Wendy Makkena
Born
Wendy Rosenberg Makkena

(1958-10-04) October 4, 1958
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School
OccupationActress
Years active1982–present
Spouse
Bob Krakower
​
(m. 1997)​
Children1
Parent
  • Diana K. Rosenberg (mother)

Wendy Rosenberg Makkena (/məˈkiːnə/ mə-KEE-nə; born October 4, 1958)[1] is an American actress best known for playing Sister Mary Robert in the film Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and numerous other roles in film and television. She has appeared regularly on stage since the 1980s. Her other film credits include Air Bud (1997), State of Play (2009), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019).

Early life

Makkena was born in Manhattan and attended the Juilliard School.[2] Her mother, Diana K. Rosenberg, was an astrologer specializing in various fields therein including Western and Indian astrology.[3]

Career

In 1987, she made her Broadway debut in the production of Pygmalion.[2] She later appeared in Lend Me a Tenor and Side Man.[4] In 1988, she made her film debut appearing in Eight Men Out.

In 1992, Makkena had a supporting role opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the musical comedy film Sister Act as the shy but talented singing nun Sister Mary Robert, a role she reprised in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit the following year. In both films, singer Andrea Robinson provided the actual vocals.[5] In 1994, she co-starred opposite Christopher Lloyd in the comedy film Camp Nowhere, and in 1997 appeared in Air Bud. In 1998, she played a leading role in the LGBT-related independent comedy-drama Finding North.[6] On television, she starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom A League of Their Own in 1993 and later had recurring roles on NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and NCIS. She also had regular roles on the short-lived The Job (2001-02), Oliver Beene (2003-04), Listen Up (2004-05) and The Mob Doctor (2012-13).

Personal life

Makkena has been married to Bob Krakower, an acting coach, since 1997 and they have a child together.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Eight Men Out Kate Jackson
1992 Sister Act Sister Mary Robert
1993 Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Sister Mary Robert
1994 Camp Nowhere Dr. Celeste Dunbar
1995 Napoleon Napoleon's Mom
The Whiskey Heir Maggie Short film
1997 The People Jean Leary
Air Bud Jackie Framm
1998 Finding North Rhonda Portelli
1999 4 a.m.: Open All Night Woman Short film
2004 Noise Del
2009 State of Play Greer Thornton
2017 The Discovery Mom
2018 Wanderland Sandy Tanner
2019 The Tomorrow Man Beverly St. Michaels
Fair Market Value Jessica
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Dorothy Vogel
2021 Spiked Margaret

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Santa Barbara Katie Timmons TV series
1989 Dream Street Harry's Ex-Wife Episode: "True Love"
1991 Monsters Maggie Price Episode: "Desirable Alien"
1991 Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace Brenda TV movie
1991 Law & Order Officer Nicki Sandoval Episode: "A Death in the Family"
1992 Black Magic Sally Rowe TV movie
1993 Class of '96 Margaret Parsons Episode: "The Accused"
1993 A League of Their Own Mae Mordabito 6 episodes
1994 NYPD Blue Det. Sharon LaSalle 3 episodes
1994 Touched by an Angel Robin Dunwoody Episode: "The Heart of the Matter"
1995 Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story Mary Newcombe TV movie
1995 Strange Luck Louise Brooks Episode: "The Box"
1996 Death Benefit Wynn Burkholder TV movie
1996 On Seventh Avenue Nadine Jacobs TV movie
1997 Lies He Told Patty TV movie
1997 C-16: FBI Melanie Harmon Episode: "Orange Kid"
1997 Dellaventura Episode: "Fathers"
1998 Trinity Episodes: "No Secrets", "Hang Man Down"
1999–2000 Judging Amy Susie Nixon 8 episodes
2001–2002 The Job Karen McNeil 6 episodes
2002 Law & Order Janet Weston Episode: "Born Again"
2002 Philly Amanda Royce Episode: "San Diego Padre"
2003–2004 Oliver Beene Charlotte Caraline Beene 24 episodes
2004–2005 Listen Up Dana Kleinman 18 episodes
2006 Ghost Whisperer Jean Godfrey Episode: "A Grave Matter"
2007 House Dr. Julie Whitner Episode: "Needle in a Haystack"
2007 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Doris Babinkian Episode: "Ending Happy"
2007 The Nine Suzanne Episode: "Confessions"
Episode: "Man of the Year"
2007 Chuck National Intelligence Director Episode: "Chuck Versus the Intersect"
2009 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ellen Van Kuren Episode: "Transitions"
2009 Desperate Housewives Fran Schulman Episode: "Marry Me a Little"
2009 Without a Trace Jubilee Episode: "True"
2009–2010 Numb3rs Kath Berry Episodes: "Shadow Markets", "Growin' Up"
2010 The Deep End Judge Joan Anderson Episode: "An Innocent Man"
2010 Miami Medical Didi Episode: "What Lies Beneath"
2011 Melissa & Joey Suzanne Reback Episode: "Going the Distance?"
2011, 2012
2014		 NCIS Dr. Rachel Cranston 4 episodes
2012–2013 The Mob Doctor Daniella Devlin 13 episodes
2014 Alpha House Molly P. Andresun 2 episodes
2015 Rizzoli & Isles IAB Agent Hitchcock Episode: "The Platform"
2018 The Last O.G. Krystal Episode: "Swipe Right"
2019 Bull Sherri Gibson Episode: "Security Fraud"
2023 Rabbit Hole Debra

References

  1. ↑ "Wendy Makkena profile". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. 1 2 "Wendy Makkena | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  3. ↑ Diana K. Rosenberg. astro.com.
  4. ↑ "Wendy Makkena Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed November 11, 2015
  5. ↑ "'Sister Act' Cast Get Back in the Habit for 25th Anniversary Performance". EW.com.
  6. ↑ "Finding North (1998)" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
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