macy (uncredited)	Movie
2005	Medium	Elisha	Episode: "Penny for Your Thoughts"
2005	Life Is Ruff	Emily Watson	Disney Channel original movie
2006	Read It and Weep	Jamie Bartlett	Disney Channel original movie
2006	American Dragon: Jake Long	Cheerleader Lacey (voice)	Episode: "Bring It On"
2006-11	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Lindsey Willows	6 episodes
2007	Winner, TheThe Winner	Vivica	Episode: "Single Dates"
2007	Two and a Half Men	Sophie	Episode: "Tucked, Taped and Gorgeous"
2007	The Suite Life of Zack & Cody	Amber	Episode: "First Day of High School"
2007	Custody	Amanda Gordon	Movie
2007	Weeds	Amelia	Episode: "He Taught Me How to Drive By"
2007	Boston Legal	Abby Holt	Episode: "The Chicken and the Leg"
2007	Ghost Whisperer	Marlo Sinclair	Episode: "Bad Blood"
2008	Grey's Anatomy	Emma Anderson	Episode: "All by Myself"
2009	Happy Campers	Dylan	Movie
2009	Marriage, AA Marriage	Maddy Gabriel	Movie
2009	Lie to Me	Emily Lightman (scenes deleted)	Episode: Pilot
2009	Mental	Aysnley Skoff	Episode: "Manic at the Disco"
2010	Brothers & Sisters	Young Kitty Walker	Two-part episode: "Time After Time"
2010	Secrets in the Walls	Lizzie	Movie
2010-11	No Ordinary Family	Daphne Nicole Powell	Main role (20 episodes)
2011	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Vicki Harris	Episode: "Spiraling Down"

Music video

Year	Artist	Song	Notes
2006	Jordan Pruitt	"Outside Looking In"	From No Ordinary Girl and Read It and Weep

Awards and honors

Panabaker holds a Seat on the National Board of the Coalition for Quality Children's Media.

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result	Ref.
2003	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress	ER	Nominated
2004		Best Performance in a Commercial	Youth Anti-Smoking PSA	Nominated
2005		Best Performance in a Television Series - Recurring Young Actress	Phil of the Future	Nominated
		Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) - Leading Young Actress	Summerland	Won
2007	Temecula Valley International Film Festival	Rising Star Award		Won
2008	Young Artist Awards	Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress	Moondance Alexander	Nominated
		Best Performance in a Feature Film - Young Ensemble Cast	Nancy Drew	Nominated

[ Source: Wikipedia ]