Biography
Born in Memphis and raised in Philadelphia, Wendy began creating student films in the summer of 1969 and took up acting to better write for and direct other performers. She found a passion for acting that became a lifelong dedication, but only pursued it full-time when Jonathan Demme arrived to film his acclaimed AIDS drama "Philadelphia," starring Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington.
Though her scenes were cut from "Philadelphia," the experience earned her a SAG card and motivated her to leave her career as an arts administrator—co-founding CineKyd, serving as executive director of The Clay Studio, and holding various management roles at People's Light and Theatre Company—to focus entirely on acting. Two weeks after moving to Los Angeles, she was cast in the new musical "Lulu," winning a Drama-Logue Award, the first of many accolades. Within a year, she secured her first television role with an appearance on "Murphy Brown."
She continued to work steadily in television and theater. Wendy co-founded Theatre Neo alongside Kathryn Joosten, Josh Schiowitz, and others; this company evolved into Neo Ensemble Theatre, a membership group producing monologue festivals and plays in intimate city venues. Her stage credits include "The Guardsman" at A Noise Within, "Man of La Mancha" with Jason Alexander’s former Reprise company, and the world premiere of Charles Busch’s "Die! Mommy! Die!" She toured nationally in "Wicked," portraying Madame Morrible 509 times to over 1.3 million spectators across 20 cities during 65 weeks before returning to Los Angeles.
Her television roles span a wide range, from the sinister Lunch Lady on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (which earned her a trading card), to the recurring role of the formidable Margaret Camaro on "Ally McBeal," "Foodzilla" on "Even Stevens," and Miss Westmore—the "Wicked Witch of the Westmore"—who taught the Olsen Twins on their final series, "So Little Time." She has frequently appeared in sketches on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and played a diner waitress five times on "Bones."
Wendy has also made notable contributions to film, with memorable performances as a provocative casting director in "LA Twister" and a threatening nurse opposite Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich in Clint Eastwood’s intense drama "Changeling."
An accomplished theatre director, Wendy holds a BA in Radio-TV-Film from Temple University, graduating summa cum laude, and is a published author. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies such as "Death on a Cold Night," "Death and a Cup of Tea," "Thoroughly Modern Monsters," and "Immanence."
Although she grew up in Philadelphia, Wendy does not have a Philadelphia accent—though she can adopt one upon request.
