Susan Walters

Susan Walters is an American actress, best known for her roles as Lorna Forbes on the ABC daytime soap opera Loving from 1983 to late 1986 and as Diane Jenkins on the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless from 2001 to 2004, again briefly in 2010, and once more starting in March 2022. For her performance in this role, she won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2025. She had recurring roles as Principal Rimkus on The CW's One Tree Hill, as Carol Lockwood on The CW's The Vampire Diaries and as Natalie Martin on the MTV series Teen Wolf.

Life and career Walters began her television career playing Lorna Forbes Perelli on the soap opera Loving from the pilot in June 1983 to late 1986. Her first role after Loving was in the 1987 film Russkies.

Aaron Spelling hired Walters for several of his productions: in Hotel during its last season (as Ryan Thomas) 1987–1988; in the 1988 television miniseries Elvis and Me as Priscilla Presley; in Nightingales (as Bridget Loring) 1988–1989; and in Melrose Place (as Tiffany Hart).

Other credits include a starring role in 1990 in Dear John, the short-lived prime time series Point Pleasant, and a guest role on CSI: Miami. In 1993, she played Lee Gilrich in an episode of Murder, She Wrote. She garnered attention for her appearances as "Mulva" (real name Dolores) on Seinfeld, which she played in 1993 and again in 1996.

Walters starred as Anne Osborne in the TV series of The Big Easy on the USA Network in 1996. In 1999, she appeared in the Disney Channel movie Horse Sense, as well as its 2001 sequel, Jumping Ship. In 2000, she also portrayed the lead character opposite her husband Linden Ashby on the TV-series The War Next Door.

From 2001 through 2004, she returned to daytime soap opera when she took on the role of Diane Jenkins on The Young and the Restless. In 2010, Walters reprised the role for two episodes.

In 2009, Walters starred in the episode "Pilot" of the first season of Drop Dead Diva alongside her husband, Linden Ashby, as a couple getting divorced. After portraying Principal Rimkus on One Tree Hill in 2009, Walters recurred in the role of Carol Lockwood on The Vampire Diaries from 2009 through 2012.

In 2014, Walters made guest star or recurring appearances on three different series: She played Maia in the CW series Star-Crossed, Lindsay in the CBS series Reckless and Natalie Martin on the MTV series Teen Wolf. In 2015, Walters starred in season 2 episode 7 of How to Get Away with Murder.

In 2022, Walters returned to her role as Diane Jenkins at the conclusion of the March 23, 2022, episode of The Young and the Restless.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Russkies Diane 1991 Defending Your Life Daniel's Wife 1992 Galaxies Are Colliding Beth 1996 Two Guys Talkin' About Girls Cindy One Direct-to-video 1997 'Til There Was You Robin Two Came Back Allie 2002 Gale Force Susan Billings Direct-to-video 2010 Blood Done Sign My Name Martha Tyson Slow Moe Mrs. Beth Mobley 2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Mall Mother Cameo 2013 Grape Shari Short film 2014 Kill the Messenger Los Angeles Times Editor Cameo 2017 Wedding Wonderland Deidre Reynolds 2018 Virginia Minnesota Suzette 2020 Honesty Weekend Naomi Goodson 2021 Aftermath Farrah

Television Year Title Role Notes 1983–1986 Loving Lorna Forbes 1987 The Facts of Life Cynthia Parks Episode: "Younger Than Springtime" Who's the Boss Kitty Episode: "Mona" 1987–1988 Hotel Ryan Thomas 11 episodes 1988 Elvis and Me Priscilla Beaulieu Presley Television film Nightingales Bridget Loring Television film Simon & Simon Marian Fitzwalter Episode: "The Merry Adventures of Robert Hood" 1989 Nightingales Bridget Loring Main role; 13 episodes Hardball Madeline Warwick Episode: "The Silver Scream" 1990 Grand Slam Ann Television film In the Line of Duty: A Cop for the Killing Julie Tobias Television film 1990–1992 Dear John Mary Beth Sutton Recurring role; 55 episodes 1993 Murder, She Wrote Lee Gillrich Episode: "For Whom the Ball Tolls" Matlock Melanie Kerns Episode: "The Haunted" 1993–1996 Seinfeld Dolores/Mystery Woman Episodes: "The Junior Mint" & "The Foundation" 1994 The Counterfeit Conressa Palmer Hewitt Television film XXX's & OOO's Reed Barrett Television film 1995 Texas Justice Karen Masters Television film Strange Luck Rosemary Episode: "Walk Away" 1996–1997 The Big Easy Anne Osborne 22 episodes 1997 Spy Game Margo DeSalle Episode: "Dead and Gone, Honey" Nash Bridges Mary Tod Butler Episode: "Lost and Found" Two Came Back Allie Television film 1998 Hotel del Sol Episode: "Pilot" Caroline in the City Laura Sterling Episode: "Caroline and the Reluctant Father" Melrose Place Christine Denton / Tiffany Hart 7 episodes I Married a Monster Kelly Victoria Drummond Television film Love Boat: The Next Wave Amy Episode: "Dust, Lust, Destiny" 1999 Where the Truth Lies Penny Morgan Television film Horse Sense Jules Biggs Television film 1999–2000 Family Law Tina Episodes: "Holt vs. Holt" & "Necessity" 2000 The War Next Door Lili Smith Main Role; 8 episodes Providence Kerry King Episode: "The Reunion" 2001 Jumping Ship Jules Biggs Television film Crossing Jordan Gail Horton Episode: "The Ties That Bind" 2001–2004, 2010, 2022–present The Young and the Restless Diane Jenkins 304 episodes 2002 The Ellen Show Katie Episode: "Shallow Gal" 2003 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Merrit Episode: "Forever" Carnivale Young Becca Donovan Episode: "Tipton" 2004 JAG Rachel Smithfield Episode: "Coming Home" Summerland Carol McFarlane Episode: "To Thine Self Be True" Combustion Allison Saunders Television film 2005–2006 Point Pleasant Meg Kramer Main role; 13 episodes 2006 CSI: Miami Mary Kinnan Episode: "Speed Kills" Cold Case Jane Robinson Episode: "Joseph" Split Decision Debris Radford Television film 2007 Without a Trace Jenny Darcy Episode: "Without You" Framed for Murder Claire Television film 2009 One Tree Hill Principal Rimkus Recurring role; 3 episodes Drop Dead Diva Vicki Wellner Episode: "Pilot" Army Wives Annette Episode: "Shrapnel and Alibis" 2009–2012 The Vampire Diaries Carol Lockwood Recurring role; 33 episodes 2010 Marry Me Stella Grafton Television Mini-series 2011–2017 Teen Wolf Natalie Martin Guest role (seasons 1–2); Recurring role (seasons 3–6); 24 episodes 2013 The Following Prosecutor Episode: "Pilot" Perception Anne Wallace Episode: "Toxic" 2014 Star-Crossed Maia Recurring role; 5 episodes Reckless Lindsay Adams Recurring role; 4 episodes 2015 Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce Karen Episode: "Rule #3: Don't Stand in the Doorway" How to Get Away with Murder Sharon Tidwell Episode: "I Want You to Die" 2016, 2018–2020, 2022 The Flash Dr. Carla Tannhauser Guest role; 6 episodes 2017 When the Street Lights Go On Mrs. Munroe Unaired television series 2018 NCIS Marcy Brooks Episode: "Fallout" The Fosters Diane Hunter Recurring role; 3 episodes Murdered at 17 Carley Emerson Television film 2019–2021 Good Trouble Diane Hunter 3 episodes 2021 Tell Me Your Secrets Angela Miller Recurring role; 2 episodes The Rookie Sloan Episode: "Fire Fight"

Video games Year Title Role Notes 1993 X-Men MystiqueVoice role 1995 X-Men 2: Clone Wars MystiqueVoice role

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref. 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Young and the Restless