Anna Gunn
Gunn at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1968-08-11) August 11, 1968 (age 55)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Alma materNorthwestern University
OccupationActress
Years active1992–present
Height5 ft 10 in (1.77 m)
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 2009)​
Children2

Anna Gunn (born August 11, 1968)[1] is an American actress. She is best known for her role as Skyler White on the AMC drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013), for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2013 and 2014. She has also played Jean Ward in The Practice (1997–2002), and Martha Bullock in Deadwood (2004–2006).

Early life

Gunn was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She is the daughter of Sharon Anna Kathryn "Shana" Gunn (née Peters), an interior designer, and Clemens Earl Gunn Jr., who worked in real estate.[2] She is of Polish, Slovak, English, German and distant Irish and Dutch descent. She graduated from Santa Fe Preparatory School in 1986,[3] then attended Northwestern University, where she majored in theater[2] and graduated in 1990.[1][4] In the fall of 1988, she spent a semester abroad to study at the British American Drama Academy.[5] She moved to Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, where she shared a house with Pamela Adlon.[6]

Career

Gunn had a recurring role as Assistant District Attorney Jean Ward on the ABC series The Practice from 1997 to 2002, and was series regular as Martha Bullock on HBO's Deadwood from 2005 to 2006. She appeared on Seinfeld in the episode "The Glasses", in the Six Feet Under episode "Parallel Play", and on the first season of Murder One.

Anna Gunn and Aaron Paul in 2009

Gunn is known for her role as Skyler White in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which she was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2012, 2013 and 2014, winning in 2013 and 2014.[7] In August 2013, she wrote an op-ed piece for The New York Times examining the public dislike directed toward her character.[8]

She provided the voice of Ariel in the Legacy of Kain series of video games,[9][10][11][12] and appeared in the Quantum Leap episode "The Play's the Thing". In 2011, she had a lead role in the Lifetime film Secrets of Eden, opposite John Stamos.[13] Her other film credits include Without Evidence, Enemy of the State, Treading Water, Twelve Mile Road, and Red State.

In February 2013, cable network Bravo announced that Gunn would star in a pilot for a one-hour TV drama, Rita, based on a Danish TV series about a private-school teacher and mother. The Fox TV Studios pilot was to be written by Krista Vernoff and directed by Miguel Arteta.[14]

In 2014, Gunn starred Off-Broadway with Billy Magnussen in Sex with Strangers, directed by David Schwimmer at Second Stage Theater.[15]

She starred in the 2016 film Equity. Billed as the first female-driven Wall Street film, it premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival.[16][17]

In 2019, Gunn starred as Maxine Faulk in the Noël Coward Theater limited-time production of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana.[18][19]

Personal life

Gunn married Scottish actor and real estate broker Alastair Duncan in 1990. They divorced in 2009.[2] They have two daughters, Eila Rose and Emma.[20]

Filmography

Gunn in 2013

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1994 French Intensive Rachel Short film
Junior Casitas Madres Receptionist[21]
1995 Without Evidence Liz Godlove
Star Power Denise Short film
1997 Santa Fe Jane
1998 Enemy of the State Emily Reynolds
2000 Lost Souls Sally Prescott
2001 Nobody's Baby Stormy
2002 Treading Water The Actress
2011 Red State Travis' Mother
2012 Little Red Wagon Laurie Bonner
Sassy Pants June Pruitt
2016 Equity Naomi Bishop
Sully Dr. Elizabeth Davis
2018 Being Frank Laura Hansen
2021 Land of Dreams Nancy
2022 The Apology Darlene Hagen

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Quantum Leap Liz Episode: "The Play's the Thing"
Indecency Celeste Television film
1992–1993 Down the Shore Arden 29 episodes
1993 Seinfeld Amy Episode: "The Glasses"[22]
1994 Missing Persons Ellie Keogh Episode: "My Beautiful Son Is O.K..."
NYPD Blue Kimmy 2 episodes
Moment of Truth: Caught in the Crossfire Agt. Alex King Television film
1995 If Someone Had Known Officer Linda Reed Television film
1995–1996 Murder One Melissa Griotte 3 episodes
1996 Chicago Hope Megan Stanard Episode: "Sexual Perversity in Chicago Hope"
The Lazarus Man The Journal Episode: "The Journal"
Men Behaving Badly Michelle Episode: "Babies Having Babies"
The Big Easy Evie Episode: "Snake Dance"
1997 Sleepwalkers Angie Gilpin Episode: "Night Terrors"
1997–2002 The Practice Jean Ward 10 episodes
1999 ER Ekabo's Lawyer Episode: "Point of Origin"
The Drew Carey Show Kelly Walker Episode: "Drew's Reunion"
Judging Amy Emily Noble Episode: "Presumed Innocent"
2000 Bull Miss Coyle Episode: "A Beautiful Lie"
2001 The Guardian Meghan Barstow 2 episodes
2002 Yes, Dear Jessica Episode: "Kim's New Nanny"
2003 Twelve Mile Road Leah Television film
Dragnet Dr. Louise Nottingham 2 episodes
The O'Keefes Phyllis Episode: "Pilot"
L.A. Confidential Renata Unsold TV pilot
Wild Card Janell Morgan Episode: "The Cheese Stands Alone"
The Lyon's Den Elizabeth Hopper Episode: "Blood"
Miss Match Maureen Weston Episode: "Kate in Ex-tasy"
Miracles Rebecca Webb Episode: "You Are My Sunshine"
2004 NYPD 2069 Natalie Franco Unsold TV pilot
The D.A. Shelly Ward Episode: "The People vs. Sergius Kovinsky"
Six Feet Under Madeline Episode: "Parallel Play"
2005–2006 Deadwood Martha Bullock 21 episodes
2007 Boston Legal Attorney Susan Bixby Episode: "Nuts"
2008–2013 Breaking Bad Skyler White Lead role; 61 episodes
2010 Law & Order Marielle Di Napoli Episode: "Love Eternal"
Lie to Me Jenkins Episode: "Dirty Loyal"
2012 Secrets of Eden Detective Catherine Benincasa Television film
2014 The Mindy Project Sheila Hamilton Episode: "Girl Crush"
Gracepoint Detective Ellie Miller 10 episodes
2015 Criminal Minds Special Agent Lily Lambert Episode: "Beyond Borders"
Portlandia Glynis Brooks Episode: "House for Sale"
2016 Robot Chicken Mother / Skyler White (voice) Episode: "Food"[23]
2017 Shades of Blue Julia Ayres 10 episodes
2019 Deadwood: The Movie Martha Bullock Television film
2021 Prodigal Son Sheriff Fern Cooley Episode: "The Last Weekend"
2022–2023 Physical Marika 3 episodes
2023 Most Dangerous Game Chairwoman 4 episodes
2024 Sugar Upcoming series[24]

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain Ariel, Azimuth, DeJoule [25]
1999 Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver Ariel [25]
2001 Soul Reaver 2
2003 Legacy of Kain: Defiance

References

  1. ^ a b "Anna Gunn: Biography". TVGuide.com. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c Dougherty, Margot (March 2014). "Anna Gunn: From 'Breaking Bad' to Breakthrough Star". MORE Magazine. Archived from the original on September 9, 2014. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  3. ^ Oliveira, Adele (May 31, 2013). "Santa Fe Prep graduation: 'Our choices are ours'". The Santa Fe New Mexican. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  4. ^ LaMagna, Maria (April 8, 2010). "Q&A: 'Breaking Bad' star reflects on NU memories". The Daily Northwestern. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  5. ^ "'Breaking Bad' star Anna Gunn (LTP Fall 1998) won an Emmy for Best Supporting Actress in a drama. Congrats!". Facebook. October 1, 2013. Retrieved August 23, 2014.
  6. ^ Actress Pamela Adlon Says Better Things Is Dedicated to Her Daughters. Fresh Air. NPR. September 6, 2016. Event occurs at 7:20.
  7. ^ Rice, Lynette (July 19, 2012). "Emmys 2012: And the nominees are..." Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 10, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  8. ^ Gunn, Anna (August 23, 2013). "I Have a Character Issue". The New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  9. ^ "Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain - Credits". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved March 25, 2013.
  10. ^ "Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver - Credits". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 14, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  11. ^ "Soul Reaver 2 - Credits". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  12. ^ "Legacy of Kain: Defiance - Credits". Allgame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved October 29, 2008.
  13. ^ "About the Movie Secrets of Eden". Lifetime. Archived from the original on July 20, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2012.
  14. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (February 1, 2013). "Anna Gunn To Star In Bravo Drama Pilot 'Rita'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
  15. ^ Isherwood, Charles (July 30, 2014). "Between the Sheets: Anna Gunn and Billy Magnussen Star in Sex with Strangers". The New York Times. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  16. ^ McNary, Dace (June 29, 2015). "Anna Gunn Starring in Female-Driven Wall Street Movie". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  17. ^ Chang, Justin (December 2, 2015). "Sundance Film Festival Unveils 2016 Competition, Next Films". Retrieved January 18, 2016.
  18. ^ Orlova-Alvarez, Tamara; Alvarez, Joe (February 2, 2019). "The Night Of The Iguana: Clive Owen Returns to The West End". Ikon London Magazine. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  19. ^ Johnson, Robin (February 1, 2019). "Clive Owen, Anna Gunn & Lia Williams to star in The Night of the Iguana". Official London Theater. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
  20. ^ Gee, Alison (September 14, 2006). "Deadwood's Anna Gunn Has a Girl". People. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  21. ^ "Forgotten Anna Gunn Roles, Ranked According To IMDb". screenrant.com. November 21, 2021.
  22. ^ "From Seinfeld to Breaking Bad: Anna Gunn's Journey to Stardom". tvovermind.com. October 7, 2014.
  23. ^ "'Breaking Bad' creator says Anna Gunn was "troubled" about the hatred aimed at Skyler". entertainment.ie. August 23, 2022.
  24. ^ "James Cromwell, Anna Gunn Among Five Cast Opposite Colin Farrell in Apple Series 'Sugar'". variety.com. August 29, 2022.
  25. ^ a b "Anna Gunn (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved September 29, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.

External links

Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Authority control databases
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