Camryn Manheim

Debra Frances "Camryn" Manheim (born March 8, 1961) is an American actress who first came to attention with her off-Broadway one-woman show, Wake Up, I'm Fat, in 1994. She is known for her portrayals of Ellenor Frutt on The Practice (1997–2004), Gladys Presley in the 2005 miniseries Elvis, Delia Banks on Ghost Whisperer (2006–2010), Control on Person of Interest (2013–2015), Lieutenant Cosgrove on Stumptown (2019–2020) and Kate Dixon on Law & Order (2022–2024).

Manheim's film credits include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Happiness (1998), What Planet Are You From? (2000), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Twisted (2004), Dark Water (2005), An Unfinished Life (2005), and Cop Car (2015).

She is the recipient of a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, in addition to three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.

Early life Manheim was born in West Caldwell, New Jersey, into a Jewish American family, the daughter of Sylvia (née Nuchow), a teacher, and Jerome Manheim, a mathematics professor and the Dean of Letters and Science at California State University Long Beach. Her family relocated several times in her early childhood due to her father taking new teaching positions, and she spent her early years in Michigan and Peoria, Illinois.

When she was in sixth grade, her family relocated to Southern California, settling in Long Beach, where she attended Woodrow Wilson Classical High School. She became interested in acting after working at a Renaissance faire during high school. Manheim graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with a BFA degree in 1984 and New York University's Tisch School of the Arts Graduate Acting Program with an MFA degree in 1987. Her brother, Karl Manheim, is a law professor at Loyola Law School.

Career Manheim (lower left) on the Spring 2003 cover of Ms. magazine Manheim worked for a while as a sign language interpreter at hospitals. Her knowledge of sign language was used on The Practice, in the Law & Order episodes "Benevolence" (1993) and "Castle in the Sky" (2024), and in her role as a child behavioral psychologist in the movie Mercury Rising.

Manheim's breakthrough was her one-woman show Wake Up, I'm Fat, which played off-Broadway at Classic Stage Company in 1994. She adapted the show into a book of the same name, which was published by Broadway Books in 1999.

In 1999, Manheim won an Emmy for her work on The Practice. In 1999, she was awarded the Women in Film Lucy Award.

Personal life Manheim's son Milo, conceived via sperm donation from her close friend Jeffrey Brezovar, was born on March 6, 2001.

Manheim has been involved with the Los Angeles–based charity Bet Tzedek Legal Services – The House of Justice, serving as a co-chair for their annual fundraiser, the Justice Ball.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1994 Cracking Up Unknown The Road to Wellville Virginia Cranehill 1995 Jeffrey Single woman 1996 Eraser Nurse Rescuing Desire Pappa 1997David Searching Gwen Romy and Michele's High School Reunion Toby Walters 1998Fool's Gold Patricia Happiness Kristina Mercury Rising Dr. London Wide Awake Sister Sophia The Tic Code Mrs. Swensrut You Are Here Registry woman 1999East of A Agatha Joe the King Mrs. Basil 2000 What Planet Are You From? Alison 2003 Scary Movie 3 Trooper 2004 Twisted Lisa 2005 The Land Before Time XI: Invasion of the Tinysauruses Tria Voice Dark Water Teacher Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School Lisa Gobar Snow Wonder Bev An Unfinished Life Nina 2006 The Land Before Time XII: The Great Day of the Flyers Tria Voice 2007 Slipstream Barbara 2009 Just Peck Ms. Wood 2011 Without Men Boss 2012 Jewtopia Eileen Daniels 2013 The Hot Flashes Roxie Rosales 2014 Fort McCoy Florie 2015 Cop Car Bev Return to Sender Nancy 2018 All About Nina Debora 2027 Romy and Michele 2 Toby Walters Filming

Television