Megan Hilty

Gifted with an impressive vocal range and a bubbly personality, Megan Hilty was born to take center stage. The theater-trained actress was just finishing her studies at the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama when she landed a lead role in "Wicked" (2004), the popular Broadway musical based on the witches of Oz. Hilty followed in the footsteps of Kristin Chenoweth to play Glinda the Good Witch in the Tony Award-winning production.

Hilty also took the reigns from country legend Dolly Parton to play vivacious working gal Doralee Rhodes in the Broadway musical adaptation of "9 to 5" (2009), based on the 1980 comedy feature that starred Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Hilty's charming, larger-than-life personality also translated well in front of the camera, from her early guest appearances on television, to a featured role on "Smash" (NBC 2012-13), a hotly anticipated show executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

Playing a seasoned theater star competing against an ingenue (Katherine McPhee) to star in a musical about Marilyn Monroe, Hilty showcased her dramatic flair, belted out show tunes, and proved she was a rising star capable of a successful career both onscreen and onstage. Although early positive buzz for "Smash" turned sour during the series' second season, Hilty bounced back with a co-starring role in the sitcom "Sean Saves the World" (NBC 2013-14), work in films including a featured role in Warren Beatty's Hollywood period piece "Rules Don't Apply" and continued stage work, including a starring role in an acclaimed revival of Michael Frayn's farce "Noises Off" in 2016.

Born on March 29, 1981 in Bellevue, WA, Megan Kathleen Hilty developed her love for acting at an early age. She honed her talents while attending Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory in Redmond. Hilty blossomed into a stage-ready performer by the time she enrolled at the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, the oldest degree-granting drama program, located in Pittsburgh, PA.

Hilty soon began making inroads in the theater world with appearances in regional theater, from "Café Puttanesca" (2004) to "The Wild Party" (2000). Prior to graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Hilty auditioned for "Wicked," the Tony Award-winning musical based on characters created by L. Frank Baum in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and Gregory Maguire's 1995 novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. "Wicked" centered on the untold story of the witches of Oz, and featured music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.

After graduating from Carnegie Mellon and moving to New York City, Hilty made her Broadway debut in 2004 as Glinda, the beautiful and popular witch in "Wicked." She started as an understudy for the role before taking over as the lead in less than a year. Hilty reprised the role for the 2006 national tour of "Wicked" and originated the role during its Los Angeles premiere.

Around this time, Hilty began pursuing roles in front of the camera, including guest appearances on the popular teen sitcom "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody" (Disney Channel, 2005-08) and a two-story arc on the crime drama "The Closer" (TNT, 2005-12). Hilty recreated her breakout Broadway role of Glinda with a cameo in a 2007 episode of "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 2006-2010) that saw the title character (America Ferrera) taking a date to see "Wicked." In 2008, Hilty returned to Broadway in the musical theater adaptation of "9 to 5," based on the 1980 film about three working women (Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin).

The production "9 to 5: The Musical" co-starred Hilty, Allison Janney, and Stephanie J. Block, and featured music and lyrics by Parton. Hilty reprised Parton's film role of buxom blonde secretary Doralee Rhodes, which earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination in 2009 for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. With such high-profile stage roles on her resume, Hilty was perfectly cast as a Broadway veteran on NBC's "Smash," a series created and executive produced by Steven Spielberg.

The ensemble cast included everyone from film legend Anjelica Huston to TV leading lady Debra Messing, to acting newcomer Katherine McPhee. "Smash" followed the behind-the-scenes drama of putting together a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe, with Hilty and McPhee's characters vying for the lead role. Despite initial buzz, "Smash" quickly disappointed both critics and viewers, and the show was canceled after two low-rated seasons.

Hilty immediately moved over to the sitcom "Sean Saves the World" (NBC 2013-14), playing the chatty confidant of the lead character played by star and producer Sean Hayes. After that show's single season wrapped up, Hilty appeared in story arcs on the dramedy "Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce" (Bravo 2014- ), legal drama "The Good Wife" (CBS 2009-2016) and science fiction comedy "BrainDead" (CBS 2016). Hilty returned to the big screen with a supporting role in Warren Beatty's film about Howard Hughes' Hollywood years, "Rules Don't Apply" (2016); that same year, she was nominated for a Tony award for her performance as actress Brooke Ashton in a revival of Michael Frayn's farce "Noises Off." By Candy Cuenco.