# Cynthia Gibb

Cynthia Gibb (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress and former model who has starred in film and on television. She began her career as a cast member on the musical television drama Fame, based on the movie of the same name. She also appeared in the films Youngblood (1986), Salvador (1986), Malone (1987), Short Circuit 2 (1988) and Death Warrant (1990). She received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Gypsy Rose Lee in the film Gypsy (1993).

## Early life

Cynthia Lowrie Gibb was born December 14, 1963, in Bennington, Vermont, U.S. and grew up in Westport, Connecticut, and attended Staples High School.

## Career

At the age of 14, she began assignments with the Ford Modeling Agency in New York City. She was on the cover of Vogue and Young Miss magazines. She was cast for her first film role in 1980, as a Young Fan in the Woody Allen film Stardust Memories.
Gibb appeared in Youngblood, also starring Rob Lowe. She also played the role of Susan Martin Wyatt Carter on the soap opera Search for Tomorrow, appearing from 1981 to 1983. Gibb was a regular for three of the six seasons of the television series Fame, which aired from 1982 to 1987. She appeared in the Diagnosis: Murder movies in 1992 as Dr. Amanda Bentley. In Salvador (1986), directed by Oliver Stone and starring James Woods, she portrayed an American lay missionary in El Salvador who was brutally raped and murdered. In the TV adaptation of Gypsy, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film; she played the adult Gypsy Rose Lee opposite Bette Midler as Madame Rose.
Gibb later starred in the NBC sitcom Madman of the People (1994–1995), and UPN series Deadly Games (1995–1997). She has also played in many TV movies, including the role of Karen Carpenter in The Karen Carpenter Story (1989). She played Mary Maloney opposite John Schneider in Mary Christmas.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1980 | Stardust Memories | Young Girl Fan |
| 1986 | Youngblood | Jessie Chadwick |
| 1986 | Salvador | Cathy Moore |
| 1986 | Modern Girls | Cece |
| 1987 | Malone | Jo Barlow |
| 1988 | Jack's Back | Chris Moscari |
| 1988 | Short Circuit 2 | Sandy Banatoni |
| 1990 | Death Warrant | Amanda Beckett |
| 1997 | Volcano: Fire on the Mountain | Kelly Adams |
| 2002 | Full Frontal | Pregnant Woman |
| 2008 | Beautiful Loser | Bonnie (adult) |
| 2008 | Fall of Hyperion | Jenni Hansen |
| 2010 | A Nanny for Christmas | Samantha Ryland |
| 2010 | The Funeral Planner | Cynthia Gibb |
| 2013 | Before I Sleep | Caroline |
| 2016 | Caged No More | Lottie |
| 2016 | Hunter's Cove | Sandy |
| 2023 | Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection | Herself |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1981–1983 | Search for Tomorrow | Suzi Wyatt | 172 episodes TV series |
| 1983–1987 | Fame | Holly Laird | 57 episodes Nominated – Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Drama Series (1984) |
| 1989 | The Karen Carpenter Story | Karen Carpenter | TV movie |
| 1989 | When We Were Young | Ellen Reese | TV movie |
| 1990 | Midnight Caller | Willi | Episode: "Three for the Money" |
| 1990 | Tales from the Crypt | Lorelei Phelps | Episode: "Korman's Kalamity" |
| 1992 | Diagnosis: Murder | Dr. Amanda Bentley | TV movie |
| 1992 | Drive Like Lightning | Ginger McDaniel | TV movie |
| 1992 | The House on Sycamore Street | Dr. Amanda Bentley | TV movie |
| 1993 | A Twist of the Knife | Dr. Amanda Bentley | TV movie |
| 1993 | The Woman Who Loved Elvis | Emily | TV movie |
| 1993 | Gypsy | Louise / Gypsy Rose Lee | TV movie Nominated – Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film |
| 1994 | 51st Golden Globe Awards | Herself - Nominee | TV movie |
| 1994 | Sin & Redemption | Billie Simms | TV movie |
| 1994 | Fatal Vows: The Alexandra O'Hara Story | Alexandra O'Hara | TV movie |
| 1994–1995 | Madman of the People | Meg Buckner | 16 episodes |
| 1995–1997 | Deadly Games | Lauren Ashborne / The Girl | 13 episodes |
| 1996 | Holiday Affair | Jodie Ennis | TV movie |
| 1997 | Volcano: Fire on the Mountain | Kelly Adams | TV movie |
| 1997 | Love-Struck | Emily Vale | TV movie |
| 1997 | High Stakes | Annie | TV movie |
| 1997 | Superman: The Animated Series | Trish Mills (voice) | Episode: "Prototype" |
| 1998 | Earthquake in New York | Laura Rykker | TV movie |
| 2000 | This Is How the World Ends | Nicole Van Dyke | TV movie |
| 2001 | The Wandering Soul Murders | Jill Dempsey | TV movie |
| 2001 | A Colder Kind of Death | Jill Dempsey | TV movie |
| 2001 | Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows | Narrator (voice) | TV movie |
| 2001 | Judging Amy | Irene Kroft | Episode: "The Unforgiven" |
| 2002 | The Division | Donna Packard | Episode: "Hide and Seek" |
| 2002 | Mary Christmas | Mary Maloney | TV movie |
| 2003 | Mary Higgins Clark: A Crime of Passion | Frederica Dumay | TV movie |
| 2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Karen Campbell | Episode: "Poison" |
| 2005 | Missing | Dr. Susan Reynolds | Episode: "Patient X" |
| 2006 | 7th Heaven | Betsey | Episode: "You Don't Know What You've Got 'Til He's Gone" |
| 2007 | Demons from Her Past | Marilyn Baxter | TV movie |
| 2007 | A Family Lost | Valerie Williamson | TV movie |
| 2007 | Christie's Revenge | Miranda Colton | TV movie |
| 2007 | An Accidental Christmas | Vicky | TV movie |
| 2008 | Without a Trace | Tracie Duncan | Episode: "True/False" |
| 2009 | Criminal Minds | Kathy Gray | Episode: "Bloodline" |
| 2010 | Accused at 17 | Jacqui Miller | TV movie |
| 2011 | Cinnamon | Professor Madeline Walters | TV movie (aka "My Dog's Christmas Miracle") |
| 2013 | The Cheating Pact | Brenda Marshall | TV movie |
| 2015 | Christmas Land | Elaine Nickerson | TV movie |
| 2016 | Broadcasting Christmas | Patrice Montgomery | TV movie |
| 2017 | Stalker's Prey | Sandy Wilcox | TV movie (aka "Hunter's Cove) |
| 2017 | Sharing Christmas | Helen | TV movie |
| 2020 | Ivy & Mistletoe | Mary Anderson | TV movie |
| 2020 | Christmas on the Menu | Shannon Byrde | TV movie |

## Soundtrack

| Year | Production | Notes |
| 1983-1985 | Fame | performer: "Hey Look Me Over", "One Dream", "If the Lady Wants to Play", "The Loser Gets to Win", "Lucky Star", "Geometry", "Shopping From A to Z", "Friends", "Let the Sunshine In", "Take Me to Your Heart", "Starting at the End", "We're All the Same", It's in Everyone of Us", "Rudy's Restaurant and Cabaret", "Out Here on My Own", "Rock 'n Roll World", "Watcha Gonna Do", "Drive Me Wild" (uncredited), "Little Red Corvette", "Heart Attack", "We Got Tonight", "Never Gonna Let You Go" (uncredited), "Childhood's End", "On the West Side", "I Can't Stand Up Alone", "Drive Me Wild", "By My Side" (uncredited) |
| 1989 | The Karen Carpenter Story | Genre: Biography Drama performer: "The End of the World" |
| 1993 | Gypsy | TV Movie performer: "Little Lamb", "Dainty June and Her Farmboys", "If Momma Was Married", "Together", "Wherever We Go", "Let Me Entertain You" |
| 1998 | Earthquake in New York | TV Movie performer:"Jose Can You See?" (uncredited) |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Awards | Category | Nominated work | Result |
| 1984 | Young Artist Awards | Best Young Actress in a Drama Series | Fame | Nominated |
| 1994 | 51st Golden Globe Awards | Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film | Gypsy | Nominated |
| 2023 | Indie Short Fest | Honorable Mention | Lux Freer | Won |
| 2023 | New York Cinematography Awards | Best USA Film | Lux Freer | Won |
| 2023 | New York Cinematography Awards | Best First-Time Director | Lux Freer | Won |