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Wendy Makkena

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Wendy Makkena
Born
Wendy Rosenberg Makkena

(1958-10-04) October 4, 1958 (age 66)
Manhattan, New York, U.S.
EducationJuilliard School
OccupationActress
Years active1982–present
Spouse
Bob Krakower
​
(m. 1997)​
Children1
MotherDiana K. Rosenberg

Wendy Rosenberg Makkena (/məˈkɛnə/ mə-KEH-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

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Makkena was born in Manhattan, New York City, 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

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In 1987, she made her Broadway debut in a production of Pygmalion starring Peter O'Toole.[2][4] She later appeared in Lend Me a Tenor and Side Man.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] 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

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

Filmography

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Film

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Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released
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
2024 Sunday Strips Mrs. Tomas Short film
2025 Whispers of Freedom † Karin Gueffroy
TBA Sister Act 3: Kicking the Habit † Sister Mary Robert

Television

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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

Stage

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Year Title Role(s) Venue Ref.
1987 Pygmalion Teamaid Plymouth Theatre, Broadway [4]
1988 The Birthday Party Lulu Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway [8]
1988 The Debutante Ball Bliss White New York Stage and Film, New York [9]
1989 The Loman Family Picnic Marsha Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II, Off-Broadway [10]
1989 Mountain Language Young Woman Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway [11]
The Birthday Party Lulu
1989 Lend Me A Tenor Maggie (replacement) Royale Theatre, Broadway [12]
1990 Prin Melanie City Center Stage I, Off-Broadway [13]
1991 The American Plan Lili Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway [14]
1996 The Shawl Stella Jewish Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway [15]
1997 The Water Children Megan Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway [16]
1998 The Matrix Theatre Company, Los Angeles [17]
1998 Side Man Terry Criterion Center Stage Right, Off-Broadway [18]
John Golden Theatre, Broadway [19]
2007 Harm's Way Journalist Hayworth Theatre, Los Angeles [20]
2008 45th Street Theatre, Off-Broadway [21]
2013 Bronx Bombers Carmen Primary Stages, Off-Broadway [22]

References

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  1. ^ "Wendy Makkena profile". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Wendy Makkena | TV Guide". TVGuide.com.
  3. ^ Diana K. Rosenberg. astro.com.
  4. ^ a b Rich, Frank (27 April 1987). "THEATER: O'TOOLE AND PLUMMER IN 'PYGMALION'". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Wendy Makkena Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed November 11, 2015
  6. ^ "'Sister Act' Cast Get Back in the Habit for 25th Anniversary Performance". EW.com.
  7. ^ "Finding North (1998)" – via www.rottentomatoes.com.
  8. ^ Gussow, Mel (18 April 1988). "Review/Theater; In 'The Birthday Party,' Pinter's Daily Terrors". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  9. ^ Henley, Beth (1997). The Debutante Ball. Dramatists Play Service. p. 4. ISBN 9780822215837. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  10. ^ Gussow, Mel (22 June 1989). "Review/Theater; Grim Doings Around a Bar Mitzvah". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  11. ^ Rich, Frank (9 November 1989). "Review/Theater; A Pinter Double Bill of Evil and Bleakness". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Lend Me a Tenor – Broadway Play – Original". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  13. ^ Rich, Frank (7 June 1990). "Review/Theater; Arrogant Academic With a Midlife Crisis Has a Disastrous Day". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  14. ^ Disch, Thomas M. (11 February 1991). "The American Plan". The Nation. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  15. ^ Brantley, Ben (21 June 1996). "THEATER REVIEW;Huddling Beneath Memory's Burdens". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  16. ^ Daniels, Robert L. (9 November 1997). "The Water Children". Variety. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  17. ^ Martinez, Julio (4 May 1998). "The Water Children". Variety. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  18. ^ Marks, Peter (26 June 1998). "THEATER REVIEW; Blues Riffs Blown on a Broken Heart". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  19. ^ Marks, Peter (9 November 1998). "THEATER REVIEW; A New Drama on Broadway And a New Son in Turmoil". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  20. ^ Nichols, David C; Foley, F. Kathleen; Brandes, Philip; Heffley, Lynne (7 December 2007). "A poignant tribute to 'Heroes'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  21. ^ Stehlin (15 September 2008). "Full Cast, Creative Team Announced for Harm's Way and Man.gov". TheatreMania. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
  22. ^ Gold, Daniel M. (9 October 2013). "Oh Boy, Looks Like Reggie and Billy Are at It Again". New York Times. Retrieved 10 March 2025.
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