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Danica McKellar | |
|---|---|
 McKellar at the 2018National Book Festival | |
| Born | (1975-01-03)January 3, 1975 (age 51) La Jolla, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of California, Los Angeles (BS) |
| Occupations | Actress, mathematics writer, education advocate |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 1 |
Danica McKellar (born January 3, 1975)[1] is an American actress, mathematics writer, and education advocate. She is best known for playing Winnie Cooper in the television seriesThe Wonder Years.
McKellar has appeared in various television films for theHallmark Channel. She has also done voice acting, includingFrieda Goren inStatic Shock,Miss Martian inYoung Justice, andKiller Frost inDC Super Hero Girls. In 2015, McKellar joined part of the main cast in theNetflix original seriesProject Mc2.
In addition to her acting work, McKellar later wrote seven non-fiction books, all dealing withmathematics:Math Doesn't Suck,Kiss My Math,Hot X: Algebra Exposed,Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape, which encourage middle-school and high-school girls to have confidence and succeed in mathematics,Goodnight, Numbers, andDo Not Open This Math Book.[2][3][4]
McKellar was born inLa Jolla, California.[5][6][7] She moved with her family toLos Angeles when she was eight. Her mother, Mahaila McKellar (née Tello), was a homemaker; her father, Christopher McKellar, is areal estate developer; her younger sister,Crystal, is alawyer and former child actor.[8] She is of Scottish, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch descent on her father's side, and of Portuguese descent, by way of theAzores and theMadeira islands, on her mother's side.[9]
In 1998, McKellar earned aBachelor of Science degree inmathematics (summa cum laude) fromUCLA, where she was a member of theAlpha Delta Pi sorority.[10][11] As an undergraduate, she coauthored a scientific paper with Professor Lincoln Chayes and fellow student Brandy Winn titled "Percolation andGibbs states multiplicity forferromagneticAshkin–Teller models on."[12] Their results are termed the "Chayes–McKellar–Winn theorem".[13][14] Later, when Chayes was asked to comment about the mathematical abilities of his student coauthors, he toldThe New York Times, "I thought that the two were really, really first-rate."[15] As a result of her past collaborative work on research papers, McKellar is currently assigned theErdős number four, and theErdős–Bacon number six.[16]
At age seven, McKellar enrolled in weekend acting classes for children at theLee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles.[17] In her teens, she landed a prominent role inThe Wonder Years, an American television comedy-drama that ran for six seasons onABC, from 1988 to 1993. She played Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper, the main love interest of Kevin Arnold (played byFred Savage) on the show. Her first kiss was with Fred Savage in an episode ofThe Wonder Years.[18][19] She later said, "My first kiss was a pretty nerve-wracking experience! But we never kissed off screen, and pretty quickly our feelings turned into brother/sister, and stayed that way."[20]
McKellar has said that she found it "difficult" to move from being a child actress to an adult actress.[20] Since leavingThe Wonder Years, McKellar has had several guest roles in television series (including one with former co-starFred Savage onWorking), and has written and directed two short films. She appeared in twoLifetime films in theMoment of Truth series, playing Kristin Guthrie in 1994'sCradle of Conspiracy and Annie Mills Carman in 1996'sJustice for Annie. She briefly returned to regular television with a recurring role in the 2002–03 season ofThe West Wing, portraying Elsie Snuffin, the half-sister and assistant of Deputy White House Communications DirectorWill Bailey.
McKellar was featured in the video forDebbie Gibson's eighth single from theElectric Youth album, "No More Rhyme", which was released in 1989. She plays the cello in the beginning of the video.[21]
McKellar appeared inlingerie in the July 2005 edition ofStuff magazine[22] after readers voted her the 1990s star they would most like to see in lingerie. McKellar explained that she agreed to the shoot in part to obtain "grittier roles".[20]
In 2006, McKellar starred in a Lifetime film and web-based series titledInspector Mom about a mother who solves mysteries.[23][24]
On the August 1, 2007, edition of theDon and Mike Show, aWJFK-FM radio program out of Washington, D.C., McKellar announced that the producers ofHow I Met Your Mother were planning to bring her back for a recurring role (she guest-starred on the show in late 2005 in "The Pineapple Incident" and again in early 2007 in "Third Wheel"). She also made an appearance on the showThe Big Bang Theory, in the episode "The Psychic Vortex".[25]
In 2008, she starred inHeatstroke, aSci-Fi Channel film about searching for alien life on Earth, and in 2009 she was one of the stars commenting on the occurrences of the new millennium inVH1'sI Love the New Millennium and was the math correspondent forBrink, a program by theScience Channel about technology. In 2013, she played Ellen Plainview in Lifetime's reimagining of the 1956Alfred Hitchcock filmThe Wrong Man.
McKellar has also worked as avoice actress, having provided the voice ofJubilee in the video gameX-Men Legends (2004), andInvisible Woman inMarvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006) andMarvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009). She provided the voice ofMiss Martian in the TV seriesYoung Justice.
In 2012, she starred in the Lifetime filmLove at the Christmas Table withDustin Milligan.
In January 2013, she starred in the Syfy filmTasmanian Devils withApolo Ohno.
On August 20, 2013, Canadian singerAvril Lavigne released the music video for her single "Rock N Roll" from herself-titled fifth album, which features McKellar as "Winnie Cooper".[26]
On March 4, 2014, it was announced that McKellar would be competing onseason 18 ofDancing with the Stars. She paired withValentin Chmerkovskiy.[27] McKellar and Chmerkovskiy were eliminated on Week 8, finishing in 6th place.
She had a guest appearance in the sixth episode ofImpractical Jokers season four, which was titled "The Blunder Years". She made another guest appearance in season seven, episode ten, "Speech Impediment".
In 2015, she starred in theNetflix original seriesProject Mc2 as The Quail.
She has starred in severalHallmark Channel films, includingCrown for Christmas,My Christmas Dream,Campfire Kiss,Love and Sunshine,Christmas at Dollywood, andYou, Me & the Christmas Trees, as well as theHallmark Movies & Mysteries seriesThe Matchmaker Mysteries.
McKellar was a judge on the single season of Fox'sDomino Masters[28] which premiered on March 9, 2022.[29]
McKellar has authored several mathematics-related books, primarily targeting adolescent readers interested in succeeding at the study of mathematics. Her first book,Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail, was aNew York Times bestseller,[2] and was favorably reviewed by Tara C. Smith, the founder of Iowa Citizens for Science and a professor ofepidemiology at theUniversity of Iowa.[30] The book also received a review from Anthony Jones, writing for theSchool Librarian journal, who described the book as "a trouble-shooting guide to help girls overcome their biggest maths challenges," noting what he described as "real-world examples of great mathematics in action."[31] In an interview with Smith, McKellar said that she wrote the book "to show girls that math is accessible and relevant, and even a little glamorous" and to counteract "damaging social messages telling young girls that math and science aren't for them".[32]
McKellar's second book,Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss,[33] was released on August 5, 2008. The book's target audience is girls in the 7th through 9th grades. Her third book,Hot X: Algebra Exposed![34] covers algebra topics, while the previous two titles were intended as "algebra-readiness books."[35]Hot X was published on August 3, 2010. Her fourth book,Girls Get Curves – Geometry Takes Shape,[36] focuses on the subject of geometry, and attempts to make the subject more accessible.[37]
Three of McKellar's books were listed inThe New York Times children's bestseller list.[38][39] She received Mathical Honors forGoodnight, Numbers.[40]
Chayes, L; McKellar, D; Winn, B (1998)."Percolation and Gibbs states multiplicity for ferromagnetic Ashkin–Teller models on"(PDF).Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General.31 (45):9055–9063.Bibcode:1998JPhA...31.9055C.doi:10.1088/0305-4470/31/45/005.
McKellar was namedPerson of the Week onWorld News with Charles Gibson for the week ending August 10, 2007. The news segment highlighted her bookMath Doesn't Suck and her efforts to help girls develop an interest in mathematics, especially during the middle school years.[41] In January 2014, she received theJoint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award. The citation credited her books, blog, and public appearances for encouraging "countless middle and high school students, especially girls, to be more interested in mathematics."[42]
McKellar married composer Mike Verta on March 22, 2009, inLa Jolla, California; the couple had dated since 2001.[43] They had their only child, a son, in 2010.[44][45] McKellar filed for divorce from Verta in June 2012.[46]
On July 16, 2014, she became engaged to her boyfriend Scott Sveslosky, a partner in the Los Angeles legal firmSheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton. On November 15, 2014, they married inKauaʻi, Hawaii.[47]
McKellar is aChristian and regularly attendschurch services.[48] She citesCandace Cameron Bure as having been a major influence in her life after Bure gave her a copy of theBible.[48]
McKellar's career in Hallmark mystery films was spoofed in the 2019 filmKnives Out, complete with the parody titleDeadly By Surprise.[49]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Sidekicks | Lauren | |
| 2001 | Good Neighbor | Molly Wright | |
| XCU: Extreme Close Up | Sarah | ||
| Speechless... | Dana Woodman | Short film | |
| 2002 | Sex and the Teenage Mind | Debbie | |
| Black Hole | Rachael | ||
| Reality School | Sexy Sally | Short film | |
| Jane White Is Sick & Twisted | Tiffany | ||
| The Year That Trembled | Pam Hatch | ||
| Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool | Sissie | ||
| 2004 | Raising Genius | Lacy Baldwin | |
| Intermission | Sleepwalker | Short film | |
| Quiet Kill | Pet Shop Girl | ||
| 2007 | Hack! | Emily | |
| 2008 | Heatstroke | Caroline | |
| 2009 | 21 and a Wake-Up | Jenny Valentine | |
| 2010 | Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo | Madelyn Dinkley | Voice,direct-to-video[50] |
| Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam | Sally | Voice, direct-to-video[50] | |
| 2012 | Flatland 2: Sphereland | Aero | Direct-to-video |
| Mancation | Rebecca | ||
| 2014 | Where Hope Grows | Susan Malcolm | |
| 2017 | The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania! | Judy Jetson | Voice, direct-to-video[50] |
| 2018 | The Fiddling Horse | Leslie Heart | |
| 2018 | Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High | Frost | Voice, direct-to-video[50] |
| 2018 | DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis | Voice, direct-to-video[50] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–1987 | The Twilight Zone | Nola (age 10), Deidre Dobbs | 2 episodes |
| 1988–1993 | The Wonder Years | Winnie Cooper | Main role |
| 1989 | The Super Mario Bros. Super Show! | Patty | Voice, 2 episodes |
| 1990 | Camp Cucamonga | Lindsey Scott | Television film (NBC) |
| 1992 | Captain Planet and the Planeteers | Lisa | Voice, episode: "A Formula for Hate" |
| 1994 | Babylon 5 | Aria Tensus | Episode: "The War Prayer" |
| Moment of Truth: Cradle of Conspiracy | Kristin Guthrie | Television film (NBC) | |
| Walker, Texas Ranger | Laurie Maston | Episode: "Stolen Lullaby" | |
| Sirens | Alison Trent | Episode: "Victims" | |
| 1996 | Justice for Annie: A Moment of Truth Movie | Annie Mills Carman | Television film (NBC) |
| 1998 | Love Boat: The Next Wave | Mary Dutton | Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?" |
| Working | Jolie | 2 episodes | |
| 1999 | Random Play | Daughter | Episode: "1.4" |
| 2000–2004 | Static Shock | Frieda Goren | Voice, recurring role (15 episodes)[50] |
| 2001 | The Division | Wendy | Episode: "Don't Ask" |
| Even Stevens | Sandrine | Episode: "Sibling Rivalry" | |
| The Weakest Link | Herself | TV Child Stars Special Edition | |
| 2002 | Justice League | Sapphire Stagg | Voice, episode: "Metamorphosis"[50] |
| 2002–2003 | The West Wing | Elsie Snuffin | Recurring role (season 4) |
| 2004 | King of the Hill | Misty | Voice, 1 episode |
| Game Over | Elsa, Renee | Voice, recurring role (season 1)[50] | |
| Century City | Sally | Episode: "Without a Tracer" | |
| Eve | Claudia | Episode: "Friend or Foe?" | |
| 2005 | NCIS | Erin Kendall | Episode: "Witness" |
| Jack & Bobby | Keirsten | Episode: "And Justice for All" | |
| NYPD Blue | Rosemary | Episode: "Moving Day" | |
| Strong Medicine | Natalie Pascal | Episode: "Feeling No Pain" | |
| Path of Destruction | Katherine Stern | Television film (Sci-Fi Channel) | |
| 2005–2007 | How I Met Your Mother | Trudy | Episodes: "The Pineapple Incident" and "Third Wheel" |
| 2006 | Inspector Mom | Maddie Monroe | Television film (Lifetime) |
| Cyberchase | Wanda | Voice, episode: "Designing Mr. Perfect" | |
| 2006–2007 | Inspector Mom | Maddie Monroe | Recurring role (Season 1) |
| 2007 | Random! Cartoons | Katerina "Kat" Metropoulos | Voice, episode: "Girls on the Go: The First Date"[50] |
| 2010 | The Big Bang Theory | Abby | Episode: "The Psychic Vortex" |
| 2010–2013, 2019–2022 | Young Justice | Miss Martian, Marie Logan, Tuppence Terror,Angel O'Day,Reach Commercial Singer | Voice, main role[50] |
| 2010–2013 | Generator Rex | Claire | Voice, 3 episodes[50] |
| 2010 | G.I. Joe: Renegades | Sister Leia | Voice, episode: "Brothers of Light"[50] |
| 2012 | The Nerdist: Tribute to Science | Herself | Talk show |
| Love at the Christmas Table | Katherine "Kat" Patton | Television film (Lifetime) | |
| 2013 | Tasmanian Devils | Alex | Television film (Syfy) |
| The Secret Life of the American Teenager | Herself | Episode: "Interference" | |
| Nerdist: Course of the Force | Bounty Hunter | Episode: "Michael Rooker &CM Punk: Lighstaber Hunt" | |
| The Wrong Woman | Ellen Plainview | Television film (Lifetime) | |
| 2014 | Transformers: Rescue Bots | Hayley | Voice, 2 episodes[50] |
| Dancing with the Stars | Herself | Contestant onseason 18; finished in sixth place | |
| Phineas and Ferb | Becky | Voice, episode: "Doof 101"[50] | |
| 2015 | King of the Nerds | Herself | Judge |
| 2015, 2017–2018 | Impractical Jokers | Herself | 3 episodes |
| 2015 | Perfect Match (akaA Perfect Wedding) | Jessica Summers | Television film (Hallmark Channel) |
| Miss America 2016 | Herself | Judge | |
| Crown for Christmas | Allie Evans | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| 2015–2017 | Project Mc2 | The Quail | Main role (Seasons 1–2,4–5) Netflix original series |
| 2015–2018 | DC Super Hero Girls | Frost | Voice, recurring role (Seasons 1–5)[50] |
| 2016 | My Christmas Dream | Christina | Television film (Hallmark Channel) |
| Wedding Bells | Molly | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| 2016–2018 | Shimmer and Shine | Layla, Generic Female Genie | Voice, 3 episodes[50] |
| 2017 | Mommy, I Didn't Do It | Ellen Plainview | Television film (Hallmark Channel) |
| Campfire Kiss | Dana | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| Coming Home for Christmas | Lizzie | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| 2018 | Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Taylor Martin | Voice, episode: "Hypno! Part Deux!"[50] |
| Very, Very, Valentine | Helen | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| Love in Design | Hannah | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| Christmas at Grand Valley | Kelly | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) | |
| 2019 | Love and Sunshine | Ally Craig | Television film (Hallmark Channel) |
| The Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement | Angie Dove | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) | |
| Christmas at Dollywood | Rachel | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| 2020 | Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance | Angie Dove | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) |
| Christmas She Wrote | Kayleigh King | Television film (Hallmark Channel) | |
| 2021 | Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill | Angie Dove | Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) |
| 2021–2022 | Home Economics | Allison | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | You, Me & the Christmas Trees | Olivia Arden | Television film (Hallmark Channel) |
| 2022 | The Winter Palace | Emily Miller | Television film (Great American Family) |
| Domino Masters | Herself | Judge[28] | |
| Christmas at the Drive-In | Sadie Walker | Television film (Great American Family) | |
| 2023 | Swing into Romance | Christine Sims | Television film (Great American Family) |
| A Royal Date for Christmas | Bella Sparks | Television film (Great American Family) | |
| 2024 | A Cinderella Christmas Ball | Chelsea Jones | Television film (Great American Family) |
| 2025 | Futurama | Herself | Episode: "The Numberland Gap" |
| Grounded in Love | Annie | Television film (Great American Family) | |
| Have We Met This Christmas? | Katie Sloan | Television film (Great American Family) |
| Year | Title | Role | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | "No More Rhyme" | Girl Playing Cello | Debbie Gibson |
| 2013 | "Rock n Roll" | Winnie Cooper | Avril Lavigne |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2004 | X-Men Legends | Jubilee[50] |
| EverQuest II | Lolla Cotgrove / Pona | |
| 2006 | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance | Invisible Woman[50] |
| 2009 | Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 | |
| 2013 | Young Justice: Legacy | Miss Martian,Batgirl[50] |
actor Danica McKellar in 1975 (age 44)
| International | |
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| National | |
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