Mandalynn Carlson

Mandalynn Carlson (born ) is an American actress whose first film appearance was in a supporting role in the 2011 action biopic Machine Gun Preacher, with Gerard Butler. Leaving Michigan for Hollywood, Carlson has had supporting and lead roles in independent films and television shows including Grey's Anatomy and CSI: NY. Her parents owned Michigan Crafty & Motion Picture Catering which sparked her interest in the industry.

Homeschooled since the 6th grade, Carlson began college at the age of 15.

Career Carlson began her acting career in 2010 with a supporting role in Machine Gun Preacher. Carlson was in local projects in Detroit including the period piece, Mary's Buttons (2012), which was based on a true story and Naked Angel (2014). She co-starred on an episode of CSI: NY as a teenager who was a victim of a senseless shooting. She was in a skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2012.

In 2013, Carlson worked on her first pilot for NBC, Brenda Forever, where she was the lead alongside Ellie Kemper and Ken Marino. NBC passed on the pilot and Carlson worked on ABC's show Scandal, playing the daughter of a love affair between a high powered CEO and a nominee for a Supreme Court judge in the episode Top of the Hour.

Carlson acted with Reisig in a film, Small Town Santa (2014) starring Dean Cain and Christine Lakin. Carlson worked with Cain again on her next film, A Horse for Summer (2015), playing the lead role of Summer Dean, a troubled teen who bounces from foster home to foster home while her mother is in jail. She is eventually sent to live with her uncle whom she has never met. The film was Nancy Criss' directorial feature debut.

In 2015, Carlson worked on Deadly Sanctuary (2015), her third film with Cain and second with Nancy Criss. She then had a lead role on A Horse Tail playing Patrick Muldoon's daughter. Carlson and Atkins worked on an indie film together less than two years later, titled The Sparrows: Nesting (2015) toured the film festivals.

Carlson finished filming Fishes 'N Loaves: Heaven Sent where Muldoon plays her father in a feature film for the second time. The film is a faith based film set to be released in 2016. She was in the 2015 season 12 premiere of Grey's Anatomy playing the role of Jessica Tanner. Carlson plays Sam Lambert in Roadside Stars.

In 2017, Carlson directed an episode of Creepy Chronicles. "The Keeper", was episode 102 in the series which debuted on Amazon Prime. She was also executive producer on episode 2 and on episode 3 called "Pool Party", under her production company Smash the Glass Pictures.

Carlson joined Pure Flix's series, Hilton Head Island in season 2, recurring as troubled teen Katy Trisk.

Personal life Carlson is an activist against bullying, coming from the perspective of "living in that moment" during her elementary and middle school years. The bullying by schoolmates in grades 4–6 led her parents to choose home schooling for her. In 2013–14, she was a guest speaker on the TBTG Music Is My Language Tour around Southern California schools, promulgating a positive message of acceptance while advocating against bullying.

Carlson speaks with young girls about self-image and has written articles about the topic. She has visited underprivileged children in the Watts projects, supported the Ronald McDonald House of Pasadena fundraisers and visited chronically ill children at Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes 2010 Margaret & Izzy Little Margaret Short film 2011 Happy Holiday Christina 2011 Machine Gun Preacher Paige's Friend as Amanda Carlson 2012 Mary's Buttons Bessie 2012 Little Shadows Amy Short Film 2013 The Dead Kid Annie Baxter Starring role 2014 Naked Angel Little Girl Without Faith Filmed in 2009 2014 Small Town Santa Kara Langston Original title "Holiday Miracle" 2015 A Horse For Summer Summer Dean Starring role 2015 The Sparrows: Nesting Di 2015 Deadly Sanctuary Tiffany 2015 A Horse Tale Chloe Thompson Starring role, Original title "A Christmas Promise" 2016 Fishes 'N Loaves: Heaven Sent Chrissy Michaels Starring role, Lionsgate releasing 9/6/2016 2018 Mimesis: Nosferatu Amy Peterson Supporting

Television

Year Title Role Notes 2012 CSI: NY Kelly Dupars Episode 908: "Late Admissions" 2012 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Sister Episode 10.292 2013 Brenda Forever Young Brenda Miller NBC Pilot 2013 Scandal Annie Stanner Episode 216: "Top of the Hour" 2013 Totally! Amy Pilot 2015 I Didn't Do It Paula Episode 2.4: "Lindy & Logan Get Psyched!" 2015 Grey's Anatomy Jessica Tanner Episode 12.1: "Sledgehammer" 2016 Roadside Stars Sam Lambert Episode 1.1: "" 2018 Class Act Courtney Recurring (Season 1-2):4 Episodes 2018 Hilton Head Island Katy Trisk Recurring (Season 2):6 Episodes

Awards and nominations Association Year Category Nominated work Result Ref Young Artist Awards 2013 Best Performance in a TV Series Guest Starring Young Actress 11-13 years CSI:NY CSI: NY (season 9) Nominated 2014 Best Performance in a TV Series Guest Starring Young Actress 14-16 years Scandal Top of the Hour Nominated 2015 Best Performance in a Film for DVD Small Town Santa 2016 Best Performance in a Film for DVD Young actress A Horse For Summer Best Performance in a TV series Guest Starring Young Actress (14 – 21) Grey's Anatomy Sledgehammer (Grey's Anatomy) Best Guest Starring Young Actress 14 to 16 - TV Series Grey's Anatomy Sledgehammer (Grey's Anatomy) Nominated