Poppy Montgomery

Poppy Montgomery Headshot

Actress

Birth Date: June 19, 1972

Age: 51 years old

Birth Place: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Australian import Poppy Montgomery found success on American television playing a series of strong-willed women, often in the popular police procedural genre. Soon after arriving in Hollywood the vivacious young actress began picking up small parts in films like "Devil in a Blue Dress" (1995), followed by guest turns on such hit shows as "NYPD Blue" (ABC, 1993-2005). Constantly on the verge of breakout success, the actress starred on the incredibly short-lived drama "Relativity" (ABC, 1996), co-starred in the college comedy "Dead Man on Campus" (1998) and even took the lead as Marilyn Monroe in the biographical miniseries, "Blonde" (CBS, 2001) - none of which took her career to the expected next level. At last, Montgomery struck gold when she landed the role of FBI agent Samantha "Sam" Spade on the hit crime procedural "Without a Trace" (CBS, 2002-09). During this time she maintained a screen presence with film and TV work on such projects as the romantic drama "How to Lose Your Lover" (2004) and the biopic "Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story" (Lifetime, 2011). Soon after the close of "Without a Trace," she starred as a cop with a photographic memory on the inventive crime drama "Unforgettable" (CBS, 2011-14). Blessed with undeniable beauty, it was also Montgomery's irresistible inner spark that made her stand out from the majority of her contemporaries on the small screen.

Born Poppy Petal Emma Elizabeth Devereaux Donahue on June 19, 1975, this native of New South Wales, Australia grew up in Sydney. The daughter of a restaurateur and market researcher, Montgomery and her four sisters were all named after flowers. A lifelong fan of Hollywood, Montgomery recalled that she and her siblings spent an inordinate amount of their childhood playing "dress up," pretending to be Marilyn Monroe-like movie stars. Arriving in Los Angeles in the early 1990 and quaintly carrying a copy of Wendy Hyland's book, How to Make It in Hollywood, Montgomery reportedly tracked down Julia Roberts' personal manager to inform him that she was available. While Roberts' people passed, this gutsy move did eventually lead Montgomery to her first representation. In 1995, Montgomery made her feature film debut in director Carl Franklin's underrated thriller "Devil in a Blue Dress." Her small role in the film led to a handful of television guest roles on such mainstays as "NYPD Blue" (ABC, 1993-2005) and "Party of Five" (Fox, 1995-96).

Soon after, Montgomery landed her first regular series role, playing Kimberly Williams' younger sister, Jennifer Lukens, on the short-lived romantic drama, "Relativity" (ABC, 1996-97). Critically adored, but abysmally rated, ABC pulled the plug on after just 17 episodes. Fortunately by this point, Montgomery was already on a roll with casting directors. In 1998, Montgomery scored the female lead role in the MTV-produced comedy, "Dead Man on Campus" (1998), starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Tom Everett Scott. Reviews of the film were far from glowing, but it was one more project to add to her growing CV. In 2001, Montgomery landed her dream role when she was cast as childhood idol Marilyn Monroe in the CBS miniseries, "Blonde" (2001). Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Joyce Carol Oates, "Blonde" was a fictionalized account of the iconic bombshell's life, as seen through her own eyes. To better look the part, the small-framed Montgomery put on 12 pounds and worked tirelessly with a dialect coach in order to master Monroe's wispy-voiced delivery. Aired over two nights during May sweeps, "Blonde" performed respectably in terms of ratings, but reviews were mixed on both the show and Montgomery's portrayal.

Still searching for her breakthrough vehicle, Montgomery came close to landing it when she was cast on the short-lived mystery series "Glory Days" (The WB, 2002) - the brainchild of "Dawson's Creek" creator, Kevin Williamson. Unfortunately, "Glory Days" failed to catch on and died less than halfway through its first season. Montgomery's patience was rewarded later that year when she landed the role of Special Agent Samantha Spade on the crime series, "Without a Trace" (CBS, 2002-09). Unlike Montgomery's previous series, "Without a Trace" proved to be a ratings winner straight out of the gate - providing the actress with a welcome departure from what had become the career norm. She took full advantage of her success by taking on projects like the indie romantic drama "How to Lose Your Lover" (2004) with Paul Schneider during breaks from the production of her hit series. Other work included a turn as a determined New York lawyer searching for her missing sister in the back alleys of Tijuana in the psychological thriller "Between" (Lifetime, 2005). She played a far less heroic character in the based-on-fact murder-mystery "Murder in the Hamptons' (Lifetime, 2005), as a wealthy socialite whose husband dies under mysterious circumstances in the midst of their divorce proceedings.

Despite hitting a ratings-high during the fourth season, viewership of the show had begun to slip and after seven seasons, "Without a Trace" was cancelled. As she looked for her next role, Montgomery took on more made-for-TV roles with the Lifetime network. She played a frumpy magazine editor whose anonymous online advice column brings about unexpected changes in "Lying to be Perfect" (Lifetime, 2010), then essayed one of the most successful novelists of all time in the literary biopic "Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story" (Lifetime, 2011). It seemed as if lightening might strike twice for Montgomery when she nabbed the lead role on the police procedural "Unforgettable" (CBS, 2011-14) as Carrie Wells, a New York City police detective who uses her unique ability to visually recall any event witnessed in her life in the solving of crimes. Initially a ratings winner, "Unforgettable" garnered mixed reviews and finished in the middle of the Nielsen pack by the end of its first season. Although CBS announced it was canceling the show in spring 2012, the network did an about-face and announced it would be giving a somewhat reduced second season order of 13 episodes.

Credits

Christmas on the Farm

Actor
Emmy Jones
Movie
2021

Christmas on the Farm

Executive Producer
Movie
2021

Reef Break

Actor
Cat Chambers
Show
2020

The Kelly Clarkson ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2019

Reef Break

Actor
Cat Chambers
Series
2019
33%

Reef Break

Executive Producer
Series
2019
33%

Wrestling: WWE SmackDown!

Actor
Carrie Wells
Show
2017

Live with Kelly and Ryan

Guest
Talk
2017

A Surrogate's Nightmare

Actor
Angela
Movie
2017

Signed, Sealed, Delivered: From Paris With Love

Actor
Holly O'Toole
Movie
2015

The Meredith Vieira Show

Guest
Talk
2014

Unforgettable: Extras

Actor
Show
2014

The Queen Latifah Show

Guest
Talk
2013

Hollywood Game Night

Guest
Game Show
2013

An Amish Murder

Executive Producer
Movie
2013

Live! With Kelly and Michael

Guest
Talk
2012

CBS This Morning

Guest
Show
2012

LIVE with Kelly

Guest
Talk
2011

UnforgettableStream

Actor
Carrie Wells
Series
2011

Magic Beyond Words: The J.K. Rowling Story

Actor
Joanne K. Rowling
Movie
2011

The Talk

Guest
Talk
2010

Access Hollywood Live

Guest
Show
2010

Lying to Be Perfect

Actor
Nola Devlin
Movie
2010

Watch What Happens Live With Andy CohenStream

Guest
Talk
2009

Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

Guest
Talk
2009

The Wendy Williams Show

Guest
Talk
2008

Rachael Ray ShowStream

Guest
Talk
2006

Fashion Rocks

Host
Show
2005

The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson

Guest
Talk
2005

Between

Actor
Nadine Roberts
Movie
2005

Murder in the Hamptons

Actor
Generosa Rand
Movie
2005

Snow Wonder

Actor
Paula
Movie
2005

50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Actor
Allison
Movie
2004

Raising Waylon

Actor
Julia
Movie
2004

Without a TraceStream

Actor
Special Agent Samantha Spade
Series
2002

Glory Days

Actor
Show
2002

BlondeStream

Actor
Miniseries
2001

Live With Regis and Kelly

Guest
Show
2001

Men Named Milo, Women Named Greta

Actor
Show
2000

The BeatStream

Actor
Elizabeth Waclawek
Series
2000
92%

The Other Sister

Actor
Caroline Tate
Movie
1999

LifeStream

Actor
Older Mae Rose
Movie
1999
52%

This Space Between Us

Actor
Arden Ansfield
Movie
1999

Dead Man on Campus

Actor
Rachel Gillmore
Movie
1998

The View

Guest
Talk
1997

Relativity

Actor
Jennifer Lukens
Series
1996
81%

The Cold Equations

Actor
Marilyn "Lee" Cross
Movie
1996

Stories From the Edge

Actor
Movie
1996

Jake Lassiter: Justice on the Bayou

Actor
Cindy
Movie
1995

NYPD BlueStream

Guest Star
Lisa
Series
1993
83%

Late Show With David Letterman

Guest
Talk
1993

Good Morning America

Guest
News
1975

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