Heather Laurie Holden (born December 17, 1969) is an American-Canadian actress, producer, model, and human rights activist. She is best known for portraying Marita Covarrubias in The X-Files (1996–2002) and Andrea in AMC's The Walking Dead (2010–2013). She has also had recurring roles in acclaimed television series such as The Shield (2008), The Americans (2017–2018), and The Boys (2022).
In film, she played Cybil Bennett in Silent Hill (2006) and Amanda Dumfries in The Mist (2007).
Early life Born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Toronto, Holden holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada.
Holden attended McGill University, where she studied economics and political science. She transferred to University of California, Los Angeles and received a degree in theater and film in 1993. At UCLA, she was a member of the National Honor Society and received the Natalie Wood Acting Award. Holden then pursued a master's degree in human rights at Columbia University.
Career
Early in her career, Holden made a name for herself by co-starring opposite Burt Reynolds in Physical Evidence (1989), Vanessa Redgrave in Young Catherine (1991), and William Shatner in the TV Movie TekWar: TekLab (1994). She also played Mabel Dunham in the TV Movie The Pathfinder (1996) (based on the novel of James Fenimore Cooper). Onstage, she starred in Time and the Conways, written by J. B. Priestley, and The Winter's Tale, based on the play by William Shakespeare. Other stage roles include Regina in Ghosts and Procne in The Love of the Nightingale. After making various guest appearances on Due South, Murder, She Wrote, and Poltergeist: The Legacy (when she played a dual role), Holden found some success playing a recurring role on the seminal sci-fi series The X-Files: Marita Covarrubias, a mysterious government worker who becomes an informant to Special Agent Fox Mulder, from seasons four through nine (1996–2002). She also had a supporting role, as Mary Travis, opposite Michael Biehn and Ron Perlman, in the CBS TV series based on the MGM classic, The Magnificent Seven (1998–2000) and a role as Debra Campbell on Highlander: The Series.
Some of Holden's most notable roles include starring opposite Jim Carrey in Frank Darabont's film The Majestic (2001) (It was while performing on stage in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, that Holden was discovered by Darabont). As Carrey's long lost love, she received critical acclaim for her performance. She also co-starred alongside Dean Cain, Jennifer Tilly, and Tim Curry in the Canadian comedy Bailey's Billion$. Other movie roles have included those of Michael Chiklis' character's former love interest in Fantastic Four (2005), Cybil Bennett in Christophe Gans' artistic-horror video game adaptation of Silent Hill (2006), Amanda Dumfries in The Mist (2007).
In 2008, she joined the final season of TV Series The Shield, where she played Olivia Murray.
From 2010 to 2013, she played the role of Andrea, a civil rights attorney and survivor of a global zombie plague in The Walking Dead, an AMC television horror drama series.Barton, Steve (May 5, 2010). "Update: Laurie Holden and Steven Yeun Join The Walking Dead". Bloody Disgusting. In 2013, she worked on the movie Honeytrap as an executive producer. In 2014 she played the role of Ann McGinnis in the third season of Major Crimes. Also in 2014, she co-starred in the movie Dumb and Dumber To, opposite Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels and Kathleen Turner. She played Adele Pinchelow, the main antagonist of the Farrelly brothers comedy.
In 2015, she appeared as Dr. Hannah Tramble, an ER surgeon, in the third season of Chicago Fire. It was announced Holden would reprise her role as Dr. Tramble in a planned spinoff, Chicago Med. Holden was set to co-star opposite S. Epatha Merkerson and Yaya DaCosta in the ensemble medical drama. The series is being conceived and written by Chicago Fire creators/executive producers Derek Haas and Michael Brandt. However, she dropped out of the project for "family reasons".
In 2016, she appeared in The Abolitionists, a documentary film by Darrin Fletcher. In 2017, Holden joins the cast of The Americans in the fifth season, when she plays Renee. She was cast in indie thriller Pyewacket, a movie directed by Adam MacDonald.
In 2018, Laurie Holden appeared in the crime thriller Dragged Across Concrete, starring Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn.
Holden joined the cast of American legal drama television series Proven Innocent (which premiered in 2019 on Fox), where she plays Greta Bellows.
In 2022, she joins The Boys season 3, in the role of Crimson Countess, while also performing the songs "America's Son" and "Chimps Don't Cry".
Charity work and human rights activism Holden campaigns against sex trafficking and is a founding board member of the Canadian Somaly Mam Foundation, which campaigns against human trafficking, and an advisory board member of the Somaly Mam Foundation in the U.S.
In 2014, Holden worked with Operation Underground Railroad, a volunteer organization that aims to hunt down and arrest child sex traffickers. The group aided authorities in Cartagena, Colombia, in arresting five sex-traffickers and rescuing underage girls.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1986 Separate Vacations Karen 1989 Physical Evidence Matt's Girl 1995 Expect No Mercy Vicki 1996 Past Perfect Ally Marsey 2001 The Majestic Adele Stanton 2004 Meet Market Billy Uncredited 2005 Bailey's Billion$ Marge Maggs Fantastic Four Debbie McIlvane 2006 Silent Hill Cybil Bennett 2007 The Mist Amanda Dumfries 2014 Honeytrap Executive producer Dumb and Dumber To Adele Pinchelow 2016 The Abolitionists Herself Documentary 2017 The Time of Their Lives Executive producer Pyewacket Mrs. Reyes 2018 Dragged Across Concrete Melanie Ridgeman 2019 Arctic Dogs Dakota Voice 2022 Fireheart Pauline Voice
Television Year Title Role Notes 1980 The Martian Chronicles Marie Wilder Television miniseries 1988 Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future Erin Episode: "Gemini and Counting" 1991 Young Catherine Princess Catherine Dashkova 2 episodes Father Dowling Mysteries Joyce Morrison / Judith Carswell Episode: "The Hardboiled Mystery" 1993 Secret Services Suki Episode: "Larceny Inc./Reach Out and Rob Someone/Jet Threat" Scales of Justice Nancy Oakes Episode: "Who Killed Sir Harry Oakes?" Family Passions Claire Season 1 Destiny Ridge Darlene Kubolek Season 2 1994 TekWar Rachel Tudor Episode: "TekLab" 1995 Due South Jill Kennedy Episode: "Letting Go" 1995–1996 Highlander: The Series Debra Campbell 2 episodes 1996 Murder, She Wrote Sherri Sampson Episode: "What You Don't Know Can Kill You" Poltergeist: The Legacy Cora Jennings / Sarah Browning Episode: "Thirteenth Generation" Two Madeline Reynolds Episode: "Many Happing Return" The Pathfinder Mabel Dunham Television film 1996–2002 The X-Files Marita Covarrubias 10 episodes 1997 Dead Man's Gun Bonnie Lorrine Episode: "Fool's Gold" Echo Scarlett Antonelli Television film Alibi Beth Polasky Television film 1998–2000 The Magnificent Seven Mary Travis 18 episodes 2000 The Outer Limits Susan McLaren Episode: "Breaking Point" The Man Who Used to Be Me Amy Ryan Television film 2001 Big Sound Piper Moran Episode: "Shabbas Bloody Shabbas" 2008 The Shield Olivia Murray 13 episodes 2010–2013 The Walking Dead Andrea Main cast; 31 episodes (Starring; seasons 1–3) 2014–2015 Major Crimes Ann McGinnis 3 episodes 2015 Chicago Fire Dr. Hannah Tramble Episode: "I am the Apocalypse" 2017–2018 The Americans Renee 12 episodes 2019 Proven Innocent Greta Bellows 7 episodes 2022 The Boys Crimson Countess / Fox Crimson Countess (voice) 5 episodes
Video game Year Title Voice role Notes 2004 The X-Files: Resist or Serve Marita Covarrubias
Online + Year Title Role Notes 2021 Vought News Network: Seven on 7 with Cameron Coleman Crimson Countess Guest role; web series promoting The Boys
Theatre The Only Game in Town (2000), based on the play by Frank D. Gilroy Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (2000), based on the play by Tennessee Williams The Love of the Nightingale, based on the play Procne by Timberlake Wertenbaker Ghosts, based on the play Regina by Henrik Ibsen Toros Y Hevos A Chorus Line, based on the book Kristine by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante The Winter's Tale, based on the play Hermione by William Shakespeare Time and the Conways, based on the play Madge by J. B. Priestley
Awards and nominations Holden was named as one of the top 100 Most Creative People in Hollywood in Entertainment Weekly'''s It List and One of Ten Actors to Watch by Variety. She also won "The Look of The Year" Elite model search in Toronto and was nominated in 1996 for a Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Guest Role in a Dramatic Series for Due South (1994). Laurie is named as one of "Ten Actors To Watch" by Variety in 2002.
She was nominated in 2011 for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in Television for the series The Walking Dead. For her role in this series, she was also nominated in 2011 for the Scream Award for Best Supporting Actress.
In 2013, Laurie Holden won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work on The Walking Dead''.Watts, Sophie (February 21, 2013). "'The Walking Dead' gets 4 nominations for 39th Saturn Awards" . Hypable.
Year Award Category Work Result1986Look of the Year1993Natalie Wood Acting Award Natalie Wood Acting Award for Best Actress1996Gemini Award Gemini Award for Best Guest Star in TelevisionDue South2011Saturn AwardBest Supporting Actress on TelevisionThe Walking DeadScream AwardBest Supporting Actress on TelevisionThe Walking Dead2012Satellite AwardBest Cast – Television SeriesThe Walking Dead2013Saturn AwardBest Supporting Actress on TelevisionThe Walking Dead2019Screen Actors Guild AwardOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesThe Americans2020CinEuphoria AwardsMerit – Honorary AwardThe Walking Dead
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