Abigail Spencer

Abigail Leigh Spencer (born August 4, 1981) is an American actress. She began her career playing Rebecca Tyree on the ABC daytime television soap opera All My Children (1999–2001), before going on to star in the Lifetime crime drama series Angela's Eyes (2006). She also had recurring roles on Mad Men (2009), Hawthorne (2010), and Suits (2011–2019). From 2013 to 2016, Spencer starred as Amantha Holden in the SundanceTV drama series Rectify, for which she received a nomination for a Critics' Choice Television Award. From 2016 to 2018, Spencer starred as history professor Lucy Preston in the NBC science-fiction series Timeless.

Abigail Spencer
Spencer in 2013
Born
Abigail Leigh Spencer

(1981-08-04) August 4, 1981
Gulf Breeze, Florida, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1999–present
Spouse(s)
Andrew Pruett
​
​
(m. 2004; div. 2013)​
Children1

Spencer has appeared in numerous films, such as In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), Chasing Mavericks (2012), The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013), Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and This Is Where I Leave You (2014).

Early life

Spencer was born and raised in Gulf Breeze, Santa Rosa County, Florida,[1] the daughter of Lydia Ann Brown and surfer Yancy Spencer III (1950-2011).[2] She has two brothers, Yancy Spencer IV (born c. 1973) and Sterling Spencer (born c. 1986). Spencer has claimed that she is part Cherokee.[3]

Career

Spencer's first major acting role was playing Rebecca "Becca" Tyree on ABC soap opera All My Children from June 3, 1999, to April 10, 2001.[4][5] She later starred in Lifetime Television original series Angela's Eyes, which was cancelled on December 1, 2006.[1] In the following years, she began playing guest roles on several television series, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, How I Met Your Mother, Private Practice and Castle.

Spencer played the role of a blogging enthusiast in Twix advertisements, and portrayed Miss Farrell, a love interest of Don Draper, on AMC's Mad Men in 2009. In early 2011, she landed the lead role on ABC drama pilot Grace by Krista Vernoff.[6] Spencer had previously played the title character in another Krista Vernoff drama pilot, Introducing Lennie Rose, in 2005.[7] Spencer appeared in a recurring role as Dr. Erin Jameson on the TNT series Hawthorne in 2010, and since 2011 has had a recurring role as Dana "Scottie" Scott, Gabriel Macht's character's old rival, on the USA Network legal drama Suits.[8][9]

Spencer at the 73rd Annual Peabody Awards

Spencer has appeared in several films, including In My Sleep (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), This Means War (2012), and Chasing Mavericks (2012), and she played the lead role in The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia (2013).[10] She appeared in fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful, directed by Sam Raimi, in 2013.[11]

From 2013-2017, Spencer starred as Amantha Holden in the Sundance Channel original drama series Rectify.[12] She was nominated for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama for her performance in the series.[13][14][15]

Spencer played the lead role in the indie drama A Beautiful Now, written by Daniela Amavia, about a passionate dancer who finds herself considering an extreme act when she reaches a crossroads in her life.[16] She was nominated for a Madrid International Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in film. In 2014, Spencer appeared opposite Jason Bateman in the comedy-drama film This Is Where I Leave You, an ensemble comedy directed by Shawn Levy,[17] and starred with John Travolta and Christopher Plummer in the crime thriller film The Forger.[18][19]

In October 2014, Spencer joined the cast of the second season of HBO crime drama series, True Detective.[20][21]

In 2016, Spencer was cast as lead character Lucy Preston in the NBC series Timeless,[22] where she plays a history professor sent on time travel missions to different eras in an effort to prevent others from disrupting the U.S.-related timestream.[23] A review of the series in Variety called Spencer "prodigiously talented" and that she played "a character whose major personality traits are 'smart' and 'plucky.'"[23] A review by Deadline Hollywood said that the show was a waste of Spencer's talents.[24] The New York Times wrote that "Abigail Spencer is good as Lucy, the spunky historian who is the show's central character."[25] Timeless was renewed by NBC on May 12, 2017. The network had canceled the series days earlier, but reversed the decision.[26] The series ended after two seasons.

Personal life

Spencer married Andrew Pruett in 2004 and filed for divorce in February 2012, divorcing in 2013.[27] She gave birth to their son in 2008.

Spencer was one of the guests at Meghan Markle’s wedding to Prince Harry at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on 19 May 2018.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2001 Campfire Stories Melissa
2003 Graduation Night Skye
2005 Fathers and Sons Clarissa
2005 A Coat of Snow Sandy
2006 Hooked Wendy Short film
2007 Passing the Time Jessica Short film
2007 Jekyll Talia Carew
2010 In My Sleep Gwen
2011 Cowboys & Aliens Alice
2012 This Means War Katie
2012 Chasing Mavericks Brenda Hesson
2013 The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia Lisa Wyrick
2013 Oz the Great and Powerful May
2013 Kilimanjaro Yvonne
2013 Here and Now Woman Short film
2014 A Beautiful Now Romy Nominated – Madrid International Film Festival Award for Best Actress
2014 This Is Where I Leave You Quinn Altman
2014 The Pieces Vanessa Short film
2014 The Forger Agent Paisley
2015 H8RZ Laura Sedgewick
2016 The Sweet Life Lolita
2017 The Heyday of the Insensitive Bastards Abigail

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1999–2001 All My Children Rebecca 'Becca' Tyree Won: Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer (2000)
2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Becky Lester Episode: "Bite Me"
2005 Introducing Lennie Rose Lennie Rose Pilot
2006 Killer Instinct Violet Summers Episode: "Love Hurts"
2006 Gilmore Girls Megan Episode: "Bridesmaids Revisited"
2006 Angela's Eyes Angela Henson Lead role (13 episodes)
2007 Ghost Whisperer Cindy Brown Episode: "Speed Demon"
2007, 2014 How I Met Your Mother Blah Blah (Carol) Episodes: "How I Met Everyone Else" and "Gary Blauman"
2008 Welcome to the Captain Claire Tanner Episode: "The Letter"
2008 Bones Phillipa Fitz Episode: "The Man in the Mud"
2008 Moonlight Simone Walker Episode: "Sonata"
2009 Rex Is Not Your Lawyer Lindsey Steers Pilot
2009 Private Practice Rachel Episode: "Ex-Life"
2009 Mad Men Suzanne Farrell Recurring role; 6 episodes
2009 Castle Sarah Reed Episode: "One Man's Treasure"
2010 The Glades Ashley Carter Episode: "The Girlfriend Experience"
2010 Hawthorne Dr. Erin Jameson Recurring role; 8 episodes
2011–2019 Suits Dana 'Scottie' Scott Recurring role; 14 episodes
2012–2013 Burning Love Annie Recurring role; 16 episodes
2013 NTSF:SD:SUV Abigail Episode: "Comic Con-Air"
2013–2016 Rectify Amantha Holden Main role
Nominated: Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (2013)
Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Drama (2014)
2015 True Detective Gena Brune Recurring role; 6 episodes
2016 Comedy Bang! Bang! Vanna Episode: "Zach Galifianakis Wears Rolled Khakis and Shoes With Brown Laces"
2016–2018 Timeless Lucy Preston Main role
Nominated: Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-Fi (2017)
2017 The Late Late Show with James Corden Kellyanne Conway 1 episode[28]
2017, 2019 Grey's Anatomy Megan Hunt Recurring role; 6 episodes
2019 Wayne Donna Lucetti Episode: "Del"
2019 Reprisal Katherine Harlow / Doris Dearie Main role

References
  1. "Abigail Spencer Biography". Buddy TV. Archived from the original on 2014-10-30. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  2. "Yancy Spencer III Obituary: View Yancy Spencer's Obituary by the Pensacola News Journal". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  3. Friedman, Jennifer D'Angelo. "*Hawthorne* Actress Reveals Her Beauty Secrets". self.com.
  4. "About AMC: About the Actors | Abigail Spencer | All My Children @". Soapcentral. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  5. "Abigail Spencer". TVGuide.com. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  6. Andreeva, Nellie. "Abigail Spencer To Star In ABC's 'Grace', Several Other Actors Join Pilots". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  7. "Breaking News - Development Update: February 17". TheFutonCritic.com. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  8. Matt Webb Mitovich (2011-06-14). "Mad Men Alum Abigail Spencer Lawyers Up for USA Network's Suits". TVLine. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  9. Barrett, Annie (2013-09-17). "'Suits' summer finale preview: Who's a bastard?". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  10. "The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia". Rotten Tomatoes. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  11. Borys Kit (July 5, 2011). "'Mad Men' Actress Abigail Spencer Heads to 'Oz' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  12. "Quintet Of Actors Cast In Sundance Channel's Drama Series 'Rectify'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  13. Sandra Gonzalez (May 22, 2013). "'American Horror Story' and 'The Big Bang Theory' lead Critics Choice nominees". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2019-12-10.
  14. "Big Bang, Horror Story, Parks & Rec, Good Wife, The Americans Lead Critics Choice Nominations". Entertainment Weekly. May 22, 2013. Retrieved 2013-05-22.
  15. "2013 Nominations | Categories". International Press Academy. Retrieved 2013-12-02.
  16. Borys Kit (1 March 2013). "'Oz' Actress Abigail Spencer to Star in 'Beautiful Now' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  17. Borys Kit (April 3, 2013). "Abigail Spencer Joins Jason Bateman in 'This Is Where I Leave You' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
  18. "Jennifer Ehle, Abigail Spencer Join 'Forger'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2011-11-17. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  19. "Jennifer Ehle, Anson Mount, Abigail Spencer Join 'The Forger'". Variety. 2013-10-08.
  20. "'True Detective' Adds Kelly Reilly, Abigail Spencer, Michael Irby and Leven Rambin". TheWrap. Retrieved 30 October 2014.
  21. "'True Detective': Kelly Reilly, Michael Irby, Abigail Spencer, Leven Rambin Eye Roles". Deadline. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  22. Michael Ausiello. "Rectify's Abigail Spencer to Star in NBC's Time Travel Drama Pilot From Eric Kripke and Shawn Ryan". TVLine. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  23. Saraiya, Sonia (20 September 2016). "TV Review: 'Timeless'". Variety.
  24. Patten, Dominic (3 October 2016). "'Timeless' & 'Frequency' Review: NBC & CW Time Travel Series Go Nowhere Fast". Deadline Hollywood.
  25. "Review: In 'Timeless,' a Time-Traveling Trio and a High-Stakes Chase". 3 October 2016 – via The New York Times.
  26. Otterson, Joe (May 13, 2017). "'Timeless' Scores Season 2 Order at NBC After Cancellation". Variety. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
  27. "'HawthoRNe' Star Abigail Spencer Files for Divorce". TMZ. February 26, 2012. Retrieved 2013-05-21.
  28. The Late Late Show with James Corden (20 March 2017). "Donald: The Musical (w/ Tim Minchin, Ben Platt & Abigail Spencer)" – via YouTube.
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