Jane Badler

Jane Badler (born December 31, 1953) is an American-Australian actress and singer. She is known for her role as Diana, the main antagonist in NBC's science fiction series V between 1983 and 1985. Following her role in the V franchise, she had roles in the primetime soap opera Falcon Crest. In 1988, she was in the revival of Mission: Impossible, which was filmed in Australia; Australia has since been Badler's home. Badler has also become an established nightclub singer in Australia, where she still resides; she has released three albums.

Early life and education Jane Badler was born in Brooklyn, New York on December 31, 1953. Her family is of Galician Jewish descent. She spent her teen years in Great Neck, New York, and moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, when she was in high school. When Badler was 18, her father and brother were killed in a small plane crash.

Badler won the title Miss New Hampshire and competed at the 1973 Miss America Pageant. Subsequently, she enrolled at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, to study drama. She graduated in 1976, earning a BFA. She had a four-month guest contract with the show.

A remake of V premiered in late 2009, and although this version did not include the character of Diana, the series' executive producer, Scott Peters, suggested that Badler and other stars from the original version may be offered guest roles as new characters. In August 2010, it was announced that Badler would be joining the series as a new character named Diana, the benevolent mother of the Visitors' evil leader Anna (Morena Baccarin). Badler appeared in nine of the second season's ten episodes, commencing in January 2011. In the second-season finale, her character was killed by Anna, and ABC decided to not renew the series for a third season.

In November 2020, Badler played Lauren Balmer in the horror film Surrogate. The film was released internationally in September 2022.

Music and theatre career Already an able singer when she competed in the Miss New Hampshire and Miss America Pageants, Badler forged a career in cabaret and on the stage in the 2005 Magnormos production of archy & mehitabel, based on Don Marquis's books of poetry. She also appeared in Sextet, Big Hair in America, and with acclaimed Australian director Robert Chuter (who also directed two of her cabaret shows in 2000) she appeared in The Singing Forest, The Great Gatsby and her one-woman show Shakin' the Blues Away in which she also sang. Other productions in which she appeared for Magnormos included a concert of the musical Rebecca and OzMade Musicals.

Badler released her debut album (backed by the Melbourne-based band Sir) on June 1, 2008. Titled The Devil Has My Double, it is an autobiographical album which has been described as "a compulsive mix of fame, sex and solitude, set to a sweeping soundtrack of cold soul and passionate synthetics". As part of promotion for the album, she gave an extensive interview about her work to the Boxcutters podcast.

Badler released her second album, Tears Again, in 2011. She then teamed up with Australian musicians Matt Doll and Byron St John to co-write her third album, Opus, which was released in September 2014.

Personal life In 1990, Badler married Australian businessman Stephen Hains, son of David Hains. The couple met while she was filming Mission: Impossible in Australia. Badler remained in Australia and the couple reside in Melbourne. They have two children.

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 1977–1981, 1983 One Life to Live Melinda Cramer Unknown episodes 1979 Fantasy Island Kim Episode: "The Victim/The Mermaid" 1981–1982 The Doctors Natalie Bell Dancy Unknown episodes 1981 Terror Among Us Pam TV movie 1983 The First Time Karen Watson 1983 V Diana Main cast, miniseries 1983 Mr. Smith Uncredited Episode: "Mr. Smith Plays Cyrano" 1984 V The Final Battle Diana Main cast, miniseries 1984 Brothers Phyllis Episode: "Mindless Passion" 1984–1985 V: The Series Diana Main cast 1985 Covenant Dana Noble TV movie 1985 Hotel Angie Archer Episode: "Celebrations" 1986 Blacke's Magic Elisa Leigh Episode: "Ten Tons of Trouble" 1986 Riptide Janet Ingram Episode: "Smiles We Left Behind" 1986 Penalty Phase Katie Pinter TV movie 1986–1987 Falcon Crest Meredith Braxton Recurring role (season 6) 1987 Jake and the Fatman Shelly Episode: "Happy Days Are Here Again" 1987–1988 The Highwayman Tania Winthrop Recurring role 1988 Murder, She Wrote Carolyn Hazlitt Episode: "Curse of the Daanau" 1989 Easy Kill Jade Anderson 1989 Fine Gold Julia 1989 Autumn Rain Lucia 1989–1990 Mission: Impossible Shannon Reed Main cast 1990 Black Snow Shelby Collins 1992 Cluedo Mrs. Elizabeth Peacock Main cast, whodunit game show 1992 What's Cooking Guest TV Series, 1 episode 1992 Embassy Jacqueline Kowalski Episode: "Nice Guys Finish Last" 1994 Sky Trackers Coral Lee Pierce Episode: "Star Time" 1995 Under the Gun Sandy Torrence 1995 The Man from Snowy River Yvonne Waugh 2 episodes 1997 Flipper Episode: "Help Me, Rhonda" 1999 Crash Zone Elanor Renfrey Episode: "No News Is Good News" 2001 Like Mother Like Son Mrs. Fox TV movie 2002 Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World Dame Alice Kyteler Episode: "A Witch's Calling" 2002 Blue Heelers Kath Shepherd Episode: "Sins of the Father" 2010 Neighbours Diana Marshall Recurring role 2010 Needle Professor Banyon 2011 V Diana Recurring role (season 2) 2011 Offspring Wendy 3 episodes 2013 Birthday Cake Herself 2013 Bitch, Popcorn & Blood La Femme Fatale 2014 Good Samaritan Businesswoman 2015 Girl Gets Girl Kirsten 2016 Virtual Revolution Dina 2018 A Beautiful Request Wendy 2022 Surrogate Lauren Balmer 2022 Smiling Friends Herself - host Episode: "Mr. Frog" 2023 Today Extra Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 2023 Studio 10 Guest - Herself TV series, 1 episode 2023 Trim Season Mona Feature film, Australia/US 2024 Ricky Stanicky Miriam Summerhayes

Discography

Studio albums Title Details The Devil Has My Double Release date: June 17, 2008 Label: Unstable Ape Records Formats: CD, download Tears Again Release date: March 11, 2011 Label: Inertia Records Formats: CD, download Opus Release date: September 15, 2014 Label: MeJane Music Formats: CD, download

Singles Title Details "Four Corners to My Bed" Released: 2011 Formats: CD, download "Men Who Lie" Released: 2011 Formats: CD, download Music video: Directed by 'Mal Voyageur' "Snow Carnival Queen" Released: 2011 Formats: CD, download Music video: Animated and produced by 1house Management "I Want a Lot of Boys to Cry at My Funeral" Released: 2011 Formats: CD, download Music video: Grey Aviary Media