Kate Linder

Kate Linder (born November 2, 1947) is an American actress, best known for her role as Esther Valentine on The Young and the Restless, which she has played since 1982. After appearing in the soap opera for more than 40 years, she is one of the longest serving actors on an American soap opera. Linder received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2008, and was honored at The Hollywood Museum in 2022.

Early life and education Linder was born in Pasadena, California, and graduated with a BA in theatre arts from San Francisco State University. During that time, she also began working as a flight attendant for Transamerica Airlines. She is the third actor to earn a star on the Walk of Fame solely on the merits of acting on a soap opera, after Jeanne Cooper in 1993 and Susan Lucci in 2005.

In the 2000s, after 30 years in daytime, Linder made her film debut, starring in a number of independent productions, such as Hysteria and Erased. In 2016, she co-starred with Julia Roberts, Jennifer Aniston, and Kate Hudson in Garry Marshall's final film Mother's Day.

On April 30, 2018, Kate Linder appeared in a 30 minute television interview talk show with Host Ken Boxer on "Ken Boxer Live," taped in Santa Barbara, California.

In 2023, she starred in A Little White Lie, opposite Michael Shannon, Kate Hudson, Zach Braff, and Don Johnson.

In 2025, Kate Linder received a silver circle award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).

In addition to her work on television, Linder serves as a flight attendant for United Airlines, as of 2022.

Personal life She was married to Dr. Ronald L. Linder for 41 years, from February 14, 1976 (Valentine's Day), until his death from ALS in 2017. She has three stepchildren from his first marriage, Jay, Jon, and Karyn.

Filmography