# Cynthia Watros

Cynthia Michele Watros (born September 2, 1968) is an American actress recognized for her roles in both daytime and primetime television. In 1994, she was cast in the regular role of Annie Dutton on Guiding Light, which earned her the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1998. In 2002, she was cast as Kellie on The Drew Carey Show and in 2005 joined the cast of Lost as Libby Smith. Since 2019, Watros has portrayed the role of Nina Reeves on ABC's General Hospital.

## Early life

Watros was born in Lake Orion, Michigan. She attended Macomb Community College in Clinton Township, Michigan, and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theatre from Boston University, where she was part of the Professional Actors Training Program.

## Career

Watros initially became known for her role as Annie Dutton on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light from 1994 to 1998. Her character, a nurse, began as a heroine, but she gained notice and critical acclaim as her character gradually descended into madness. In 1998, Watros won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role on Guiding Light. In 1998, she briefly filled in for Jensen Buchanan as Victoria Hudson McKinnon on Another World while Buchanan was on maternity leave.
Watros appeared as Erin Fitzpatrick on Titus from 2000 to 2002 and gained recognition as a comedic actress, playing the fiancée of the title character. According to the DVD commentary, Erin was intended to be neurotic and socially awkward, but the character was revised a week before the pilot was shot. After Titus was canceled, she took on the role of Kellie Newmark on The Drew Carey Show, as a replacement for Christa Miller. Watros played the role from 2002 to 2004.
From 2005 to 2006, Watros was a cast member on the ABC series Lost, playing psychologist Libby, a member of the "Tailies", a group of survivors of the plane crash who were in the tail section of the plane (and not seen during Season One). She was a romantic interest to Hurley and was very mysterious showing up in flashbacks.
After her departure from Lost in 2006, Watros filmed a pilot for a show titled My Ex-Life for CBS. She was slated to play the ex-wife of a character played by Tom Cavanagh. However, the pilot was not chosen by CBS. Watros was also the lead in the 2007 CBS television pilot for The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud, a comedy about a former literary genius who, after an awakening, decides to pursue optimism instead of cynicism.
In 2009, Watros filmed a pilot for Valley Girls, a spin-off of the CW series Gossip Girl set in the 1980s, in which she played CeCe Rhodes, the socialite ex-wife of Rick Rhodes, and mother of the series' protagonists. In a May 2009 episode of the USA series In Plain Sight, "A Stand-Up Triple", she guest starred as a mother of three children in the witness protection program. Beginning in April 2010, Watros joined the cast of the TV medical drama House for seven episodes as Samantha Carr, one of Dr. James Wilson's ex-wives.
Watros appeared in the 2012 indie film, Electrick Children. In May 2012, she guest-starred in episode 8.22 of Grey's Anatomy. In June 2013, she guest-starred in episode 4.17 of Warehouse 13. She played Mary Matrix, coach of the FPS Varsity team in the online series Video Game High School. Her character first appears in season two of the series, which started July 2013. Watros starred as Avery Jenning's self-obsessed aunt in Dog with a Blog on December 6, 2013.
In 2013, Watros joined the cast of the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, but left the show in early 2014; the character was recast. In July 2014, she joined the cast of the MTV series Finding Carter.
In 2019, Watros joined the cast of General Hospital as Nina Reeves, taking over the role from actress Michelle Stafford, who departed the role to return to the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless.
Watros also made a guest appearance in the digital drama series Misguided, playing a waitress named Anne, a nod to her role as Annie Dutton on Guiding Light.

## Personal life

Watros was married to Curtis Gilliland from 1996 to 2020. They have twin daughters, born in 2001.
In 2005, Watros was arrested in Kailua for allegedly driving under the influence of an intoxicant.
In 2008, Watros participated in a USO tour to Iraq, visiting several bases, including COP Callahan in Baghdad's East Adamiyah area.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1995 | Cafe Society | Dianna Harris | |
| 1997 | His and Hers | Pam | |
| 2000 | Mercy Streets | Sam | |
| 2001 | The Yellow Bird | Alma Tutwiler | Short film |
| 2002 | P.S. Your Cat Is Dead | Kate | |
| 2004 | Duane Incarnate | Connie | |
| 2005 | Just Pray | Perry Ann Lewis | Short film |
| 2007 | Frank | Jennifer York | |
| 2008 | American Crude | Jane | |
| 2009 | Calvin Marshall | Karen | |
| 2010 | Mars | Allison Guthrie | |
| 2012 | Electrick Children | Gay Lynn | |
| 2012 | Fatal Justice | Karen | |
| 2013 | Park City | Nina | |
| 2014 | Blood and Circumstance | Mrs. Stabler | |
| 2017 | Special Unit | Tara Small | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1994 | New York Undercover | Reporter | Episode: "Missing" |
| 1994–1998 | Guiding Light | Annie Dutton / Dee | Series regular |
| 1997 | Spin City | Gayley | Episode: "Striptease" |
| 1998 | Another World | Vicky Hudson | 9 episodes |
| 1998 | Profiler | Helen Jefferies | Episode: "Perfect Helen" |
| 2000–2002, 2020 | Titus | Erin Fitzpatrick | Main role, 54 episodes + 2 revival |
| 2002 | A Nero Wolfe Mystery | Phoebe Gunther | "The Silent Speaker" |
| 2002–2004 | The Drew Carey Show | Kellie Newmark | Main role (Season 8–9), 52 episodes |
| 2005 | Washington Street | Maggie | Movie |
| 2005–2007, 2010 | Lost | Elizabeth "Libby" Smith | Main role (Season 2, "The End"); Guest star (Season 4, 6) - 24 episodes |
| 2007 | Avenging Angel | Maggie | Movie |
| 2007 | Raines | Sarah Carver | Episode: "Closure" |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Beth Hoyle | Episode: "Offense" |
| 2008 | Fear Itself | Meredith Kane | Episode: "Spooked" |
| 2008 | The Bill Engvall Show | AJ | Episodes: "Susan's Best Friend"/"Bill Talks a Good Game" |
| 2009 | Family Guy | Security System Voice | Episode: "Ocean's Three and a Half" |
| 2009 | In Plain Sight | Maureen Stewart / Maureen Sullivan | Episode: "A Stand-Up Triple" |
| 2009 | Gossip Girl | Young Celia Rhodes | Episode: "Valley Girls" |
| 2009 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Barbie Aubrey | Episode: "All In" |
| 2009 | The Closer | Robin Milano | Episode: "Identity Theft" |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Heather Vanderwaal | Episode: "Reckoner" |
| 2009 | Men of a Certain Age | Erica | Episode: "Mind's Eye" |
| 2010 | The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Nicky | Episode: "The Second Time Around" |
| 2010 | House | Sam Carr | 7 episodes |
| 2010 | Desperate Housewives | Tracy Miller | Episode: "Pleasant Little Kingdom" |
| 2012 | A Smile as Big as the Moon | Dr. Deborah Barnhart | Movie |
| 2012 | Retribution | Karen | Movie |
| 2012 | Grey's Anatomy | Liz Connor | Episode: "Let the Bad Times Roll" |
| 2012 | Hawaii Five-0 | Katie Burgess | Episode: "Lana I Ka Moana" |
| 2013 | Cynthia Watros Gets Lost | As herself | 4 pilot episodes on YouTube |
| 2013 | Warehouse 13 | Janice Malloy | Episode: "What Matters Most" |
| 2013–2014 | Video Game High School | Mary Matrix | 12 episodes |
| 2013 | Dog with a Blog | Aunt Sigourney | Episode: "Twas the Flight Before Christmas" |
| 2013–2014 | The Young and the Restless | Kelly Andrews | Recurring role |
| 2014–2015 | Finding Carter | Elizabeth Wilson | Main role |
| 2015 | Stolen from the Suburbs | Katherine | Movie |
| 2017 | Washed Away | | Movie |
| 2017 | Deadly Exchange | Detective Hardy | Movie |
| 2019 | Misguided | Anne | Guest Star, 2 Episodes |
| 2019–present | General Hospital | Nina Reeves | Regular role |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Work | Result |
| 1998 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | Guiding Light | Won |
| 1998 | Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Villainess in a Drama Series – Daytime | Guiding Light | Nominated |
| 2006 | Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series | Lost | Won |
| 2020 | Indie Series Award for Best Guest Actress - Drama | Misguided | Nominated |
| 2022, 2024 | Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series | General Hospital | Nominated |