Biographie
Holly Gagnier has made a name for herself as a versatile actress working on both coasts, performing on stage, film, and television. She is best known for her extended role as the young teen mom "Ivy Jannings" on Days of Our Lives (1965), a groundbreaking character that earned her the soap opera award for breakout new star. She later portrayed "Cassie Callison" on One Life to Live (1968) and appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986) as one of daytime TV’s most beloved stars. Her film credits include roles alongside Adrien Brody, Scott Caan, Mark Hamill, and Eric McCormack. Holly starred as the scheming "Natalie Sands" in the cult classic Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985), performing all her own dance sequences, showcasing her skills as an accomplished dancer.
She was a series regular on Baywatch (1989) as the quirky performance artist "Gina Pomeroy" (notably not in a swimsuit), with recurring roles on Middle Ages (1992), Pacific Blue (1996), and as a young teen opposite Lynn Redgrave on House Calls (1979). Over her career, she has guest-starred in more than 70 television roles, spanning comedy series like Friends (1994), Wings (1990), Guys Like Us (1998), and Dream On (1990), as well as dramas such as ER (1994), House (2004), and Crossing Jordan (2001).
After taking several years off to raise her daughter, Holly has recently returned to acting, completing short films including Simone (2011), Sarah's Wish (2012), and Billy and the Hurricane (2009), for which she won three consecutive Best Actress awards at the Playhouse West Film Festival. Her project Waiting for Goldblum (2010), which she wrote, produced, and directed, was nominated at the Hollywood Mockfest film festival. More recent appearances include Private Practice (2007), the season finale of Ringer (2011), and the feature film The Son of an Afghan Farmer (2012).
Holly is a member of the Playhouse West Repertory Theater and an original member of the Playhouse West Comedy Improv troupe. She is particularly proud of her mentorship program, where she supports and guides young actors in their career journeys.
