Catherine Bell

Catherine Lisa Bell (born 14 August 1968) is a British and American actress known for her roles as Lieutenant Colonel Sarah MacKenzie in the television series JAG from 1997 to 2005, Denise Sherwood in the series Army Wives from 2007 to 2013, and Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale in Hallmark's The Good Witch films and television series from 2008 to 2021.

Early life Catherine Lisa Bell was born on 14 August 1968 in London to a Scottish father, Peter Bell, and an Iranian mother, Mina Ezzati. and her clients included singer Peter Gabriel. Bell's first television acting role was one line spoken to Gabriel on the short-lived 1990 sitcom Sugar and Spice.

Among her first parts was Isabella Rossellini's body double for the 1992 film Death Becomes Her.

Beginning in 2007, Bell starred in Lifetime's ensemble drama series Army Wives as Denise Sherwood, the wife of a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, who endures domestic violence at the hands of her teenage son during the show's first season.

Bell played the role of Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale, the main character of Hallmark's The Good Witch (2008), and its sequels The Good Witch's Garden (2009), The Good Witch's Gift (2010), The Good Witch's Family (2011), The Good Witch's Charm (2012), The Good Witch's Destiny (2013), and The Good Witch's Wonder (2014). She was also a co-executive producer of all of the movies. She also starred in the Lifetime movie titled Last Man Standing (2011).

In 2015, it was reported that Bell would star in the movie Love Finds Its Way, which would begin filming in 2016. Production began on the film in March 2017, with Vancouver as the filming location, and 9 July 2017 as the date for the film's premiere on the Hallmark Channel.

On 2 April 2019, CBS announced that Bell would be reprising her JAG role of Sarah "Mac" MacKenzie alongside former co-star David James Elliott for a multi-episode arc in the tenth season of NCIS: Los Angeles.

In 2022, Bell starred in the Lifetime film Jailbreak Lovers as part of its "Ripped from the Headlines" feature film which tells the story of how Toby Dorr snuck inmate John Manard out of prison in a dog crate which sparked a manhunt.

Personal life

Bell is fluent in Persian and English. She is fond of motorcycling, skiing, snowboarding and kickboxing. Her hobbies include cross-stitching and making model cars, which she has done since age eight.

During the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, Bell took flying lessons in a Cirrus SR22.

Bell met actor-production assistant Adam Beason on the set of the 1992 film Death Becomes Her. They were married on 8 May 1994. They are the parents of two children. They lived in a nearly faux-Tuscan-style mini-mansion in Calabasas, California. The couple sold the house in 2010 They eventually divorced in 2011.

Since 2012, Bell has lived with fellow Scientologist, photographer and party planner Brooke Daniells, together with their children, in Los Angeles. In 2014, Bell paid US$2.05 million for a single-story ranch house on a lot in the gated Hidden Hills community in the western suburbs of Los Angeles.

Scientology Bell was raised Roman Catholic and attended an all-girls Catholic school (Our Lady of Corvallis High School in Los Angeles). She is a practicing Scientologist. Bell has attested to attaining the Scientology state of Clear. She has supported Scientology's Hollywood Education and Literacy Project. In December 2005, Bell helped promote the gala opening of the "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" museum of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights (a Scientology supported group). In February 2006, Bell appeared in a Scientology music video called "United".

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1992 Death Becomes Her Lisle's Body Double 1994 Men of War Grace Lashield 1996 Crash Dive Lt. Cmdr. Lisa Stark 1998 Black Thunder Lisa 2003 Bruce Almighty Susan Ortega 2005 Babak and Friends: A First Norooz Layla (voice) 2007 Evan Almighty Susan Ortega Uncredited2016 The Bandit Hound Joanne The Do-Over Dawn DiFazio

Television Year Title Role Notes 1991 True Colors Donna Episode: "Brotherly Love" 1993 Mother of the Bride Chastity Television film 1994 Dream On Kay Meadows Episode: "Those Who Can't, Edit"1995 Vanishing Son Kelly / Rachel Episodes "Miracle Under 34th Street" and "Long Ago and Far Away" Alien Nation: Body and Soul Cop Television film Friends Robin Episode: "The One with the Baby on the Bus" The Naked Truth Dylan's Mistress Episode: "Comet Nails Star and Vice Versa!" 1996 JAG LTJG Diane Schonke Season 1/Episode 22: "Skeleton Crew""We the People" (1997) (archive footage) "Death Watch" (1998) (archive footage) 1996–2005 JAG Maj./Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie Main role (season 2–10)As Jenny Lake, episode: "Ghosts of Christmas Past" (1999)As Mrs. Alexander Mackenzie, episode: "Mutiny" (2001)As Ensign Beverly Tromatore, episode: "Each of Us Angels" (2003) 1996 Hot Line Cat Episode: "The Brunch Club" 1997 Hercules: The Legendary Journeys Cynea Episode: "The Lady and the Dragon" 1998–1999 Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular Herself 2 episodes 1998 Cab to Canada Sandy Television film 1999 Thrill Seekers Elizabeth Wintern Television film 2003 Waking the Dead Sam James Episode: "Final Cut" 2005 The Triangle Emily Patterson Miniseries2006 Company Town Maggie Shaunessy Unaired pilot Threshold Dr. Daphne Larson Episode: "Outbreak" Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Naomi Cheales Episode: "Choreographed" 2007 Still Small Voices Michael Summer Television film 2007–2013 Army Wives Denise Sherwood Main role 2008 The Good Witch Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer 2009 The Good Witch's Garden Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer 2010 The Good Witch's Gift Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer2011 Last Man Standing Abby Collins Television film; leading role and producer The Good Witch's Family Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer Good Morning, Killer FBI Special Agent Ana Gray Television film; leading role; shown as part of TNT's Mystery Movie Night series 2012 The Good Witch's Charm Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer2013 King & Maxwell Joan Dillinger 2 episodes The Good Witch's Destiny Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer 2014 The Good Witch's Wonder Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Television film; leading role and co-executive producer 2015–2021Good Witch Cassandra "Cassie" Nightingale Leading role and co-executive producer2017 Home for Christmas Day Jane McKendrick Television film; leading role and executive producer High-Rise Rescue Beth Davis Television film; leading role and executive producer Christmas in the Air Lydia Evans Television film; leading role and co-executive producer 2018 A Summer to Remember Jessica Tucker Television film; leading role and executive producer 2019–2020 NCIS: Los Angeles Lt. Col. Sarah MacKenzie Recurring role; 3 episodes; original main character from JAG 2020 Meet Me at Christmas Joan Television film 2022 Jailbreak Lovers Toby Television film