# Kelly Rowan

Kelly Rowan (born October 26, 1965) is a retired Canadian film and television actress and former fashion model. A native of Ottawa, Rowan studied acting in London and New York City before she started working as a model. She was featured in the horror film The Gate (1987) before earning critical acclaim for her performance in the Canadian television film Adrift, for which she won a Gemini Award for Best Actress. After a lead role in Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), Rowan starred as Mattie Shaw on the series Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years (1995–1996).
Rowan went on to garner international fame for her portrayal of California real estate developer Kirsten Cohen on the American television series The O.C., which ran from 2003 to 2007. She had a leading role on the crime series Perception from 2012 to 2015.

## Early life

Rowan was born October 26, 1965, in Ottawa, Ontario, and is a graduate of Toronto's Northern Secondary School. She left the University of Western Ontario to pursue acting, and studied at the British American Drama Academy in the United Kingdom and at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City. While in New York, Rowan worked as a model to earn a living.

## Career

After studying acting and modeling in New York, Rowan went on to appear in films such as The Gate (1987), Hook (1991), Three to Tango (1999), and One Eight Seven (1997).
Rowan guest-starred in television series such as The Outer Limits, Growing Pains, Da Vinci's Inquest, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Dallas. In 1993, she won a Gemini Award for her work in the television movie Adrift. In 1995–96 she played Matty Shaw, a funeral parlor operator and gun smith, in the TV series Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years. In 2002, Rowan guest-starred in four episodes of Boomtown, playing "Marian", the deceived wife of David McNorris (Neal McDonough). In 2003, she was cast as Kirsten Cohen, a loving mother and businesswoman on Fox's teen drama series The O.C.. In 2006, she won a Prism Award for this role. From 2012 to 2015, she starred as Natalie Vincent in the TNT series, Perception.
Her credits as executive producer include the 2008 television film The Good Times Are Killing Me and the 2007 television film She Drives Me Crazy, which was her third project for Lifetime.
Rowan has volunteered as an actress with the Young Storytellers Foundation.

## Personal life

Rowan announced her engagement to David Thomson, 3rd Baron Thomson of Fleet in late June 2007. They broke off their engagement before Rowan, then age 42, gave birth to their daughter on April 28, 2008, in Los Angeles.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | My Pet Monster | Stephanie | Direct-to-video |
| 1987 | The Gate | Lori Lee | |
| 1989 | The Long Road Home | Cynthia | |
| 1991 | Hook | Peter's Mother | |
| 1995 | Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh | Annie Tarrant | |
| 1995 | Assassins | Jennifer | |
| 1996 | Mocking the Cosmos | Lydia / Lydathia | Short film |
| 1997 | One Eight Seven | Ellen Henry | |
| 1999 | Three to Tango | Olivia Newman | |
| 2001 | Proximity | Anne Conroy | |
| 2001 | Jet Boy | Erin | |
| 2002 | Greenmail | Ashley Pryor | Direct-to-video |
| 2006 | Mount Pleasant | Anne Burrows | |
| 2008 | Jack and Jill vs. the World | Kate | |
| 2012 | Rufus | Jennifer Wade | also known as Hunted |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Hangin' In | Karen | Episode: "The Party" |
| 1986 | The Truth About Alex | Ellie Sanders | Television movie |
| 1986 | Night Heat | Melissa | Episode: "Trapped" |
| 1986 | The High Price of Passion | Student #3 | Television movie |
| 1987 | The Kidnapping of Baby John Doe | Salesgirl | Television movie |
| 1987 | Air Waves | | Episode: "Dinner at Eight" |
| 1988 | Mount Royal | | Episode: "Hello Stranger" |
| 1988 | War of the Worlds | Kim | Episode: "Goliath Is My Name" |
| 1988 | Another World | Suzie Strathmore | |
| 1989 | Street Legal | Angelina | Episode: "Beauties and Beasts" |
| 1990 | Growing Pains | Rachel | Episode: "Daddy Mike" |
| 1991 | Dallas | Dana | 3 episodes |
| 1992 | Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive | Gayla Williams | Television movie |
| 1992 | Exclusive | Sunny | Television movie |
| 1992 | Sweating Bullets | Julie Morrison | Episode: "Ocean Park" |
| 1993 | Adrift | Eliza Terrio | Television movie |
| 1995 | Black Fox: Good Men and Bad | Hallie Russell | Television movie |
| 1995 | The Outer Limits | Isabelle Pierce | Episode: "Virtual Future" |
| 1995–1996 | Lonesome Dove: The Outlaw Years | Mattie Shaw | Main role, 22 episodes |
| 1997 | The Burning Zone | Stacy | Episode: "The Last Five Pounds Are the Hardest" |
| 1997 | A Match Made in Heaven | Jane Cronin | Television movie |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Kristin | Episode: "In Another Life" |
| 1998 | When He Didn't Come Home | Carolyn Blair | Television movie |
| 1998 | Da Vinci's Inquest | Michaela | Episodes: "Little Sister: Parts 2 and 3" |
| 1998 | To Have & to Hold | Gina | Episode: "These Boots Were Made for Stalking" |
| 1999 | Late Last Night | Jill | Television movie |
| 1999 | Chicken Soup for the Soul | Mom | Episode: "The Handwriting on the Wall" |
| 1999 | Anya's Bell | Jeanne Rhymes | Television Movie |
| 1999 | A Crime of Passion | Marci Elias | Television Movie |
| 2000 | The Truth About Jane | Ms. Lynn Walcott | Television Movie |
| 2000 | Scorn | Sharon | Television Movie |
| 2001 | A Girl Thing | Claire | Television Movie |
| 2001 | Loving Evangeline | Evie Shaw | Television Movie |
| 2001 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Eileen Nelson | Episode: "Slaves of Las Vegas" |
| 2002 | Rag and Bone | Karen Toms | Television movie |
| 2002 | The Man Who Saved Christmas | Mary | Television movie |
| 2002–2003 | Boomtown | Marian McNorris | 4 episodes |
| 2003–2007 | The O.C. | Kirsten Cohen | Main role, 92 episodes |
| 2005 | Still I Long for Your Kiss | | Music video from Peter Gallagher's album 7 Days in Memphis |
| 2006 | Eight Days to Live | Teresa Spring | Television movie |
| 2007 | In God's Country | Judith Leavitt | Television movie |
| 2009 | CSI: Miami | Katherine Faber | Episode: "Divorce Party" |
| 2009 | The Good Times Are Killing Me | Kate Derby | Television movie |
| 2010 | Flashpoint | Maggie Perrello | Episode: "Severed Ties" |
| 2011 | Cyberbully | Kris Hillridge | Television movie |
| 2012–2015 | Perception | Natalie Vincent / Dr. Caroline Newsome | Main role |
| 2015 | Castle | Dean Feller | Episode: "PhDead" |
| 2015 | Murdoch Mysteries | Mrs. Millicent McGowan | Episode: "A Merry Murdoch Christmas" |
| 2016 | Tulips in Spring | Caroline | Television movie |