# Amy Acker

Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Winifred Burkle and Illyria on the supernatural drama series Angel (2001–2004), as Kelly Peyton on the action drama series Alias (2005–2006), and as Root on the science-fiction drama series Person of Interest (2012–2016). From 2017 to 2019, she starred as Caitlin Strucker on the superhero drama series The Gifted, based on Marvel Comics' X-Men.

## Early life

Amy Louise Acker was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, to a homemaker mother and a lawyer father. She studied ballet and modern dance for 14 years. She underwent knee surgery while in high school, ending her ballet career. Acker graduated from Lake Highlands High School in Dallas in 1995. She subsequently earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Southern Methodist University in 1999.
In her junior year of college, Acker modeled for the J. Crew catalog. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the same year. She worked as a stage actress for several seasons, including a stint at American Players Theatre in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

## Career

Acker made her major television debut when she starred as Winifred "Fred" Burkle in Angel (seasons 2–5), and also as the character of Illyria for part of the show's fifth and final season. She won the 2003 Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress on Television for her portrayal.
Acker joined the cast of Alias in 2005 for its final season, playing villainess Kelly Peyton. Acker graduated from guest star to cast member as the show entered the final episodes in April and May 2006. Also in 2005, Acker provided voice acting for the character of Huntress (Helena Rosa Bertinelli) on the animated series Justice League Unlimited. She went on to make a guest appearance on How I Met Your Mother, in which she was reunited with Angel co-star Alexis Denisof (the real-life husband of HIMYM star Alyson Hannigan), who had a recurring role on the show.
Acker portrayed Dr. Claire Saunders/Whiskey, a recurring character, on Joss Whedon's Dollhouse. She guest-starred in 10 of the 13 episodes of the first season and three episodes of the second.
In 2010, Acker was a series regular in the ABC drama Happy Town, portraying the character Rachel Conroy. That same year, she starred in the season-one finale of the Fox series Human Target as the mysterious Katherine Walters. On May 25, 2010, she appeared on CBS's The Good Wife. She appeared in the horror movie The Cabin in the Woods, released April 13, 2012. In 2012, she made guest performances in Warehouse 13, Once Upon a Time, and Grimm. Also in 2012, she starred as Beatrice in Joss Whedon's film Much Ado About Nothing.
Acker appeared in season three of the sitcom Husbands as Claudia, Brad Kelt's ex-fiancée of who unexpectedly shows up. In March 2014, Acker was cast as Audrey Nathan, a former lover to Phil Coulson in an episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Between 2012 and 2016, Acker portrayed Samantha "Root" Groves on the CBS drama Person of Interest; Groves became a regular character starting in the series' third season. Starting with the series' 100th episode, Acker took on the voice role of the Machine. In the series finale, she also appeared as the visual manifestation of the Machine.
In March 2017, Acker was cast as Caitlin Strucker in the pilot for the prospective Fox television series The Gifted, which was picked up to series in May 2017. The Gifted began airing on October 2, 2017, and Fox canceled the series after two seasons on April 17, 2019.
In 2019, Acker appeared in What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage, a parody of aftershows. She plays Dr. Rachel Layne in the "show-within-a-show", a fictional drama series called The Flare.

## Personal life

On April 25, 2003, Acker married actor James Carpinello in California. They have a son, born in 2005, and a daughter, born in 2006.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2001 | The Accident | Nina | |
| 2002 | Groom Lake | Kate | |
| 2002 | Catch Me If You Can | Miggy | |
| 2006 | The Novice | Jill Yarrut | |
| 2009 | 21 and a Wake-Up | Caitlin Murphy | |
| 2011 | Sironia | Molly Fisher | |
| 2012 | The Cabin in the Woods | Wendy Lin | |
| 2012 | Much Ado About Nothing | Beatrice | |
| 2014 | Let's Kill Ward's Wife | Gina | |
| 2016 | The Energy Specialist | Claire | |
| 2017 | Amanda & Jack Go Glamping | Amanda | |
| 2020 | Superman: Red Son | Lois Lane (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2024 | Ordinary Angels | Theresa | |
| 2025 | The Unbreakable Boy | Lori | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1998-1999 | Wishbone | Priscilla / Catherine Morland / Venus | Episodes: "A Bone of Contention", "Pup Fiction", "A Roamin' Nose" |
| 1999 | To Serve and Protect | Melissa Jorgensen | Episode: "Part II" |
| 2001 | Special Unit 2 | Nancy | Episode: "The Invisible" |
| 2001–2004 | Angel | Winifred "Fred" Burkle / Illyria | Recurring role (season 2); Main role (seasons 3–5) |
| 2003 | Return to the Batcave: The Misadventures of Adam and Burt | Bonnie Lindsay | Television film (CBS) |
| 2004 | Johnny Bravo | Jackie, Cashier (voice) | Episode: "Double Vision" |
| 2005 | Supernatural | Andrea Barr | Episode: "Dead in the Water" |
| 2005–2006 | Justice League Unlimited | Huntress / Helena Bertinelli (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 2005–2006 | Alias | Kelly Peyton | Main role (season 5); 13 episodes |
| 2006 | How I Met Your Mother | Penelope | Episode: "Come On" |
| 2007 | Drive | Kathryn Tully | 3 episodes |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Leslie LeZard | Episode: "Smile" |
| 2007 | Ghost Whisperer | Tessa | Episode: "Weight of What Was" |
| 2008 | Voices | Ellie Daly | Television film (a.k.a. A Near Death Experience) |
| 2008 | Fire and Ice: The Dragon Chronicles | Princess Luisa | Television film (Syfy) |
| 2008 | October Road | Girl in Blue Uniform / Jenny Bristol | 2 episodes |
| 2008 | Private Practice | Molly Madison | Episode: "A Family Thing" |
| 2009–2010 | Dollhouse | Dr. Claire Saunders / Whiskey | Recurring role; 14 episodes |
| 2010 | Human Target | Katherine Walters | Episode: "Christopher Chance" |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Trish Arkin | Episode: "Running" |
| 2010 | Happy Town | Rachel Conroy | Main role; 8 episodes |
| 2010 | No Ordinary Family | Amanda Grayson | Episodes: "No Ordinary Mobster", "No Ordinary Accident" |
| 2011 | Dear Santa | Crystal Carruthers | Television film (Lifetime) |
| 2011, 2013 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Sandy Colfax | Episodes: "Man Up", "Backfire" |
| 2012 | Grimm | Lena Marcenko | Episode: "Tarantella" |
| 2012 | Once Upon a Time | Astrid / Nova | Episode: "Dreamy" |
| 2012 | Warehouse 13 | Tracey | Episode: "The Ones You Love" |
| 2012–2016 | Person of Interest | Samantha "Root" Groves | Guest role (season 1); Recurring role (season 2); Main role (seasons 3–5); 65 episodes |
| 2013 | Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated | Nova (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 2014 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Audrey Nathan | Episode: "The Only Light in the Darkness" |
| 2015 | A Novel Romance | Sophie | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2015–2019 | Suits | Esther Litt-Edelstein | 5 episodes (seasons 5, 8–9) |
| 2016–2017 | MacGyver | Sarah Adler | Episodes: "Metal Saw", "Screwdriver" |
| 2016 | A Nutcracker Christmas | Lily | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2017–2019 | The Gifted | Caitlin Strucker | Main role |
| 2019 | What Just Happened??! with Fred Savage | Dr. Rachel Layne | Episode: "Family" |
| 2019 | Grey's Anatomy | Kathleen Shepherd | Episode: "Good Shepherd" |
| 2020 | God Friended Me | Tammy | Episode: "Almost Famous" |
| 2021 | All Rise | Georgia Knight | Episodes: "Georgia", "Leap of Faith" |
| 2021 | Crashing Through the Snow | Maggie | Television film (Hallmark) |
| 2022 | 9-1-1: Lone Star | Catherine | 6 episodes (season 3) |
| 2023 | The Watchful Eye | Tory | Main role |

### Web

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2008 | Who Cut the Cake? | Ellen | 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Husbands | Claudia | |
| 2015–2017 | Con Man | Dawn Jones | 8 episodes |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result |
| 2003 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Angel | Won |
| 2004 | Saturn Awards | Best Supporting Actress on Television | Angel | Nominated |
| 2014 | Indie Series Awards | Best Guest Star – Comedy | Husbands | Won |