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Kate Walsh

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9.4 Superb
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Biography

Recent Role:
Dr. Addison Forbes Montgomery on Private Practice
Gender:
Female
Born:
10-13-1967
Birthplace:
San Jose, California, USA
Birth Name:
Kathleen Erin Walsh
American film and television actress Katherine Erin Walsh, Kate Walsh as she is known in show business, is widely known by television fans worldwide as Dr. Addison Montgomery on the ABC medical dramas Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice. While she was born in San Jose, California, Kate was raised in Tucson, Arizona, where she finished high school at Catalina Magnet. She then enrolled at the University of Arizona to study acting. WhileMore there, Walsh got involved in regional theater productions before moving to Chicago to work at the renowned Piven Theatre Workshop and eventually perform for the Chicago Shakespeare Repertory in plays such as Trolius and Cressida, Flesh and Blood, Happy Birthday, Wanda June, and A Pinter Landscape.

After a year, she transferred to New York City and joined the comedy troupe Burn Manhattan, with whom she got to perform in Off-Broadway productions of Flight Courier and The Four Twins. While in New York, Kate did several movie and television projects including her small-screen debut on NBC's crime drama Homicide: Life on the Street. Her first big break came when she was flew out from New York to Los Angeles to portray the obese real estate agent Nicki Fifer who dated and became engaged to Drew Carey in The Drew Carey Show. Working in L.A., she also had the chance to work with Nicolas Cage in The Family Man (2000), Diane Lane and Grey's Anatomy co-star Sandra Oh in Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), and Will Ferrell in Kicking & Screaming (2005).

Apart from a slew of not-so-memorable film appearances from the late-'90s to the mid-2000s, Walsh had notable roles on television as Jenny, Norm MacDonald's love interest on Norm, as Carol Nelson on the HBO comedy The Mind of a Married Man, and the transsexual Mimosa in an episode of CSI. In 2005, Kate was introduced as the ex-wife of Dr. Derek Shepherd (played by Patrick Dempsey) and ex-lover of Dr. Mark Sloane (played by Eric Dane) at the end of Grey's Anatomy's pilot season. For the next three seasons, her role as Seattle Grace' premier neonatal surgeon and her character's romantic entanglement with the hospital's top neurosurgeon and plastic surgeon would draw the attention of the series' countless fans and catapult Walsh into instant Hollywood stardom. In 2007, show creator Shonda Rhimes decided to come up with the series spin-off Private Practice and cast Walsh as the female lead.

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  • Person Submission Guidelines

    Kindly read these Person Submission Guidelines prior to submission. Thanks.

    1 comments, last one Aug 5, 2009
  • Kate Walsh Quips & Quotes

    TV.com has set a ceiling on the number of quotes that can be submitted to an editorless guide to ten (10). I've set mine to fifteen (15). If you think your potential quote submission is more interesting and/or more up-to-date, PM me first before replacing any existing quote on the guide. More I've transferred some of the excess quotes from the Quotes Section of the guide. Please feel free to add on quotes to this thread. Kate : (after learning about having her own spin-off series) I definitely like writing down goals, where I want to be, how I imagine it. But... I didn't write down I'd like my own spin-off. Kate : (on kissing both McDreamy and McSteamy, her onscreen partners in " Grey's Anatomy ") It's not a bad way to make a living. Kate : (her thoughts on the season two finale of " Grey's Anatomy " ) When I watched the season finale, I was a little disturbed by it. I thought the Derek and Meredith love scene was sort of like, 'You (the audience) got what you wanted. How do you feel about it?' Because it was so great, but it was also like eating a whole pie and a Haagen-Dazs. You feel a little sick. Kate : (on why women are attracted to McDreamy and McSteamy , her onscreen partners in " Grey's Anatomy " ) Besides being good-looking and sexy, McDreamy and McSteamy fulfill the fantasy of women. We're socialized almost at a pre-natal age to marry a doctor, so there is something in the white coat that says, 'He'll listen to me and he'll heal me'. Kate : (on the " Grey's Anatomy " fans' reaction to her character, Addison) The only thing I would get was, 'We love the show but we're rooting for Meredith'. But now I hear more of, 'It's so funny…we hated you and now we love you.' Kate : (on why she thinks " Grey's Anatomy " fans like Addison) Even if fans want Derek to be with Meredith, they sympathize with Addison. She's just like every woman struggling to make a relationship work. Kate : (her take on the Shepherd/Meredith love triangle on " Grey's Anatomy " ) It's a very realistic portrayal of what would actually happen if somebody cheated on their spouse and tried to work it out. Everybody initially says, 'Of, if anybody ever cheated on me, I'd dump them immediately and leave'. Realistically, you try to save the relationship. Kate : (on her " Grey's Anatomy " character, Addison becoming more likeable) The writers do a great job of showing more of who Addison is. She comes in as the evil vixen and gradually becomes more humanized. It was fun to come in playing the wicked witch from the east, all in black, red lips and Prada - the nemesis. They wanted to make her three-dimensional, not just this stereotypical TV cow. Kate : I think it's important to show that I have a lot of audiences and fans that are young girls and teenagers too who are, like, hey, this is what life can be. It doesn't have to be just one way, or a cookie-cutter way. You don't have to be young and anorexic or with the hottest guy or married or whatever. There's lots of different ways you can be. Kate : I don't think anyone gets married thinking that they will get divorced. We certainly did not. Alex and I still care for each other, and I wish him nothing but the best. The silver lining to this, however, is that I have a wonderful family and a great group of friends who really showed their support and encouragement, and for that I am truly grateful.

    1 comments, last one Jun 19, 2009
  • What do you guys think of Kate Walsh?

    Me I absoultely love her. She is my all time fav. actress and my all time fav. doctor on the show. Shes the best. But tell me what you think about her.

    23 comments, last one Aug 14, 2008
  • Kate on ER???

    Kate is listed, on imdb, as a guest star of an er's episode, "day one", the series premiere. I just watched this episode and I did not see her :( Does anyone know anything about it? She was credit as Kathleen Walsh, and it's supposed to be Kate's 1st tv appearance. I'll watch again to try toMore see her...

    5 comments, last one May 5, 2008
  • Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Kate Walsh

    Welcome to the TV.com Forums for Kate Walsh. Here is your area to discuss, dissect and debate all things about this person.

    1 comments, last one Jul 19, 2006
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  •  
    10 Perfect
    A terrific Actress hide show

    I first saw her playing a lesbian on "Under the Tuscan sun", and then on "bewitched" and others, and it was hard not to notice her, even on a small role.

    But I rapidly became a fan of Kate Walsh after I saw her on Grey's Anatomy, I mean; we were supposed to hate her as she was the "nemesis" of the leading lady.

    But Kate showed something not many actresses have these days: Charm!
    She was so charming as Adisson, the cheating ex-wife, that we just had to love her. She took the character and made it hers. Her acting makes us relate to her, and feel her love, hate, sadness and fun. She is just a great actress to watch. I enjoy every episode she's in.

    And her looks? One word: Stunning!

    I can't wait to see what she can offer for the future.

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  •  
    5 Mediocre
    Seriously overrated. hide show

    So this actress goes from the Drew Carey Show to being such a popular actress on primetime television? How does that make any sense. Before, nobody would have known who Kate Walsh was. All of a sudden she is so talented? Sorry, but she is really overrated as an actress. I am not sure what people see in her acting ability, but to me, she's just average. She makes all these stupid faces and can't seem to be convincing when she is trying to be serious. Overall, I think she is overrated and isn't quite as good as people would like to believe. Thank you.

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    10 Perfect
    Kate Walsh is just one of the hottest lady on the TV. She's obviously the reason why I see Private Practice. Can't live without seen her. She's so gorgeous and sexy. And such an excellent actress. She can make you feel anything and touch your heart. hide show

    Since I first saw Kate Walsh on Gray's Anatomy, I've been keeping track of her in the serie. And quickly she became one of my favorite characters on GA. She started on the serie like this hot sophisticated woman with a strong personality treating poor Meredith with coldness and indifference. But then turn into this charming woman who only wants to save her marriage after screwing things but her husband's best friend Mark Sloan. When she left Gray's Anatomy, I said: "No way!" But later I've found out that she'll starring a spin-off, Private Practice. And guess what? She still is hot Dr. Montgomery but hotter and with a sexy tan.

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    10 Perfect
    Kate Walsh is awesome and beautiful! hide show

    I have to say, i miss her on Grey's Anatomy, it is not the same thing without Kate Walsh there, she has her own show but on Grey's Anatomy she shined even more!
    she is an amazing,beautiful and sexy!
    I hope she keeps doing tv, it is def. her thing and her character dra. Addison is great!
    hopeful we will see her back on the serie, who knows?
    Kate deserves to be a bigger star. :)

    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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    10 Perfect
    From Grey's Anatomy to Private Practice. Kate Walsh has hit it big time in her top scoring roles. She came in as Addison Shepherd and left as Addison Montgomery into Private Practice. Kate walsh is a fresh burst of laughter and joy to be around. hide show

    Talk about great, Kate Walsh nails being the best character she plays in every part. Everytime She is seen, she is filled with laughter and humour. She would be your best friend and a joy in your life. I first officially recognised Kate Walsh in the hit Tv drama "Grey's Anatomy" but I first saw her in a tv sitcom named "Eyes". She played a brilliant character there an I fell in love with her character played as 'Addison' on Grey's. I enjoy watching her work because I know that I'm in for a good show. Keep it up Kate. You have drawn a lot of attention from everyone. You are my favourite character and my favourite person.

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