Kim Dickens

American actress From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kim Dickens is an American actress. She is known for starring as Madison Clark in the AMC horror drama series Fear the Walking Dead (2015–2018; 2022–2023), Joanie Stubbs in HBO's Deadwood (2004–2006; 2019), and Detective Rhonda Boney in Gone Girl (2014).[2]

EducationVanderbilt University (BA)
OccupationActress
Yearsactive1990–present
Quick facts Born, Education ...
Kim Dickens
Dickens at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born
EducationVanderbilt University (BA)
OccupationActress
Years active1990–present
Partner
Close

She has also starred as Kate Baldwin in the Netflix political drama House of Cards (2015–2017), Cassidy Phillips on the ABC television series Lost (2006–2009) and has had film roles in Mercury Rising (1998), Hollow Man (2000), House of Sand and Fog (2003), The Blind Side (2009), and Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016).

Early life and education

Dickens was born in Huntsville, Alabama, to Pam (Clark) Howell and Justin Dickens,[3] a country-western singer.[4] She graduated from that city's Lee High School and attended Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in communications. Dickens soon moved to New York City, where she worked as a waitress, to continue her studies at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.[4]

Career

1990s

Dickens made her stage debut in a student production of David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago, at Vanderbilt University.[5] In 1995, she made her professional screen debut in Alan Taylor's comedy film Palookaville, playing Vincent Gallo's character's girlfriend.[6] Dickens spent the following year playing supporting roles in the made-for-television films Voice from the Grave and Two Mothers for Zachary. In 1997, Dickens returned to film, playing the female leading role opposite Vincent Gallo again in neo-noir thriller Truth or Consequences, N.M., directed by Kiefer Sutherland. The film received negative reviews from critics.[7] In 1998, she appeared in Great Expectations, a film adaptation of the Charles Dickens's novel, and had the female leading roles in Zero Effect and Mercury Rising. In 1999, she starred alongside Antonio Banderas in the comedy film, The White River Kid.[8]

2000s

In 2000, Dickens had co-starring roles in films Committed opposite Heather Graham, Hollow Man with Elisabeth Shue and Kevin Bacon, and The Gift starring Cate Blanchett. The following year, she played the lead in the independent film, Things Behind the Sun. Dickens received critical acclaim for her performance, and an Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead nomination.[9][10] Later in 2001, Dickens was a regular cast member in the short-lived CBS police drama series, Big Apple.[6] In 2003, she co-starred opposite Felicity Huffman and Eric Stoltz in the Showtime miniseries Out of Order.[11]

During the 2000s, Dickens mostly worked on television, playing Joanie Stubbs, the madam, in the HBO western Deadwood from 2004 to 2006. She was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 2007 for this role. She was a regular cast member in the unaired HBO comedy series, 12 Miles of Bad Road starring Lily Tomlin and Mary Kay Place.[12] She had recurring roles on Lost and Friday Night Lights. In film, Dickens co-starred in House of Sand and Fog (2003) with Jennifer Connelly and Ben Kingsley, Thank You for Smoking (2005), Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006), Red (2008) and The Blind Side (2009).[13]

2010s

Dickens at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con

From 2010 to 2013, Dickens was a regular on the HBO ensemble drama series, Treme, as chef Janette Desautel. From 2013 to 2014, she had a recurring role as Colette Jane in the FX crime drama, Sons of Anarchy.[14] In 2015, she had a recurring role in the Netflix political drama House of Cards. In film, she co-starred in Footloose (2011) and At Any Price (2012). In 2014, she had a major supporting role as Detective Rhonda Boney in the psychological thriller film Gone Girl, directed by David Fincher,[15][16] and in 2016, co-starred as the lead character's mother in Tim Burton's film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.[17]

In August 2015, Dickens began playing Madison Clark in The Walking Dead companion series, Fear the Walking Dead, on AMC.[18][19][20] Dickens left the series in June 2018.[21] She returned to the series in 2022.

2020s

Dickens appeared in the 2021 film Land.[22]

In December 2021, it was announced on Talking Dead that Dickens would be returning to Fear the Walking Dead in the seventh season and would be a series regular in its eighth season.[2] Dickens herself made a surprise guest appearance on the show to make the announcement to fans personally.

Personal life

Dickens moved to Los Angeles in the late 1990s.[23] She is currently in a relationship with musician and actress Leisha Hailey, known for being a member of the musical duo The Murmurs, as well as her role as Alice Pieszecki on The L Word.[24]

Filmography

Film

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes
1995 Palookaville Laurie
1997 Truth or Consequences, N.M. Addy Monroe
1998 Zero Effect Gloria Sullivan
Great Expectations Maggie
Mercury Rising Stacey
1999 The White River Kid Apple Lisa
2000 Committed Jenny
Hollow Man Sarah Kennedy Nominated — Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Best Supporting Actress - Science Fiction
The Gift Linda
2001 Things Behind the Sun Sherry Nominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead
2003 House of Sand and Fog Carol Burdon
2004 Goodnight, Joseph Parker Muriel
2005 Thank You for Smoking Jill Naylor
2006 Wild Tigers I Have Known The Counselor
2007 Waiting John's Wife Short film
2008 Red Carrie
2009 One Way to Valhalla Jenny
The Blind Side Mrs. Boswell
2011 Footloose Lulu Warnicker
2012 At Any Price Irene Whipple
2014 Gone Girl Detective Rhonda Boney Nominated — Central Ohio Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
Nominated — Georgia Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble
2016 Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children Maryann Portman
2018 Lizzie Emma Borden
2019 The Highwaymen Gladys Hamer
2021 Land Emma
2022 The In Between Vickie
The Good Nurse Linda Garran
Close

Television

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Role Notes
1995 New York News Unknown Episode: "Cost of Living"
1996 Swift Justice Annie Peters Episode: "Out on a Limb"
Voice from the Grave Terry Deveroux Television film
Two Mothers for Zachary Nancy
1997 Spin City Veronica Episode: "Kiss Me, Stupid"
Heart Full of Rain Susan Doyle Television film
2001 Big Apple Sarah Day 8 episodes
2003 Out of Order Danni 6 episodes
2004–2006 Deadwood Joanie Stubbs 33 episodes
Nominated — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series
2006 Numb3rs Crystal Hoyle 2 episodes
2006–2009 Lost Cassidy Phillips 4 episodes
2008 12 Miles of Bad Road Jonelle Shakespeare 6 episodes
1% Rhonda Unsold television pilot
2008–2009 Friday Night Lights Shelby Saracen 11 episodes
2009 FlashForward Kate Stark Episode: "137 Sekunden"
2010 Reviving Ophelia Le Anne Television film
2010–2013 Treme Janette Desautel 36 episodes
2013 Second Sight Samantha Wilde Unsold television pilot
2013–2014 Sons of Anarchy Colette Jane 7 episodes
2013 White Collar Jill Episode: "Quantico Closure"
2014 Red Zone Helen Weller Unsold television pilot[25]
2015–2017 House of Cards Kate Baldwin 9 episodes
2015–2018;
2022–2023
Fear the Walking Dead Madison Clark Lead role (seasons 14, 8)
Guest star (season 7)
Nominated — Saturn Award for Best Actress on Television (2016–2017)[26][27]
2016–2018; 2021 Talking Dead Herself 7 episodes
2019 Deadwood: The Movie Joanie Stubbs Television film
2020 Briarpatch Eve Raytek 9 episodes
2025 The Better Sister Nancy Guidry 8 episodes
Close

Video games

More information Year, Title ...
Year Title Voice role Notes
2020 Half-Life: Alyx Scientist
Close

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI