Natalie Zea

Natalie Zea (born March 17, 1975) is an American actress known for her performances on television. Zea began her acting career in theatre. Her first major role was on the NBC daytime soap opera Passions (2000–2002), where she played the role of Gwen Hotchkiss. Her breakout role was on the ABC primetime soap opera Dirty Sexy Money as socialite Karen Darling, where she starred from 2007 to 2009. Zea also has made many guest appearances on television, starred in a number of independent and made-for-television movies, and had recurring roles in The Shield, Hung, Californication, and The Unicorn.

In 2010, Zea began starring as Winona Hawkins in the FX critically acclaimed crime drama series Justified as a regular cast member during the first three seasons and recurring guest star later. In 2013, she also began starring as Claire Matthews in the Fox drama series The Following. Zea played lead character Mickey Holmes-Harris on the canceled-before-airing ABC dramedy series, Members Only, and starred in the 2016–2019 TBS sitcom The Detour. In 2020, Zea had a recurring role as Shannon in the CBS sitcom The Unicorn.

Early life Zea was born in Houston, Texas, attending high school in Monahans, graduating in 1993. She graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York City in 1995. Also in 1995, Zea co-starred as Lana Tisdel in the short film Boys Don't Cry. In the 1999 feature film version of Boys Don't Cry, the role was played by Chloë Sevigny.

Career

1995–2009 Zea began her career in an Off-Broadway theatre, appearing in productions of The Three Sisters and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

In 2004, Zea was cast in a recurring role in the FX police drama series The Shield. She played the role of Lauren Riley, a love interest of Michael Chiklis' character Vic Mackey. The following year, Zea won her first series regular role on primetime television, on the ABC drama series, Eyes opposite Tim Daly. The series was canceled after a single season. Her next major role was on the ABC primetime soap opera/comedy-drama Dirty Sexy Money opposite Jill Clayburgh, Donald Sutherland and Peter Krause. Zea played spoiled socialite Karen Darling. The soap aired from 2007 to 2009, and was canceled after two seasons. In 2009, she had a recurring role during the first season of the HBO comedy series Hung. She also had many guest-starring roles, on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Two and a Half Men, Without a Trace, Medium, Franklin & Bash, and Person of Interest.

2010–present In 2010, Zea began starring as series regular during the first three seasons of the FX drama Justified, changing to a recurring role from Season 4. She played the role of Winona Hawkins, the ex-wife of Raylan Givens. Zea was originally a guest star in the pilot for Justified, but was made a regular right after the pilot with a two-year deal. In film, Zea had supporting role in the 2010 comedy The Other Guys. As lead actress, she co-starred alongside Sean Patrick Flanery in the 2011 independent thriller InSight, and in the Lifetime movie Burden of Evil (2012).

In 2013, Zea starred in the major role of Dr. Claire Matthews, the estranged wife of a serial killer in the Fox drama series, The Following. She returned to show in second season on a recurring basis. Also in 2013, she had a recurring role as Maxine Seagrave, a drug and gambling kingpin, on the first season of CBS summer series, Under the Dome. Later in that year, Zea was cast in her first series leading role of the Amazon comedy pilot The Rebels. The pilot premiered in February 2014, but was not picked up to series. Later in that year, Zea was cast in two independent films: Too Late in the female lead role opposite John Hawkes, and The Grey Lady as lead character.

On August 4, 2014, it was announced that Zea was cast as lead character in the straight-to-series ordered ABC primetime soap opera, Members Only. She plays the role of Mickey Holmes-Harris the "most well-educated and put-together member of the family that founded the country club around which the show is centered." Members Only was cancelled by ABC before premiere. On December 2, 2014, Zea was cast as lead opposite Jason Jones in the TBS vacation comedy The Detour.

On February 26, 2020, Zea began in the lead role of Eve Harris in the NBC apocalyptic drama series La Brea, written by David Appelbaum.

In 2020, Zea had recurring roles in 9-1-1: Lone Star and The Unicorn.

Personal life In June 2013, Zea announced her engagement to her former Passions co-star Travis Schuldt after 10 years of dating. The couple married on July 16, 2014, in Hawaii. In June 2015, they announced they were expecting their first child together. In October 2015, Zea gave birth to a daughter named Reygan.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1995 Boys Don't Cry Lana Tisdel Short 1999 Macbeth in Manhattan Samantha/First Witch Lucid Days in Hell Naomi 2008 From a Place of Darkness Brenda 2010 The Other Guys Christinith 2011 InSight Kaitlyn The Sexy Dark Ages Gwendolyn Short Method Actress Short 2012 Burden of Evil Caitlyn Conner TV movie 2013 Sweet Talk Delilah 2015 Grey Lady Melissa Reynolds Too Late Mary Mahler 2019 Lady Hater Premstar Short 2020 The F**k-It List Kristen 2021 Happily Karen

Television Year Title Role Notes 2000 D.C. - Episode: "Blame" 2001 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Needra Fenway Episode: "Gentle, Gentle" 2002 MDs Ghost Episode: "R.I.P." 2000–02 Passions Gwen Hotchkiss Winthrop Regular Cast 2004 The Shield Lauren Riley Recurring Cast: Season 3 2005 Two and a Half Men Colleen Episode: "We Called It Mr. Pinky" Eyes Trish Agermeyer Main Cast 2006 Freddie Sally Episode: "Freddie and the Hot Mom" Without a Trace Jennifer Nichols Episode: "Crossroads" Just Legal - Episode: "The Rainmaker" 2007–09 Dirty Sexy Money Karen Darling Main Cast 2009 Hung Jemma Recurring Cast: Season 1 Medium Sophie Cullen Episode: "Deja Vu All Over Again" 2010 The Defenders ADA Meredith Kramer Recurring Cast Law & Order: Los Angeles Sarah Goodwin Episode: "Hondo Field" 2010–15 Justified Winona Hawkins Main Cast: Season 1-3, Recurring Cast: Season 4-6 2011 Franklin & Bash Isabella Kaplowitz Episode: "She Came Upstairs to Kill Me" Royal Pains Judy Windland Episode: "Traffic" Person of Interest Diane Hanson Episode: "Pilot" 2012–13 Californication Carrie Recurring Cast: Season 5, Guest: Season 6 2013 Under the Dome Maxine Seagrave Recurring Cast: Season 1 2013–14 The Following Claire Matthews Main Cast: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 2016–19 The Detour Robin Randall Main Cast 2017 White Famous Amy Von Getz Recurring Cast 2020 9-1-1: Lone Star Zoe Episodes: "Studs" & "Awakening" 2020–21 The Unicorn Shannon Guest: Season 1, Recurring Cast: Season 2 2021–24 La Brea Eve Harris Main Cast: Season 1-2, Guest: Season 3 2023 Justified: City Primeval Winona Hawkins Episode: "The Question" 2024–present Chicago Med Jackie Nelson, R.N. Guest: Season 9 Recurring Cast: Season 10–present 2026 Fire Country Camille Thurston, M.D. Recurring Cast: Season 4–present