Melora Walters
Melora Walters (born October 21, 1959) is an American actress and filmmaker, best known for her starring roles as Wanda Henrickson on HBO's Big Love (2006–2010) and Kathy Kone on Hulu's Pen15 (2019–2021). She has frequently collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson, earning two Screen Actors Guild nominations for her work in Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), respectively. Her other film credits include Dead Poets Society (1989), Eraser (1996), Matchstick Men, Cold Mountain (both 2003), The Butterfly Effect (2004), Short Term 12 (2013), Cam, Venom (both 2018), and Offseason (2021).
Melora Walters

Casey "Poppins" Nedelka · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Melora Walters
- Birthplace
- Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
- Occupation
- * Actress
- Nationality
- United States
- Education
- Lake Forest Academy
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Melora Walters (born October 21, 1959) is an American actress and filmmaker, best known for her starring roles as Wanda Henrickson on HBO's Big Love (2006–2010) and Kathy Kone on Hulu's Pen15 (2019–2021). She has frequently collaborated with Paul Thomas Anderson, earning two Screen Actors Guild nominations for her work in Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), respectively. Her other film credits include Dead Poets Society (1989), Eraser (1996), Matchstick Men, Cold Mountain (both 2003), The Butterfly Effect (2004), Short Term 12 (2013), Cam, Venom (both 2018), and Offseason (2021).
Admitted source layer · organised and presented by VALÉORINE
Note VALÉORINE
No house-authored Note is published until its assertions and sources pass the VALÉORINE evidence contract. The documentary article remains available in full while that enrichment is being consolidated.
Documentary enrichment in progress · no unsupported statement published
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Melora Walters. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Evidence Panel
not yet certified
- Identity
- resolved
- Independent source families
- 0
- Admitted assertions
- 0
- Open conflicts
- 0
Authority files
wikidata · Q242763 · wikipedia · Melora Walters
In this article
Biography
Biography
Walters's directorial credits include Waterlily Jaguar (2018) and Drowning (2019), both of which she wrote and co-produced.

Melora Walters at the premiere of "Crooks" at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
Casey "Poppins" Nedelka

Melora Walters at the premiere of "Crooks" at the 25th Tribeca Film Festival in New York City.
Casey "Poppins" Nedelka
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Melora Walters • Birthplace — Dhahran, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia • Occupation — * Actress • filmmaker • Years Active — 1988–present • Children — 2
Television
Television
On television, Walters has appeared in guest roles on series such as Roseanne, Nash Bridges, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, CSI, Desperate Housewives, Californication, The Mentalist, NCIS, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and American Gigolo. She also starred as Felicity on L.A. Doctors (1998–1999), Wanda Henrickson on Big Love (2006–2010), and Kathy Kone on Pen15 (2019–2021). She also played a waitress in The Wonder Years episode "Road Trip" (1991).
Personal life
Personal life
Walters has two children from her marriage to Dylan Walsh; they divorced in 2003. She was previously married to actor Christopher Scotellaro between 1990 and 1994. Walters married cinematographer Alex Vendler on June 21, 2008. She filed for divorce from Vendler in 2010, citing irreconcilable differences.
Television
Television
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1989–1990 — Roseanne — Debbie — Recurring (season 2); 5 episodes • 1990 — How to Murder a Millionaire — Ginger — Television film • 1991 — The Wonder Years — Waitress — Episode: "Road Trip" • ABC Afterschool Specials — Unknown — Episode: "It's Only Rock & Roll" • 1992 — Murphy Brown — Lisa — Episode: "He-Ho, He-Ho, It's Off to Lamaze We Go" • Dear John — Maria — Episode: "Adult Education" • 1993 — Telling Secrets — Karen Blake — Television film • Walker, Texas Ranger — Star Buckley — Episode: "Bounty" • Bakersfield P.D. — Marnie Archer — Episode: "Lucky 13" • 1994 — Dead Man's Revenge — Bunny — Television film • Seinfeld — Jane — Episode: "The Hamptons" • Midnight Run for Your Life — Lorna Bellstratten — Television film • 1995 — The Marshal — Sheryl — Episode: "The Ballad of Lucas Burke" • Picket Fences — Sherri Watkins — Episode: "Reap the Whirlwind • Dream On — Dina — Episode: "Little Orphan Eddie" • NYPD Blue — Holly Snyder — Episodes: "The Bank Dick" and "Dirty Laundry" • 1996 — Simon — Emily — Episode: "Simon Night Fever" • Nash Bridges — Florence "Flo" — Episode: "Skirt Chasers" • 1997 — High Incident — Unknown — Episode: "Camino High" • Brooklyn South — Carly — Episode: "A Reverend Runs Through It" • 1998–1999 — L.A. Doctors — Felicity — Series regular (season 1); 20 episodes • 1998 — Twice Upon a Time — Alannah Merribone — Television film • 2002 — Push, Nevada — Grace — Main cast; 7 episodes • 2003–2004 — Threat Matrix — Lia "Lark" Larkin — Main cast; 13 episodes • 2005 — CSI: Crime Scene Investigation — Sage — Episode: "Gum Drops" • 2006–2010 — Big Love — Wanda Henrickson — Main cast (seasons 1–4); 35 episodes • 2007 — Desperate Housewives — Sylvia Greene — Episodes: "Distant Past", "Something's Coming" • 2012 — Californication — Lisa — Episode: "Raw" • Franklin & Bash — Joan Ackermann — Episode: "Strange Brew" • 2014 — Rake — Jan Falcon — Episode: "Man's Best Friend" • 2015 — The Mentalist — Amber — Episode: "Byzantium" • Criminal Minds — Paige — Episodes: "Protection" and "The Hunt" • 2016 — NCIS — Susan Elizabeth Lowe — Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" • 2017 — Law & Order: Special Victims Unit — Laurel — Episode: "Something Happened" • 2018 — Cherries — Patsy — Television film • Corporate — Nadine — Episode: "Corporate Retreat" • The Lover in the Attic: A True Story — None — Television film; director • 2019 — The OA — Melody — Episode: "Angel of Death" • 2019–2021 — Pen15 — Kathy Kone — Main cast; 22 episodes • 2022 — American Gigolo — Maryanne Henderson — 3 episodes
Music videos
Music videos
• Year — Title — Artist — Notes • 1997 — "Try" — Michael Penn — Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson • 1999 — "Save Me" — Aimee Mann — Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson
Film
Film
Walters made her screen debut with a small part in the 1988 film Underground, which she followed with the more substantial role of Gloria, a school student, in Peter Weir's critically acclaimed Dead Poets Society (1989). Following roles in various features throughout the early-mid 1990s, such as Beethoven (1992), Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994), and the commercially successful Eraser (1996), Walters began a professional partnership with Paul Thomas Anderson when she appeared in his directorial debut, the 1996 crime drama Hard Eight. She earned praise for her work in his subsequent films Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), with Variety critic Emanuel Levy describing her portrayal of drug addict Claudia in the latter as "superlative". For her performance in Doubting Thomas (2018), Walters was named Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Door Film Festival.
Film
Film
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1988 — Underground — Prostitute • Staring at the Dark — Eden — Short • 1989 — Dead Poets Society — Gloria • Rude Awakening — "Punky" — Uncredited • 1992 — Beethoven — Pet Shop Owner • 1993 — America's Deadliest Home Video — Gloria • Twenty Bucks — The Stripper / Funeral Director • 1994 — Cabin Boy — Trina • All Tied Up — Bliss • Ed Wood — Secretary #2 • 1996 — Hard Eight — Jimmy's Girl • Eraser — Darleen Casteleone • American Strays — Cindy • 1997 — Los Locos — Allison • Boogie Nights — Jessie St. Vincent — Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast • 1999 — Magnolia — Claudia Wilson Gator — Florida Film Critics Circle Award for Best Cast • 2001 — Speaking of Sex — Melinda • Rain — Ellen • 2002 — WiseGirls — Kate • Desert Saints — FBI Agent Bennie Harper • 2003 — Melvin Goes to Dinner — Trenice, Melvin's Girlfriend — Copper Wing Award for Best Ensemble • The Big Empty — Candy • Matchstick Men — Heather, Roy's Ex-Wife — Uncredited • Cold Mountain — Lila • 2004 — The Butterfly Effect — Andrea Treborn • 2007 — Brothers Three: An American Gothic — Loren • 2008 — Harrison Montgomery — Margo Fleming • Black Crescent Moon — Katelan Beacon • Dark Yellow — Woman — Short • 2009 — Hurt — Helen Coltrane • 2010 — Case 219 — Victoria Lash • Shit Year — Shelly • Love Ranch — Janelle • 2011 — The River Murders — FBI Agent Glover • 2012 — The Master — Band (voice) • Mary — Mary — Short • Missing Pieces — Delia Greenly • 2013 — Short Term 12 — Dr. Hendler • Underdogs — Nancy Smith-Burkett • Lonely Boy — Betsy • They Shoot — Unknown — Short • 2014 — The Young Kieslowski — Barbara Kieslowski • Sacrifice — Enid • 2015 — Sex, Death and Bowling — Evie • 2016 — Indiscretion — Harper • The Muse — None — Short; writer and director • Sugar Mountain — Tracy Huxley • 2017 — Good After Bad — Victoria • The Lovers — Lucy • An American Dog Story — Efthemia (voice) • Odious — Beatrice • 2018 — Not a Stranger — Jill Madden • In a Relationship — Mia Ziniti • Doubting Thomas — Kate — Golden Door Festival Award for Best Supporting Actress • Waterlily Jaguar — None — Writer and director • Cam — Lynne Ackerman • Venom — Maria, Homeless Woman • The Amaranth — Lily Kendrick • 2019 — Beneath the Leaves — Rose • Robert the Bruce — Ylfa • Kleen — Judith — Short • Stuck — Nancy — Short • Drowning — Rose — Also writer, director, producer • Adeline, the Great — Ms. Nichols — Short • Where Are You — Edith, The Gatekeeper • 2020 — The Pale Door — Maria • Pink Skies Ahead — Hayley • Hard Luck Love Song — Sally "Gypsy Sally" • 2021 — Far More — Evie Flores • Offseason — Ava Aldrich • Severed Silence — Naida • Attention Attention — Ruby • West of Eden — Evelyn — Short • 2022 — The Hater — Sally Jensen • 2025 — The Idea — Wife — Short • Situations — Brianne • 2026 — Crooks — Blanche — Post-production • TBA — They Follow — TBA — Filming
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Who is Melora Walters? Pictures with Facts You Might Not Know. Glamour Path. June 24, 2019.
- 2.Dead Poets Society. Rotten Tomatoes.
- 3.Eraser (1996). Box Office Mojo.
- 4.Levy, Emanuel. Magnolia. Variety. December 9, 1999.
- 5.Sullivan, Al. The stars came out. The Hudson Reporter. October 11, 2018.
- 6.Nip/Tuck Doc Dylan Walsh Cuts Out Marriage. Today.com. December 14, 2010.
- 7.'Big Love' Actress Melora Walters Files For Divorce. Radar Online. September 16, 2010.
- 8.Hermanns, Grant. Maika Monroe's It Follows 2 Gets Exciting New Filming Update After Major Delay (Exclusive). Screen Rant. August 12, 2026.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Partially resolvedreference work
Partially resolved
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
37,408 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Melody Thomas ScottPerson
- Melody ThorntonPerson
- Melonie DiazPerson
- Melora HardinPerson
- Meltem CumbulPerson
- Mélusine MayancePerson
- Melvil PoupaudPerson
- Melville CooperPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Melora Walters?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.