# Wendy Makkena

Wendy Rosenberg Makkena (/məˈkiːnə/ mə-KEE-nə; born October 4, 1958) is an American actress best known for playing Sister Mary Robert in the film Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and numerous other roles in film and television. She has appeared regularly on stage since the 1980s. Her other film credits include Air Bud (1997), State of Play (2009), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019).

## Early life

Makkena was born in Manhattan, New York City, and attended the Juilliard School. Her mother, Diana K. Rosenberg, was an astrologer specializing in various fields therein including Western and Indian astrology.

## Career

In 1987, she made her Broadway debut in a production of Pygmalion starring Peter O'Toole. She later appeared in Lend Me a Tenor and Side Man. In 1988, she made her film debut appearing in Eight Men Out.
In 1992, Makkena had a supporting role opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the musical comedy film Sister Act as the shy but talented singing nun Sister Mary Robert, a role she reprised in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit the following year. In both films, singer Andrea Robinson provided the actual vocals. In 1994, she co-starred opposite Christopher Lloyd in the comedy film Camp Nowhere, and in 1997 appeared in Air Bud. In 1998, she played a leading role in the LGBT-related independent comedy-drama Finding North. On television, she starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom A League of Their Own in 1993 and later had recurring roles on NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and NCIS. She also had regular roles on the short-lived The Job (2001–02), Oliver Beene (2003–04), Listen Up (2004–05) and The Mob Doctor (2012–13).

## Personal life

Makkena has been married to Bob Krakower, an acting coach, since 1997 and they have a child together.

## Filmography
### Film

Key :
| † | Denotes works that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Eight Men Out | Kate Jackson | |
| 1992 | Sister Act | Sister Mary Robert | |
| 1993 | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit | Sister Mary Robert | |
| 1994 | Camp Nowhere | Dr. Celeste Dunbar | |
| 1995 | Napoleon | Napoleon's Mom | |
| 1995 | The Whiskey Heir | Maggie | Short film |
| 1997 | The People | Jean Leary | |
| 1997 | Air Bud | Jackie Framm | |
| 1998 | Finding North | Rhonda Portelli | |
| 1999 | 4 a.m.: Open All Night | Woman | Short film |
| 2004 | Noise | Del | |
| 2009 | State of Play | Greer Thornton | |
| 2017 | The Discovery | Mom | |
| 2018 | Wanderland | Sandy Tanner | |
| 2019 | The Tomorrow Man | Beverly St. Michaels | |
| 2019 | Fair Market Value | Jessica | |
| 2019 | A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood | Dorothy Vogel | |
| 2021 | Spiked | Margaret | |
| 2024 | Sunday Strips | Mrs. Tomas | Short film |
| 2025 | Whispers of Freedom † | Karin Gueffroy | Short film |
| TBA | Sister Act 3: Kicking the Habit † | Sister Mary Robert | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1986 | Santa Barbara | Katie Timmons | TV series |
| 1989 | Dream Street | Harry's Ex-Wife | Episode: "True Love" |
| 1991 | Monsters | Maggie Price | Episode: "Desirable Alien" |
| 1991 | Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus Farace | Brenda | TV movie |
| 1991 | Law & Order | Officer Nicki Sandoval | Episode: "A Death in the Family" |
| 1992 | Black Magic | Sally Rowe | TV movie |
| 1993 | Class of '96 | Margaret Parsons | Episode: "The Accused" |
| 1993 | A League of Their Own | Mae Mordabito | 6 episodes |
| 1994 | NYPD Blue | Det. Sharon LaSalle | 3 episodes |
| 1994 | Touched by an Angel | Robin Dunwoody | Episode: "The Heart of the Matter" |
| 1995 | Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story | Mary Newcombe | TV movie |
| 1995 | Strange Luck | Louise Brooks | Episode: "The Box" |
| 1996 | Death Benefit | Wynn Burkholder | TV movie |
| 1996 | On Seventh Avenue | Nadine Jacobs | TV movie |
| 1997 | Lies He Told | Patty | TV movie |
| 1997 | C-16: FBI | Melanie Harmon | Episode: "Orange Kid" |
| 1997 | Dellaventura | | Episode: "Fathers" |
| 1998 | Trinity | | Episodes: "No Secrets", "Hang Man Down" |
| 1999–2000 | Judging Amy | Susie Nixon | 8 episodes |
| 2001–2002 | The Job | Karen McNeil | 6 episodes |
| 2002 | Law & Order | Janet Weston | Episode: "Born Again" |
| 2002 | Philly | Amanda Royce | Episode: "San Diego Padre" |
| 2003–2004 | Oliver Beene | Charlotte Caraline Beene | 24 episodes |
| 2004–2005 | Listen Up | Dana Kleinman | 18 episodes |
| 2006 | Ghost Whisperer | Jean Godfrey | Episode: "A Grave Matter" |
| 2007 | House | Dr. Julie Whitner | Episode: "Needle in a Haystack" |
| 2007 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Doris Babinkian | Episode: "Ending Happy" |
| 2007 | The Nine | Suzanne | Episode: "Confessions" Episode: "Man of the Year" |
| 2007 | Chuck | National Intelligence Director | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Intersect" |
| 2009 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Ellen Van Kuren | Episode: "Transitions" |
| 2009 | Desperate Housewives | Fran Schulman | Episode: "Marry Me a Little" |
| 2009 | Without a Trace | Jubilee | Episode: "True" |
| 2009–2010 | Numb3rs | Kath Berry | Episodes: "Shadow Markets", "Growin' Up" |
| 2010 | The Deep End | Judge Joan Anderson | Episode: "An Innocent Man" |
| 2010 | Miami Medical | Didi | Episode: "What Lies Beneath" |
| 2011 | Melissa & Joey | Suzanne Reback | Episode: "Going the Distance?" |
| 2011, 2012 2014 | NCIS | Dr. Rachel Cranston | 4 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | The Mob Doctor | Daniella Devlin | 13 episodes |
| 2014 | Alpha House | Molly P. Andresun | 2 episodes |
| 2015 | Rizzoli & Isles | IAB Agent Hitchcock | Episode: "The Platform" |
| 2018 | The Last O.G. | Krystal | Episode: "Swipe Right" |
| 2019 | Bull | Sherri Gibson | Episode: "Security Fraud" |
| 2023 | Rabbit Hole | Debra | |

## Stage

| Year | Title | Role(s) | Venue |
| 1987 | Pygmalion | Teamaid | Plymouth Theatre, Broadway |
| 1988 | The Birthday Party | Lulu | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway |
| 1988 | The Debutante Ball | Bliss White | New York Stage and Film, New York |
| 1989 | The Loman Family Picnic | Marsha | Manhattan Theatre Club Stage II, Off-Broadway |
| 1989 | Mountain Language | Young Woman | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway |
| 1989 | The Birthday Party | Lulu | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway |
| 1989 | Lend Me A Tenor | Maggie (replacement) | Royale Theatre, Broadway |
| 1990 | Prin | Melanie | City Center Stage I, Off-Broadway |
| 1991 | The American Plan | Lili | Manhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway |
| 1996 | The Shawl | Stella | Jewish Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 1997 | The Water Children | Megan | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway |
| 1998 | The Water Children | Megan | The Matrix Theatre Company, Los Angeles |
| 1998 | Side Man | Terry | Criterion Center Stage Right, Off-Broadway |
| 1998 | Side Man | Terry | John Golden Theatre, Broadway |
| 2007 | Harm's Way | Journalist | Hayworth Theatre, Los Angeles |
| 2008 | Harm's Way | Journalist | 45th Street Theatre, Off-Broadway |
| 2013 | Bronx Bombers | Carmen | Primary Stages, Off-Broadway |