Tammy Lynn Michaels | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tammy Lynn Doring |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Partner(s) | Melissa Etheridge (cp. 2003;sep. 2010) (registereddomestic partnership) |
| Children | 2 |
Tammy Lynn Michaels (néeDoring), also known by the surname Etheridge from her relationship withMelissa Etheridge,[1] is an American actress.
Michaels portrayed mean girl Nicole Julian on The WB'sPopular.
Michaels developed a passion for acting in junior high school, and after graduating, moved to New York City to pursue it. She attended theAmerican Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York and completed three semesters but withdrew from the school before graduation. While working as a bartender at a restaurant, she was discovered by Alayne Skylar, a talent scout.
After moving to Los Angeles, Michaels landed the role of Nicole Julian onPopular.
In 2002, Michaels had a recurring role on the Fox showThat '80s Show playing Roger's equally materialistic girlfriend followed by a guest appearance in 2004 on the Showtime dramaThe L Word. In 2005, she played the character Tess on the NBC seriesCommitted.
In 2003, Michaels played the role of Max in the short-filmD.E.B.S.. The film received several awards[citation needed] and later was expanded to a feature-length film of the same name and released in 2004. However, most of the actresses in the originalD.E.B.S. were replaced for the expanded version, including Michaels.
Michaels is openly a lesbian.
She started dating singerMelissa Etheridge in 2001. The couple had a commitment ceremony in September 2003 and they became registered domestic partners in 2005.[2] In April 2006, the couple announced that Michaels was pregnant with twins. Michaels gave birth to a daughter and a son in October 2006.[citation needed]
On April 15, 2010, Michaels and Etheridge confirmed that they had ended their nearly nine-year relationship.[3] In May 2012 it was announced that their two-year child support battle had been settled.[4]
Since 2005, Michaels has kept a blog, in which she discusses politics, current events and her personal life.[5][6][7]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-2001 | Popular | Nicole Julian | Main role |
| 2002 | That '80s Show | Patty | "Double Date", "Beach Party", "Sophia's Depressed" |
| 2003 | D.E.B.S. | Max | short film |
| 2004 | The L Word | Lacey Haraway | "Pilot", "Let's Do It Again", "Longing" |
| 2005 | Committed | Tess | |
| 2019 | Heartstrings | Bitsy | episode: "Cracker Jack"[8] |