Actor / Director Profile

Donna Murphy won the first of two Tony Awards for Best Actress, along with the Drama Desk and Drama League Awards for her portrayal of "Fosca" in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's "Passion", and dazzled television viewers and critics alike when Passion (1996) (TV) was televised on PBS' American Playhouse. She was awarded her second Tony and Drama League Awards, as well as Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for her performance as "Anna Leonowans" in the highly acclaimed revival of "The King and I". Her feature film work includes Center Stage (2000), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), The Astronaut's Wife (1999) and Jade (1995). For her performance in "Someone Had to Be Benny", she received a Cable ACE® Award as Best Actress in a Drama Special or Series, as well as a Daytime Emmy. Other television credits include The Last Debate (2000) (TV), a role as "Mary Todd Lincoln" in The Day Lincoln Was Shot (1998) (TV), Steven Bochco's "Murder One" (1995), "Liberty! The American Revolution" (1997), and guest appearances on "Law & Order" (1990), "Ally McBeal" (1997), "Remember WENN" (1996), "Nothing Sacred" (1997) and "The Practice" (1997). After studying with the legendary Stella Adler and attending New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Murphy made her professional debut in the Broadway hit "They're Playing Our Song", and went on to create memorable characters in comedies, dramas, and musicals on and off-Broadway and in theaters across the country. These credits include her portrayal of "Edwin Drood" in "The Mystery of Edwin Drood", "Twelve Dreams", "Hello Again", "Song of Singapore", "Little Shop of Horrors", "Privates on Parade", "Miss Julie" and "Wonderful Town". A versatile singer, she can be heard on a number of recordings, including "Leonard Bernstein's New York", "Hello Again", "The King and I", and the Grammy Award-winning "Passion". Ms. Murphy was born in Corona, New York, and raised in Hauppauge, Long Island, and Topsfield, Massachusetts. She is married to actor Shawn Elliott and resides in New York City.