Wendy Lyon Explained

Wendy Lyon
Birth Place:Canada
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1985–present
Spouse:Ken Girotti[1]
Children:1

Wendy Lyon (born 1960)[2] is a Canadian film and television actress. She began her career in television, appearing on the miniseries Anne of Green Gables (1985) before having a recurring role on the Canadian series The Campbells (1986–1990). She made her feature film debut in a leading role in the supernatural horror film (1987).

Lyon continued to appear in television throughout the 1990s, including providing the voice of Queen Serenity in the animated series Sailor Moon (1995). She returned to film with supporting roles in Focus (2001) and Childstar (2004). In the 2010s, she appeared in supporting parts in the thriller Regression (2015), Guillermo del Toro's fantasy film The Shape of Water (2017), and in a recurring role in the political thriller series Designated Survivor (2019).

Career

In 1985, Lyon appeared in the Canadian miniseries Anne of Green Gables as Prissy Andrews.[3] The following year, she starred in an episode of American Playhouse, "Valentine's Revenge," opposite Victor Ertmanis. Lyon subsequently had a recurring role as Rebecca Simms in the series The Campbells, on which she appeared between 1986 and 1990.[4] She made her feature film debut as the lead in the supernatural horror film (1987), playing a teenager haunted (and eventually possessed) by a vengeful spirit.[2] Betsy Sherman praised Lyon's performance, writing that "Lyon does a good job making the transition from fair to foul."[5]

Lyon went on to work in television through the 1980s and 1990s, and provided voice work for multiple episodes of Sailor Moon in 1995. She returned to film with a minor role in the drama Focus (2001), starring William H. Macy and Laura Dern, followed by the independent comedy Childstar (2004).[6] In 2010, she appeared in three episodes of the ABC series Happy Town. Lyon had a minor role in the psychological thriller Regression (2015) before appearing in Guillermo del Toro's critically acclaimed fantasy film The Shape of Water (2017). In 2019, Lyon had a multi-episode arc on the American political thriller series Designated Survivor, starring Kiefer Sutherland.[7]

Personal life

Lyon is married to director Ken Girotti, with whom she has one daughter, Erika.[1]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1987Vicki Carpenter[8]
1989Brown Bread SandwichesMiss Walsh
1990Divided LoyaltiesLady Mary Johnson
1997Mrs. BaskinTelevision film
1999Hidden AgendaDonna Barnes
2000data-sort-value="Sandy Bottom Orchestra, The" The Sandy Bottom OrchestraMrs. EricksonTelevision film
2001FocusElsie
2004ChildstarMiss Kelly
2007LightchasersNatalie Short film[9]
2007KawLuanne
2007Lies and CrimesMarciaTelevision film
2008MenaceSally RanfieldTelevision film
2015RegressionNorma
2017data-sort-value="Shape of Water, The" The Shape of WaterSally
2022All I Didn’t Want for ChristmasLindaTelevision film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1985Anne of Green GablesPrissy AndrewsMiniseries
1986American PlayhouseAnnabelEpisode: "Valentine's Revenge"[10]
1987Night HeatBetty SansaEpisode: "Limo"
1988Mary FraserEpisode: "And Now the News"[11]
1990T. and T.Beth KnightlyEpisode: "Decker's Ex"
1986–1990data-sort-value="Campbells, The" The CampbellsRebecca Sims35 episodes
1993E.N.G.CaroleEpisode: "Mirror, Mirror"
1995CynthiaEpisode: "May I Walk with You"
1995TekWarJennyEpisode: "Forget Me Not"
1995Sailor MoonQueen Serenity / Stormy Kincaid / various6 episodes; voice role
1997Dead Man's GunErica BeaconEpisode: "Buryin' Sam"
1998Sarah BooneEpisode: "Through the Looking Glass"
2000Real Kids, Real AdventuresMomEpisode: "Explosion: The Christopher Wise Story"
2001Twice in a LifetimeJaneEpisode: "Daddy's Girl"
2002Street TimeMrs. SloanEpisode: "Random Act"
2002Soul FoodTammy BealEpisode: "Let's Do it Again"
2008data-sort-value="Border, The" The BorderJune BardenEpisode: "Articles of Faith"
2009Murdoch MysteriesMelva MoffatEpisode: "Snakes and Ladders"
2010Happy TownDonna Friddle3 episodes[12]
2011Warehouse 13Mrs. BellEpisode: "Trials"
2012Wrath of Grapes: The Don Cherry Story IIMaude CherryEpisode: "Night One"
2012data-sort-value="Listener, The" The ListenerChristine LawrenceEpisode: "Curtain Call"
2013Call Me FitzMaggie MurphyEpisode: "The Hard Wiener of Truth"
2017PureIrma Wiebe5 episodes
2019Designated SurvivorCarrie Rhodes8 episodes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ken Girotti. Canadian Film Centre. https://web.archive.org/web/20170710160210/http://cfccreates.com/alumni/646. July 10, 2017. live.
  2. News: Edmonton Journal. Locally-made thriller's debut has actress on edge. October 8, 1987. 21. Horton. Marc. Edmonton, Alberta. Newspapers.com.
  3. Web site: Wendy Lyon Filmography and Movies. Fandango. October 13, 2019.
  4. Book: Tate, Marsha Ann. 2007. Canadian Television Programming Made for the United States Market: A History with Production and Broadcast Data. McFarland. Jefferson, North Carolina. 145. 978-0-786-42745-1.
  5. News: The Boston Globe. December 5, 1987. No thrills or chills in 'Prom Night'. Sherman, Betsy. 14. Newspapers.com.
  6. Web site: Childstar (2004). Movie Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20191013060031/https://movietimes.com/movies/childstar/celebrities. October 13, 2019. live.
  7. Web site: Noovie. National CineMedia. Wendy Lyon. https://web.archive.org/web/20191013060404/https://www.noovie.com/people/wendy-lyon-221900. October 13, 2019. live.
  8. Web site: AllMovie. Wendy Lyon. October 13, 2019.
  9. Web site: BLind Dog Films. Lightchasers Cast. https://archive.today/20191013063743/https://www.blinddogfilms.ca/films2b.html. October 13, 2019. live.
  10. News: The New York Times. 'Valentine's Revenge,' Adaptation from O. Henry. February 3, 1986. O'Connor, John J.. https://web.archive.org/web/20150524183455/https://www.nytimes.com/1986/02/03/arts/valentine-s-revenge-adaptation-from-o-henry.html. May 24, 2015. live.
  11. . And Now the News. October 10, 1988. 2. 3.
  12. Web site: Wendy Lyon Credits . https://web.archive.org/web/20100626034606/https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/wendy-lyon/178933/ . 2010-06-26 . October 13, 2019 . TV Guide.