Kristine Sutherland

Kristine Sutherland (born Kristine Young; April 17, 1955) is an American actress best known for her starring role as Buffy Summers' mother Joyce Summers on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where she appeared in every season, and her role as Mae Thompson in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989).
== Early life ==
She was born Kristine Young in Boise, Idaho, and changed her name because she was often confused with another similarly named actress. The last name "Sutherland" was after her cat, whom she named "Donald" after Donald Sutherland, who, coincidentally, had a role in the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer film, Joss Whedon's first attempt to bring Buffy to audiences.[1] Hence she is not related to Donald Sutherland or his son Kiefer.[2]
She attended high school in Lexington, Kentucky, where she participated in the Tates Creek Drama program. After graduating, she enrolled in the University of Kentucky.
== Career ==
Sutherland's first film role was as a secretary in Legal Eagles (1986). She appeared as Mae Thompson in the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Her career received a big boost when she played Buffy's mother in the action-horror television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, from 1997 to 2002.[3] Creator Joss Whedon later stated that one of the reasons he chose Sutherland for the role was the fact that she exuded a warm demeanor, as well as what he believed to be a close resemblance to actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, who was to portray her daughter in the series. She appeared regularly on the show for the first five seasons before leaving, but returned for three more guest appearances, 1 in season 6 and 2 in season 7.
After leaving Buffy, Sutherland attended a photography course at the Santa Monica College and subsequently set up a studio specializing in portraits. In 2008, she appeared in the television miniseries Comanche Moon and had a guest role in an episode of New Amsterdam.[3]
She voiced Haru's Mother in the English dub of The Cat Returns.
== Personal life ==
Sutherland is married to actor John Pankow. They have one daughter.
== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes 	1986	Legal Eagles	Secretary #2	
1989	Honey, I Shrunk the Kids 	Mae Thompson 	 	 	 	 	
2005	The Cat Returns 	Naoko Yoshioka (voice)	English version	 	 	 	
2012	The Perfect Wedding 	Meryl Fowler 	 	 	 	 	
2016	Russian Doll 	Marjorie Ames 	 	 	 	 	
2016	Are You Afraid of the '90s?	Jane 	Short film 	 	 	 	
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes 	1984	Hot Pursuit		Episode: "Portrait of a Lady Killer"
1984 	Remington Steel 	Pamela Jones 	Episode: "Let's Steel a Plot" 	 	 		
1986—1987	Easy Street 	Martha 	2 episodes 	 	 		
1987 	The Art of Being Nick 	Marlene Moore 	Television pilot 	 	 		
1994 	California Dreams 	Ariel Lange 	Episode: "Daddy's Girl" 	 	 		
1997—2002	Buffy the Vampire Slayer	Joyce Summers 	58 episodes 	 	 		
2002 	Providence 	Joyce Moore 	Episode: "Things Have Changed"	 	 		
2008 	Comanche Moon 	Elmira Forsythe	2 episodes 	 	 		
2008 	New Amsterdam 	Didi Gleason 	Episode: "Reclassified" 	 	 		
2010—2011	One Life to Live 	Dean McKenzie 	4 episodes 	 	 		
2013 	The Following 	Parker's Mother	Episode: "The Fall"