Early life

Hardin was born in Houston, Texas, the daughter of acting manager/coach and retired actress Diane (née Hill) and actor Jerry Hardin. She is the sister of Flock CEO Shawn Hardin. She was raised in San Francisco, California, after her family moved there when she was 4 years old. She went to middle school in the San Fernando Valley at Patrick Henry Junior High. She graduated from Sarah Lawrence College.

Career

1977-1999

Hardin started her acting career as the young star of the television series Thunder (1977-1978), and has appeared in over 70 movies and television programs since, including two 1981 Little House on the Prairie episodes (as Belinda Stevens in "The Reincarnation of Nellie", Parts 1 and 2) as well as playing Michele Pierson in the 1983 television movie Little House: Look Back to Yesterday. She starred as Baby in the short-lived 1988 television series Dirty Dancing (based on the 1987 film of the same name) and two 1992 episodes of Quantum Leap (as Abigail in "Trilogy," Parts 2 and 3). She co-starred in the 1990 dance movie Lambada as Sandy. She appeared in Absolute Power (1997) as Christy Sullivan and played Ross's dirty talking love interest in the season 1 Friends episode "The One with the Stoned Guy". She was also originally cast in Back to the Future as Jennifer Parker, but was re-cast after Eric Stoltz (the original Marty McFly) was let go. Upon Michael J. Fox being cast, Hardin was deemed too tall to star alongside him. She was later replaced by Claudia Wells.

2000-present

Hardin starred in the 2000-2001 series Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family, and 2004-2009 she played the recurring role of Trudy Monk, the title character's deceased wife, on the USA Network series Monk. She appeared on the series NCIS as former Petty Officer Erin Toner in the episode "The Curse". In 2005, Hardin portrayed Linda Evans in Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure, a fictionalized television movie based on the creation and behind the scenes production of the 1980s prime time soap opera Dynasty. Hardin played former corporate manager Jan Levinson in The Office from 2005 to 2013.

Hardin later appeared in the 2006 film Thank You for Smoking, and appears in Hannah Montana: The Movie as Robby Ray's (Billy Ray Cyrus') love interest. The film premiered on April 10, 2009. She played the role of Fantine in the Hollywood Bowl's concert of Les Misérables in Summer 2008. Hardin appeared in several episodes of the popular web show, Elevator, on YouTube.

Hardin made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the revival of Chicago: The Musical on December 29, 2008. She stayed with the show until February 12, 2009. Hardin was cast as a major character in Outlaw, playing a powerful senior partner of an elite law firm, and the main love interest to the series' protagonist, played by Jimmy Smits. Hardin played the role of Isabelle Palmer's mother Nancy in An American Girl: Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight (2014).

Singing career

Hardin played a nightclub singer in Disney's The Rocketeer (1991), where she can be heard singing "Begin the Beguine". She also played a major role in the TV movie Tower of Terror, where she sings "Boy of My Dreams".

Hardin sang the National Anthem at the season opening hockey games of the Anaheim Ducks on October 13, 2010, and the Phoenix Coyotes on October 16, 2010. She sang the Star Spangled Banner at the Dover International Speedway for the AAA 400 on October 2, 2011. Hardin sang the song "Tiers of Joy" (composed by Austin Wintory) for the Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded soundtrack.

Personal life

Hardin is married to actor and writer Gildart Jackson and they have two daughters.

Filmography

Film

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1979	North Avenue Irregulars, TheThe North Avenue Irregulars	Carmel
1985	Papa Was a Preacher	Janette
1986	Iron Eagle	Katie
1986	Soul Man	Whitney Dunbar
1989	Big Man on Campus	Cathy
1989	Jeweler's Shop, TheThe Jeweler's Shop	Monica
1990	Lambada	Sandy Thomas
1991	The Rocketeer	South Seas singer
1993	Reckless Kelly	Robin Banks
1994	Pornographer, TheThe Pornographer	Sasha Leon Hoffner
1995	Chameleon	Jill Hallman
1996	Undercover Kid, TheThe Undercover Kid	Clyde
1997	Absolute Power	Christy Sullivan
1997	Tower of Terror	Carolyn Crosson
1998	Erasable You	Calamity
1999	Seven Girlfriends	Laura
2000	Certain Guys	Mary Beth
2002	Hot Chick, TheThe Hot Chick	Carol
2004	El padrino	Jane
2007	Drive Thru	Marcia Carpenter
2007	Dukes, TheThe Dukes	Diane
2007	Boxboarders!	Ruth Keene
2007	The Comebacks	Barb Fields
2007	Violin, TheThe Violin	Gertrude Bloch	Short film
2008	27 Dresses	Maureen
2009	17 Again	Principal Jane Masterson
2009	Hannah Montana: The Movie	Lorelai
2009	You	Miranda	Also director and producer
2010	Knucklehead	Mary
2011	I Melt with You	Jane
2012	Zombie Hamlet	Pam
2012	Beauty and the Least: The Misadventures of Ben Banks	Mary Andrews
2012	Taking the Edge Off		Short film
2014	An American Girl: Isabelle Dances Into the Spotlight	Nancy Palmer
2015	Self/less	Judy O'Neill

Television

Year	Film	Role	Notes
1976	Police Story	Sheila	Episodes: "The Jar: Parts 1 & 2"
1977	Thunder	Cindy Prescott	Main role (12 episodes)
1977	Cliffwood Avenue Kids, TheThe Cliffwood Avenue Kids	Melora	TV series
1978	Love Boat, TheThe Love Boat	Courtney Chenault	1 episode
1979	Quincy, M.E.	Amanda	Episode: "Never a Child"
1980	Diff'rent Strokes	Emily Morehouse	Episode: "Skin Deep or True Blue"
1980	ABC Afterschool Special	Amy Warner	Episode: "What Are Friends For?"
1980	Haywire	Brooke Hayward, age 11	TV film
1980-1981	Secrets of Midland Heights	Micki Carroll	Regular role (10 episodes)
1981	Little House on the Prairie	Belinda Stevens	Episodes: "The Reincarnation of Nellie: Parts 1 & 2"
1982	Quincy, M.E.	Abigail "Abby" Garvin	Episode: "Next Stop, Nowhere"
1983	Family Tree, TheThe Family Tree	Tess Benjamin	TV series
1983	Magnum, P.I.	Nancy Perkins Gillis	Episode: "Luther Gillis: File #521"
1984	Mama Malone	Kathleen	Episode: "The Education of Frankie"
1985	Best Times, TheThe Best Times	Joy Villafranco	Regular role (6 episodes)
1986	Hotel	Beth	Episode: "Heroes"
1988-1989	Dirty Dancing	Frances "Baby" Kellerman	Main role (11 episodes)
1989	Tour of Duty	Christine Pierson	Episodes: "Sins of the Father", "Sealed with a Kiss"
1990	Shangri-La Plaza	Amy	TV film
1991	Equal Justice	Doris Walsh	Episode: "Who Speaks for the Children?"
1992	Miles from Nowhere	Teresa	TV film
1992	Mann & Machine	Louise Trotsky	Episode: "Torch Song"
1992	Quantum Leap	Abigail Fuller	Episodes: "For Your Love", "The Last Door"
1993	Moon Over Miami	Emily Booker	Episode: "My Old Flame"
1994	Murder, She Wrote	Cindy Warrick	Episode: "Roadkill"
1994	Golden Gate	Susan Carlino	TV film
1994	Renegade	Laura McMillan	Episode: "Carrick O'Quinn"
1994	Matlock	Lisa Swift	Episode: "The Scandal"
1994	Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman	Molly Flynn	Episode: "Operation Blackout"
1995	Friends	Celia	Episode: "The One with the Stoned Guy"
1995	Touched by an Angel	Lizbeth	Episode: "The Big Bang"
1995	Diagnosis: Murder	Savannah Bellows	Episode: "The New Healers"
1996	Renegade	Kelly Anderson	Episode: "Paradise Lost"
1996	Caroline in the City	Beth	Episode: "Caroline and the Bridesmaids"
1997	Things That Go Bump	Chloe Garrett	TV film
1997	Orleans	Gina Vitelli	Episodes: "Luther's Temptation", "When the Saints Go Marching In"
1997	Tower of Terror	Claire Poulet	TV film
1997	Tom Show, TheThe Tom Show	Lorraine	Episode: "Tom's First Date"
1998	Tom Show, TheThe Tom Show	Lorraine	Episode: "The Centerfold"
1998	Timecop	Edith Thomas	Episode: "Lost Voyage"
1998	Pretender, TheThe Pretender	Wendy Dawson	Episode: "Homefront"
1999	Payne	Danielle Harris	Episode: "Gossip Checks In and a Cat Checks Out"
1999	Diagnosis: Murder	Melanie Cooper	Episode: "Trash TV: Part 1"
2000-2001	Cover Me	Barbara Arno	Main role (24 episodes)
2001	Once and Again	Samantha Aldrich	Episode: "Moving On"
2002	Family Guy	Patsy Ramsey (voice)	Episode: "Brian Wallows and Peter's Swallows"
2002	Judging Amy	Rosalie Leavitt	Episode: "Roses and Truth"
2003	Division, TheThe Division	Cheryl Lynn Brinkmeyer	Episode: "Rush to Judgment"
2003	NCIS	Former Petty Officer Erin Toner	Episode: "The Curse"
2004	Hollywood Mom's Mystery, TheThe Hollywood Mom's Mystery	Summer Rossner	TV film
2004	Boston Legal	Sharon Brant	Episode: "Head Cases"
2004-2009	Monk	Trudy Monk	Recurring role (10 episodes)
2005	Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure	Linda Evans	TV film
2005-2013	Office, TheThe Office	Jan Levinson	Regular role; 46 episodes (10 voice only)
2006	Without a Trace	Pamela Seaver	Episode: "Rage"
2006	Gilmore Girls	Carolyn Bates	Episode: "Partings"
2006	Office: The Accountants, TheThe Office: The Accountants	Jan Levinson-Gould	Episode: "The Books Don't Balance"
2008	Mom, Dad and Her	Emma	TV film
2008	Yo Gabba Gabba!	Herself	Episode: "Birthday"
2010	Outlaw	Claire Sax	Recurring role (4 episodes)
2011	CSI: Miami	Wendy Colton	Episode: "G.O."
2012-2013	Wedding Band	Roxie Rutherford	Main role (10 episodes)
2013	Scandal	Shelley Meyers	Episode: "Say Hello to My Little Friend"
2014	Killer Women	Nan Reed	Episode: "Some Men Need Killing"
2014	Do It Yourself	Kaye	TV film, post-production
2014-2015	Transparent	Tammy	Recurring role (13 episodes)
2015	Falling Skies	Captain Katie Marshall	Episodes: "Everybody Has Their Reasons", "Stalag 14th Virginia"

[ Source: Wikipedia ]