Sonya Walger (born 6 June 1974) is a British and American actress. She had a starring role in the HBO sitcom The Mind of the Married Man (2001–2002) before landing her role as Penny Widmore in the ABC drama series Lost (2006–2010). Walger later starred on Tell Me You Love Me (2007), FlashForward (2009–2010), Common Law (2012), The Catch (2016–2017) and For All Mankind (2019–2022).

Sonya Walger
Walger in 2019
Born (1974-06-06) 6 June 1974 (age 50)
Hampstead, London, United Kingdom
NationalityEnglish-American
Occupation(s)Actress, writer
Years active1998 – present
Spouse
(m. 2009)
Children2
Websitewww.sonya-walger.com

Early life

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Walger was born in Hampstead, London.[1] She was educated at the independent Wycombe Abbey School and at Christ Church, Oxford, where she studied English Literature, receiving a first class degree.[2] Walger is conversational in French and fluent in Spanish, as her father was Argentinian.[3]

Career

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Walger began her career on British television. In 1998, she guest-starred in an episode of ITV crime series, Midsomer Murders. She had the recurring role in the BBC 1 sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart in 1999, and appeared in two episodes of the crime/drama The Vice. Also in 1999, she played the daughter of newspaper magnate Max Van der Vuurst, Hilde, in the Heat of the Sun story "The Sport of Kings". The following year, Walger made her film debut in the biographical drama Eisenstein. In 2001, she moved to the United States and was cast as Donna Barnes on the HBO comedy series, The Mind of the Married Man. The series was cancelled after two seasons. In 2003, she starred on the short-lived U.S. version of Coupling, which aired on NBC. In 2004, Walger played Nicole Noone opposite Noah Wyle in the TNT television film, The Librarian: Quest for the Spear, for which she received Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television nomination.[4]

From 2006 to 2010, Walger had a recurring role as Penny Widmore in the ABC drama series, Lost. She also had recurring roles on Sleeper Cell, CSI: NY, and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. In 2007, Walger appeared in the original Broadway production of Frost/Nixon, as Charlotte Cushing, David Frost's then-girlfriend. Then she starred in the HBO series Tell Me You Love Me. From 2009 to 2010, Walger starred as Olivia Benford, a surgeon and wife of FBI agent Mark Benford (Joseph Fiennes) in the ABC series, FlashForward. Later in 2010, she appeared as Julia in season 3 of the HBO drama series In Treatment. She played John Cusack's wife in the 2011 Direct-to-video crime thriller The Factory.[5] In 2012, she was regular cast member in the USA Network short lived series Common Law. In 2013, Walger had a brief role in the comedy film Admission, as a Virginia Woolf scholar. From 2013 to 2014, Walger appeared on the NBC drama series Parenthood.

In 2014, Walger guest-starred in Shonda Rhimes' series Scandal as Katherine Winslow.[6] The following year, Walger was cast in the new Rhimes series The Catch, co-starring opposite Mireille Enos and Peter Krause.[7]

In 2018 she had a recurring role in her husband's show Get Shorty as Lila, an Argentine drug lord.

In 2019, Walger starred as NASA astronaut Molly Cobb in the first season of the Apple TV original science fiction space drama series For All Mankind. In 2021 and 2022, Walger returned for seasons two and three.

In 2023, Walger announced that she had written a book, Lion, about her father, to be published by New York Review Books in February 2025.[8]

In 2024, She starred in horror thriller New Life along with Hayley Erin.[9]

Personal life

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Walger married screenwriter/producer Davey Holmes in July 2009.[10] She gave birth to a daughter Billie Holmes on 14 February 2013.[11] She also gave birth to a son Jake Holmes in 2015. Walger became a U.S. citizen on 23 May 2013.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2000 Eisenstein Zina
2001 The Search for John Gissing Sister Mary
2002 40 Alice Short film
2004 The Librarian: Quest for the Spear Nicole Noone
2006 Caffeine Gloria
2012 The Factory Shelley
2013 Admission Helen
2013 Cold Turkey Lindsay
2014 The Gambler Angelina Uncredited
2015 The Escort Samantha
2016 Summer of 8 Diane
2018 Anon Kristen
2018 Then Came You Claire
2019 Clementine D.
2019 Bad Impulse Christine Sharpe
2020 Darkness Falls Jane Wilson
2023 New Life Elsa Gray [13] [14]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Heat of the Sun Hilde Van der Vuurst Episode: "The Sport of Kings"
1998 Mosley Barbara Hutchinson Episode: "Breaking the Mould"
1998 Midsomer Murders Becky Smith Episode: "Death of a Hollow Man"
1999 The Vice Emma Episodes: "Dabbling: Part 1" and "Dabbling: Part 2"
1999 Noah's Ark Miriam Miniseries
1999 Goodnight Sweetheart Flic 3 episodes
1999 Dangerfield Ana Mogollon Cabrera Episode: "Diminished Responsibility"
1999 All the King's Men Lady Frances Television film
2001–2002 The Mind of the Married Man Donna Barnes Series regular, 20 episodes
2003 Coupling Sally Harper Series regular, 10 episodes
2004 The Librarian: Quest for the Spear Nicole Noone Television film
Nominated— Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television
2004–2006 CSI: NY Jane Parsons 10 episodes
2005–2006 Sleeper Cell Special Agent Patrice Serxner 4 episodes
2006 Numb3rs Susan Berry Episode: "All's Fair"
2006–2010 Lost Penelope 'Penny' Widmore 13 episodes
Nominated— Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television (2009)
2007 Tell Me You Love Me Carolyn Series regular, 10 episodes
2008 Sweet Nothing in My Ear Joanna Tate Television film
2008 Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles Michelle Dixon 5 episodes
2009–2010 FlashForward Dr. Olivia Benford Series regular, 22 episodes
2010 In Treatment Julia 3 episodes
2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Anne Barnes Episode: "Father Dearest"
2012 Common Law Dr. Elise Ryan Series regular, 12 episodes
2013–2014 Parenthood Meredith Peet 6 episodes
2014 The Good Sister Kate / Linda Television film
2014 Scandal Katherine Winslow Episodes: "Inside the Bubble" and "The Key"
2014 Elementary Angela White Episode: "The Five Orange Pipz"
2014–2015 Power Madeline Stern 4 episodes
2015 The Leftovers Dr. Allison Herbert (voice) Episode: "The Lens"
2015 Scorpion Olivia Cromwell Episode: "US vs. UN vs. UK"
2016–2017 The Catch Margot Bishop Series regular
2016 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Marion Codwell Episode: "The Matchmaker"
2017 Ghosted Eckhart Episode: "Sam"
2018 Get Shorty Lila 6 episodes
2019–2022 For All Mankind Molly Cobb 17 episodes
2022 Night Sky Hanna 2 episodes

References

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  1. ^ "Sonya Walger: Summary". TV.com. 16 December 2009. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  2. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b0OWFCmYqk on Craig Ferguson
  3. ^ AskMen Editors. "Sonya Walger". AskMen. Archived from the original on 16 January 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2015. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "Sonya Walger". Metacritic. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  5. ^ "New Stills from Crime Thriller The Factory". Dread Central. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. ^ Michael Ausiello (19 August 2014). "'Scandal' Season 4: Sonya Walger Joins Cast in Secret Role - TVLine". TVLine. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  7. ^ Denise Petski (22 July 2015). "Sonya Walger Joins ABC's 'The Catch' As Kieren's Cohort - Deadline". Deadline. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  8. ^ Walger, Sonya [@sonyawalgerofficial] (29 June 2023). "I wrote a book!". Retrieved 23 February 2024 – via Instagram.
  9. ^ Manning, Thomas (2 May 2024). "A Conversation with "New Life" actors Hayley Erin and Sonya Walger". Elements of Madness. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  10. ^ Orloff, Brian (22 September 2009). "Lost's Sonya Walger Calls Married Life a 'Sweet Thing'". people,com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  11. ^ Walger, Sonya (5 March 2013). "Billie Rosie Holmes, born on Valentine's Day, love of our lives and bane of our sleep". Twitter. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  12. ^ Walger, Sonya (23 May 2013). "3290 new citizens. And I am one of them. Got a manicure as a mark of respect, you understand". Twitter. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
  13. ^ Vito Oddo, Marco (9 August 2023). "'New Life' Review: This Tense Horror-Thriller Has a Twist You Won't See Coming - Fantasia 2023". Collider. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  14. ^ Donato, Matt (9 August 2023). "New Life Review: A Blistering Horror Mystery Packed With Tension [Fantasia Fest 2023]". /Film. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
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