Age: 53
Birthplace: Sacramento, California, U.S.
Merrin Dungey (born August 6, 1971) is an American film and television actress, known for her roles on the television series The King of Queens, Alias and Summerland. She also appeared as Ursula on the ABC series Once Upon a Time.
Dungey was born and raised in Sacramento, California, the younger daughter of Don Dungey, a general services manager. As a child, she was active in ballet and dance as well as piano. Dungey was also an accomplished ice skater. Dungey graduated in 1989 from Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California. She earned a degree of Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1993. Dungey has one sister, Channing Dungey, who was named president of ABC Entertainment in February 2016.
Dungey had small roles in Hollywood films such as EDtv and Deep Impact and on television series such as Martin, before landing the recurring role of Kelly Palmer on the CBS television series The King of Queens, in which she starred from 1999 to 2007. She appeared in every season in the series except for the 2002-03 season. Dungey is also well known for her role as Francie Calfo on the drama series Alias, in which she starred from 2001 to 2003, as well an appearance in the 2006 series finale episode All the Time in the World. She also had a recurring role on the FOX sitcom Malcolm in the Middle as Stevie's mother, Kitty Kernaban. At one point in 2001, Dungey was appearing in all three shows (The King of Queens, Malcolm in the Middle, and Alias) at the same time. Dungey then portrayed Susannah in the WB drama series Summerland from 2004 to 2005.
She has also guest-starred on various TV series including Living Single, ER, Murphy Brown, Seinfeld, Friends, The West Wing, Babylon 5, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Dungey appeared in two episodes of Grey's Anatomy that served as a backdoor pilot for Private Practice, but was replaced by actress Audra McDonald for the actual series.
Most recently, Dungey guest-starred on the ABC sitcoms Surviving Suburbia starring Bob Saget, Better Off Ted starring Portia de Rossi, Castle starring Nathan Fillion and HBO's Hung starring Thomas Jane. She portrayed Ellie on the Nick at Nite television series Hollywood Heights in 2012 and the recurring role of Alissa Barnes on ABC's Betrayal in 2013. In 2014 she appeared in a featured role opposite Pierce Brosnan in Some Kind of Beautiful. Also in 2014 she began portraying the recurring role of Ursula on ABC's Once Upon a Time.
Dungey will costar in the 2016 ABC legal drama Conviction as Maxine Barton.
Dungey married Matthew Drake in a Mariachi style wedding ceremony in Cancun, Mexico, in May 2007. She gave birth to their first daughter in June 2008, and a second daughter in 2011.
Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
1998 | Deep Impact | Sheila Bradley | |
1999 | EDtv | Ms. Seaver | |
2001 | Sky Is Falling, TheThe Sky Is Falling | Sheila | |
2001 | Odessa or Bust (short film) | Disgruntled Diner | |
2002 | Scream at the Sound of the Beep | Jill | |
2011 | L!fe Happens | Hester | |
2014 | Some Kind of Beautiful | Angela | |
2015 | The Diabolical | Mrs. Wallace |
Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
1995 | Martin | Monique | Episode: "Girlfriend" | |
1996 | Babylon 5 | Security Guard #2 | Episode: "Messages from Earth" | |
1996 | Living Single | Laura | Episode: "Woman to Woman" | |
1996 | Party Girl | Wanda | 4 episodes | |
1997 | Caroline in the City | Female Prostitute | Episode: "Caroline and the Buyer" | |
1997 | ER | Daphina | Episode: "When the Bough Breaks" | |
1997 | Murphy Brown | Woman | Episode: "From the Terrace" | |
1998 | Seinfeld | Cashier | Episode: "The Bookstore" | |
1999 | Tracey Takes On... | Nancy | Episode: "Drugs" | |
1999 | Saved by the Bell: The New Class | Coach Williams | Episode: "Prescription for Trouble" | |
1999 | West Wing, TheThe West Wing | Daisy | Episode: "Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc" | |
1999 | G vs E | Rebecca Clemens | Episode: "Cliffhanger" | |
1999-2007 | King of Queens, TheThe King of Queens | Kelly Palmer | Recurring role (39 episodes) | |
2000 | Jesse | Rosemary | Episode: "Kurt Slips, Niagara Falls" | |
2000 | City of Angels | Mrs. Lombard | Episode: "Deliver the Male" | |
2000 | Friends | Hildy, museum official | Episode: "The One Where Paul's the Man" | |
2000-01 | Grosse Pointe | Joan | 4 episodes | |
2000-01 | Malcolm in the Middle | Kitty Kenarban | 6 episodes | |
2001 | Curb Your Enthusiasm | Amy | Episode: "The Doll" | |
2001-03, 06 | Alias | Francie Calfo/Allison Doren | Series regular, then recurring (47 episodes) | |
2004-05 | Summerland | Susannah Rexford | Series regular | |
2006 | Beyond | Debbie Sprague | TV movie | |
2007 | Boston Legal | Sandy Zionts | Episode: "Angel of Death" | |
2007 | Grey's Anatomy | Dr. Naomi Bennett | 2 episodes: "The Other Side of This Life (Part 1/Part 2)" (Backdoor pilot for Private Practice) |
|
2009 | Masterwork | Rachel West | TV movie | |
2009 | Surviving Suburbia | Mrs. Devore | Episode: "Nothing for Money" | |
2009-10 | Better Off Ted | Sheila | 4 episodes | |
2010 | Castle | Monica Finch | Episode: "Den of Thieves" | |
2010 | Closer, TheThe Closer | Ms. Reed | Episode: "Heart Attack" | |
2010 | Hung | Liz | 2 episodes | |
2010 | Outlaw | Alison Mills | Episode: "In Re: Curtis Farwell" | |
2012 | Revenge | Barbara Snow | 3 episodes | |
2012 | Hollywood Heights | Ellie Moss | Contract role | |
2013 | 90210 | Therapist | Episode: "Brother From Another Mother" | |
2013 | How to Live with Your Parents | Morgan | 2 episodes | |
2013 | Betrayal | Alissa Barnes | 5 episodes | |
2014-15 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Sharon Jeffords | Recurring role | |
2014 | Episodes | Tonight Show Producer | Episode: "Episode Four" | |
2014 | Trophy Wife | Agent Dawn Johansen | Episode: "The Wedding, Part 1" | |
2014 | Shameless | Nurse | Episode: "Lazarus" | |
2014 | Rizzoli & Isles | Nurse | Episode: "It Takes a Village" | |
2014 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Twyla Owens | Episode: "Road to Recovery" | |
2014-15 | Chasing Life | Dr. Susan Hamburg | 11 episodes | |
2014-15 | Once Upon a Time | Ursula | 6 episodes | |
2015 | Backstrom | Eleanor Deering | Episode: "Enemy of My Enemies" | |
2015 | 48 Hours 'til Monday | TV movie | ||
2016-present | Conviction | Maxine Barton | Series regular |