Early life

Walker was born in Tullahoma, Tennessee and grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Originally intending to become a scientist, she attended the University of California, Santa Cruz, where she obtained a degree in biochemistry. Subsequently, she worked as a researcher on a genetic engineering project, while preparing for medical school at UCLA. While spending a semester at Richmond College of Arts in London, England, she discovered an interest in performing. Her professional career began when she was cast in the film Aloha Summer (1988). Her scene was cut from final version.

Career

1980s and 1990s

In early 1988, Walker joined the cast of NBC daytime soap opera, Santa Barbara playing Andrea Bedford. After leaving daytime later that year, she began appearing on prime time television. During 1989-90 television season, she played the female lead in the short-lived NBC crime drama series, True Blue. She later guest starred on Matlock, L.A. Law, and Tales from the Crypt. She starred in the 1991 NBC television movie Perry Mason and the Case of the Fatal Fashion as the devious daughter of Diana Muldaur. In 1993, she starred alongside Billy Campbell in the short-lived ABC comedy-drama, Moon Over Miami.

In 1992, Walker played the female leading role opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme in the science fiction action film Universal Soldier directed by Roland Emmerich. Later that year, she played supporting role in Cameron Crowe's romantic comedy Singles. Her first star-billed role was in the 1994 thriller When the Bough Breaks. In 1995, she had supporting roles in Sandra Bullock' box office hit While You Were Sleeping, and Andy García's flop Steal Big Steal Little. The following year, Walker co-starred alongside Shaquille O'Neal in the fantasy comedy film, Kazaam.

In 1996, Walker was cast in the leading role as Doctor Samantha Waters in the NBC crime drama series, Profiler, a role for which she received a Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television nomination in 1998, and a Satellite Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama. In 1996, she was listed as one of People magazine's "40 Most Fascinating People on TV". Walker starred as the lead during the first three seasons, but left the show in the fall of 1999. She was replaced by Jamie Luner as a new profiler during the show's final season. Later in 1999, Walker co-starred opposite Steve Zahn in the comedy film Happy, Texas, and played the lead role in the Lifetime television movie, If You Believe.

2000s

In 2002, after three years on hiatus, Walker returned to star in and produce for ABC the pilot of a comedy called My Wonderful Life. It never got picked up. In 2005, she released a documentary film For Norman... Wherever You Are as director and producer, which screened at several film festivals. She returned to the New York stage, appearing in a number of Off-Broadway productions. From 2005 to 2010, Walker played many guest roles on television, including Sleeper Cell, ER, The Shield, Boston Legal, Law & Order, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Southland, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

In 2007, Walker starred in the HBO drama series about sexual relationships, Tell Me You Love Me; unlike the other regular characters on the show, her character refrained from nudity or sex during the course of the season, but in the season finale Walker appeared in a graphic nude masturbation scene. The series was cancelled after a single season. Later that year, she played the lead role in, and was a scriptwriter for, a thriller. In 2009, she co-starred in films Toe to Toe and Wonderful World opposite Matthew Broderick. From 2008 to 2010, Walker had the recurring role as ATF Agent June Stahl, a major antagonist on the FX crime drama series, Sons of Anarchy.

2010s

In 2011, Walker played the leading role in the Lifetime police drama series, The Protector, which revolves around a single mother who struggles to balance her family and professional life as an LAPD homicide detective. The series was canceled after one season. In 2014, she played Chyler Leigh' lead character's mother in the short-lived NBC police procedural, Taxi Brooklyn. She made her feature scripted film directing and writing debut with Sex, Death and Bowling starring Selma Blair. In 2015, she was cast in the recurring roles in the Netflix crime drama Longmire, and USA Network thriller, Colony.

Personal life

On June 14, 1997, Walker married John Landgraf, then a producer for NBC, at her parents' home in Santa Fe. The couple have three sons; John, Willam and Caleb.

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	Aloha Summer		Scenes deleted
1989	Swimsuit	Romella	Television film
1991	Perry Mason: The Case of the Fatal Fashion	Julia Collier	Television film
1991	Eye of the Storm	Killer Girl
1991	Ragin' Cajun	Kati
1992	Universal Soldier	Veronica Roberts
1992	Singles	Pam
1993	The Seventh Coin	Lisa
1994	When the Bough Breaks	Audrey Macleah
1995	Just Looking	Sherrie
1995	Someone to Die For	Alex Donaldson
1995	While You Were Sleeping	Ashley Bartlett Bacon
1995	Steal Big Steal Little	Bonnie Martin
1996	Bed of Roses	Wendy
1996	Kazaam	Alice Connor
1997	Brittle Glory	Elise Rosen
1998	Welcome to Hollywood	Herself
1999	Happy, Texas	Josephine 'Joe' McClintock the Banker
1999	If You Believe	Susan Stone	Television film
2005	For Norman... Wherever You Are		Documentary; director and producer
2007	By Appointment Only	Val Spencer	Also writer
2009	Toe to Toe	Claire
2009	Wonderful World	Eliza
2013	Angel's Perch	Judy
2013	Mischief Night	Dr. Pomock
2014	April Rain	Linda
2015	Sex, Death and Bowling		Director, writer and producer

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1988	Santa Barbara	Andrea Bedford	Series regular, 94 episodes
1989-90	True Blue	Officer Jessica Haley	Series regular, 12 episodes
1990	Matlock	Renee Williams	Episode: "The Biker"
1992	The Witches of Eastwick	Alexandra Spofford	TV pilot
1993	Moon Over Miami	Gwen Cross	Series regular, 13 episodes
1996	Wings	Melissa Williams	Episode: "Love at First Flight"
1999	The Pretender	Doctor Samantha Waters	Episode: "End Game"
1996-99	Profiler	Doctor Samantha Waters	Series regular, 64 episodes Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television (1998) Nominated — Satellite Award for Best Actress - Television Series Drama (1998)
2002	My Wonderful Life	Billie	TV pilot
2005	Sleeper Cell	Lynn Ellen Emerson	Episodes: "Family" and "Youmud Din"
2006	ER	Fran Bevens	Episode: "Body & Soul"
2006	The Shield	Tori Burke	Episode: "Postpartum"
2007	American Dad!	Melinda (voice)	Episode: "Four Little Words"
2007	Tell Me You Love Me	Katie	Series regular, 10 episodes
2008	Boston Legal	Attorney Phoebe Prentice	Episodes: "Smoke Signals" and "True Love"
2008	Law & Order	Gretchen Steel	Episode: "Driven"
2009	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	Rita Nettles	Episode: "Hog Heaven"
2009	Southland	Dr. Merrill Matthews	Episodes: "See the Woman" and "Westside"
2010	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Dr. Stanton	Episode: "Conned"
2008-10	Sons of Anarchy	Agent June Stahl	Recurring role, 19 episodes
2011	The Protector	Gloria Sheppard	Series regular, 13 episodes
2014	Taxi Brooklyn	Frankie Sullivan	Series regular, 12 episodes
2015	Longmire	Dr. Donna Monaghan	Recurring role
2016	Colony	Helena Goldwin	Recurring role

[ Source: Wikipedia ]