Biography
Best-known for playing waitress Shelly Johnson in "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91), prolific actress Mädchen Amick also enjoyed recurring roles in "Central Park West" (CBS, 1995-96), "Witches of East End" (Lifetime, 2013-14) and "Riverdale" (The CW, 2017-) as well as leading parts in dozens of TV movies. Born in Sparks, NV in 1970, Amick moved to Los Angeles aged 16 to pursue an acting career and made her screen debut in a 1989 episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (Syndication, 1987-1994). She subsequently played an emotionally-disturbed teen in "Baywatch" (Syndication, 1989-2001), a serial killer in Tobe Hooper's "I'm Dangerous Tonight" (1990) and Kyle MacLachlan's girlfriend in "Don't Tell Her It's Me" (1990). There were also early roles in "Jury Duty: The Comedy" (1990), "Til I Kissed Ya" (1991) and "The Borrower" (1991), but it was her casting in "Twin Peaks" (ABC, 1990-91) that truly elevated her career. Amick portrayed waitress Shelly Johnson in the original series, its big-screen spin-off "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" (1992) and its revival "Twin Peaks: The Return" (Showtime 2017). After landing her biggest film role, sexually curious virgin Tanya in Stephen King adaptation "Sleepwalkers" (1992), Amick played femme fatale figures in "Dream Lover" (1993) and "Love, Cheat and Steal" (1993), hostage victim Sarah in "Trapped in Paradise" (1994) and warring screenwriter Zina in "French Exit" (1995). She returned to television when she was cast as the scheming Carrie Fairchild in prime-time soap opera "Central Park West" (CBS, 1995-96) before adding "The Courtyard" (1995), "Heartless" (1997) and "The Hunted" (1998) to her ever-increasing list of TV movies. She also played a vengeful forest ranger in "Wounded" (1997), a surgeon in "Bombshell" (1997) and justice-seeking attorney in "Twist of Fate" (1998), assumed the role of shape-shifting second-in-command Ariel in the "Fantasy Island (ABC, 1998-99) revival and guested as substitute teacher Nicole on "Dawson's Creek" (The WB, 1997-2003). Amick then appeared as a blackmailing call-girl in "The List" (2000), deli owner in "Scenes of the Crime" (2001) and world-saving doctor in "Global Effect" (2002), took leading roles in TV movies "Hangman" (2001) and "The Rats" (2002), and played Sherry Tinsdale on three episodes of "Gilmore Girls" (The WB, 2000-07). She enjoyed much longer stints as social worker Wendall Meade in "ER" (NBC, 1994-2009) next-door-neighbor Sara in "Joey" (NBC, 2004-06) and sister-in-law Allison on "Freddie" (ABC, 2005-06). After starring in indie drama "Four Corners of Suburbia" (2005), Amick guested as an assassin on "Kidnapped" (NBC, 2006-07), a cougar Duchess on "Gossip Girl" (The CW, 2007-2012) and Lew's long-lost love on "Californication" (Showtime, 2007-2014), landed supporting roles in "Viva Laughlin" (CBS, 2007) and "My Own Worst Enemy" (NBC, 2008), and played Lily Collins' mother in "Priest" (2011). Amick's prolific TV streak continued with recurring guest spots on "Damages" (FX, 2007-2012), "CSI: NY" (2004-2013), "Longmire" (A&E, 2012-), "American Horror Story: Hotel" (FX, 2015-16) and "Love" (Netflix, 2016-). Amick also landed the permanent roles of troublemaking sister Wendy Beauchamp in "Witches of East End" (Lifetime, 2013-14) and Betty's controlling mother Alice in "Riverdale" (The CW, 2017-).
