Patricia Helen Heaton (born March 4, 1958)^[1] is an American actress. She began her career appearing in a recurring role in theABC drama seriesThirtysomething (1989–1991) and later appearing in the comedy filmsMemoirs of an Invisible Man andBeethoven (both 1992). Heaton went on to star in the short-lived sitcomsRoom for Two (1992–93),Someone Like Me (1994) andWomen of the House (1995) before landing the role of Debra Barone in theCBS sitcomEverybody Loves Raymond (1996–2005).

Patricia Heaton
Heaton in 2021
Born	Patricia Helen Heaton (1958-03-04)March 4, 1958 (age 67) Bay Village, Ohio, U.S.
Education	Ohio State University (BA)
Occupations	Actress producer
Years active	1987–present
Television	Everybody Loves Raymond The Middle
Political party	Republican (before 2021) Independent (2021–present)
Spouse(s)	Constantine Yankoglu ​ ​ (m. 1984;div. 1987)​ David Hunt ​ (m. 1990)​
Children	4
Father	Chuck Heaton

For her role inEverybody Loves Raymond, Heaton received seven nominations for thePrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning the award in 2000 and 2001. She received five nominations for aScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series as well and wonOutstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in 2003. She also played the leading roles in the made-for-television moviesA Town Without Christmas (2001),The Goodbye Girl (2004) for which she received Screen Actors Guild Award nomination forOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie, andFront of the Class (2008).

From 2009 to 2018, Heaton starred asFrances "Frankie" Heck in the ABC comedy seriesThe Middle for which she receivedCritics' Choice Television Award nomination forBest Actress in a Comedy Series. She hosted and produced Food Network cooking seriesPatricia Heaton Parties (2015–16), winning aDaytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Culinary Program.^[2]

Patricia Heaton was born inBay Village, Ohio, the daughter of Patricia (née Hurd) andChuck Heaton, who was a sportswriter forThe Plain Dealer. When she was 12, her mother died of ananeurysm. The fourth of five children,^[3] Heaton was raised as a devout Catholic.^[4][5]

Heaton has three sisters, Sharon (now aDominican nun, and presently assistant registrar atAquinas College in Nashville), Alice, and Frances, and one brother, Michael, who died in September 2022 at the age of 66 and was the "Minister of Culture" columnist forThe Plain Dealer and a writer for the paper'sFriday Magazine.^[6]

While attendingOhio State University, she became a sister ofDelta Gamma sorority. She later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in drama. In 1980, Heaton moved to New York City to study with drama teacher William Esper.^[7] Heaton made her first Broadway appearance in the chorus ofDon't Get God Started (1987), after which fellow students and she created Stage Three, anoff-Broadway acting troupe.^[8]

Heaton auditioned for the role ofElaine Benes onSeinfeld in 1989.^[9] When Stage Three brought one of its productions to Los Angeles, Heaton caught the eye of a casting director for theABC drama seriesThirtysomething. She was cast as anoncologist, leading to six appearances on the series from 1989 to 1991.^[10] Other guest appearances includeAlien Nation (1989) andMatlock (1990) and supporting role in the made-for-television movieShattered Dreams (1990).

In 1992, Heaton made her big screen debut appearing in a supporting role in the comedy-drama filmMemoirs of an Invisible Man directed byJohn Carpenter. Later that year, she appeared in the box-office hit family comedy filmBeethoven. From 1992 to 1993, Heaton starred as a lead character in the ABC sitcomRoom for Two.^[11] The series was canceled after two seasons. In 1994, she starred in another short-lived sitcom,Someone Like Me, it lasted on NBC only six episodes. Later that year, Heaton appeared in the comedy-drama filmThe New Age.^[12] In 1995, she starred oppositeDelta Burke in the CBS sitcomWomen of the House, a spin-off ofDesigning Women.^[13] The series also was canceled after one season.

In 1996, Heaton landed the role of Debra Barone in the CBS sitcomEverybody Loves Raymond oppositeRay Romano. The series received positive reviews and has been on top ten television rankings and wonPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series twice. She was nominated in each of the series' last seven seasons for thePrimetime Emmy Award forOutstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2000 and 2001. With her win in 2000, she became the first of the cast members on the show to win an Emmy. She has also collected twoViewers for Quality Television Awards for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series and aScreen Actors Guild trophy for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and fiveScreen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series nominations for her work on the series.^[14] The series ended in 2005 after nine seasons.

While starring onEverybody Loves Raymond, Heaton played the leading roles in a number of made-for-television movies. In 1997 she starred alongsideMeredith Baxter andDella Reese in the drama filmMiracle in the Woods.^[15] In 2001, she starred in the Christmas dramaA Town Without Christmas.^[16] In 2004, she starred in the comedy-dramaThe Goodbye Girl, a remake of the1977 film of the same name. For her performance, Heaton received Screen Actors Guild Award nomination forOutstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.^[17] In 2005, she starred and produced the romantic comedy-drama filmThe Engagement Ring.^[18]

In 2003, Heaton appeared in a series of television and radio commercials as spokesperson for the various incarnations of the grocery chainAlbertsons, such asAcme,Jewel andShaw's. Heaton also was featured on the cover of the company's 2003 and 2004 annual reports. In 2007, Albertsons created the Crazy About Food slogan/campaign and Heaton's association with the company ended.^{[citation needed]} She has also appeared in advertisements forPantene hair-care products.^[19] Heaton was the producer for the 2005 documentaryThe Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania, which was directed by her husband,David Hunt. She was also one of the producers of theWilliam Wilberforce dramaAmazing Grace (2006).

In 2006, Heaton played United States AmbassadorBarbara Bodine in the controversial miniseriesThe Path to 9/11 about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City and the events leading up to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Also that year, she starred and produced the untitled ABC comedy pilot about a widowed mother who joins the P.T.A. where she befriends two women she initially dislikes.^[20] In January 2007, Heaton returned to the stage to co-star withTony Shalhoub in the off-Broadway playThe Scene atSecond Stage Theatre in New York City.^[21] For this performance, Heaton was nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for the 22ndLucille Lortel Awards.^[22] From 2007 to 2008, she starred withKelsey Grammer in the Fox comedy series,Back to You. The show about a squabbling anchors of a news program was canceled in May 2008. For her performance, she was nominated for theSatellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy at the10th Satellite Awards.^[23] In 2008, she starred in theHallmark Hall of Fame movieFront of the Class, based on the real story of a mother, Ellen Cohen, raising a son,Brad Cohen, who hasTourette syndrome.^[24]

In 2009, Heaton began starring as Frankie Heck in the ABC comedy series,The Middle. The series received positive reviews from critics and lasted nine seasons with 215 produced episodes.^[25] She receivedCritics' Choice Television Award nomination forCritics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011.^[26] In 2011, Heaton was ranked at number 24 on theTV Guide Network special,Funniest Women on TV.^[27] She received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame on May 22, 2012.^[28] Her production company is FourBoys Entertainment.^[29] She starred and produced the 2014 comedy filmMoms' Night Out. The film was released by Sony Pictures Releasing on May 9, 2014 receiving mostly negative reviews from critics.^[30]

In October 2015, Heaton began hostingPatricia Heaton Parties, a cooking show onFood Network. The program showcases party-friendly foods and home-entertaining tips. The series won aDaytime Emmy Award in 2016 forOutstanding Culinary Program.^[31] The show ended after two seasons. She also did voice over work in the animated filmsThe Star (2017) andSmallfoot (2018).

In 2019, Heaton returned to television with the CBS comedy series,Carol's Second Act.^[32][33] The series received average reviews from critics, but her performance was praised.^[34][35]Carol's Second Act was canceled after single season in 2020. Heaton wrote a book calledYour Second Act: Inspiring Stories of Transformation with a release date of July 21, 2020.^[36] The following year, it was announced that Heaton began producing her new sitcom for Fox.^[37] Two years later it was announced that Heaton will star as the host of an upscale lifestyle show, sent to prison for embezzlement and tax evasion. She gets out after two years, forgotten and broke, and moves to Tennessee to live with her estranged sister.^[38]

In 2022, Heaton starred oppositeBrian Cox in a drama film,Mending the Line, directed byJoshua Caldwell.^[39][40] It received positive reviews from film critics.^[41] It received limited release on June 9, 2023. She starred in the drama filmThe Unbreakable Boy forLionsgate.^[42] In 2023, she was cast in the leading role in the psychological horror-thriller filmThe Beldham.^[43] In 2024 she starred oppositeAl Pacino in the horror filmThe Ritual set for 2025 release, and was cast for a recurring role during the second season of Paramount+ seriesFrasier.^[44]

Heaton has been married to English actor and directorDavid Hunt since 1990.^[3] They have four sons^[45] and as of 2002 they divided their time between Los Angeles andCambridge.^[46] Her memoir,Motherhood and Hollywood: How to Get a Job Like Mine, was published byVillard Books in 2002.^[47]

After her divorce from her first husband, Constantine Yankoglu, she went through a self-described "Protestant wilderness". As of June 2017, Heaton's first marriage had been annulled by the Catholic Church and she has returned to being a practicing Catholic.^[48][49]

Heaton has been open about havingplastic surgery, citing having atummy-tuck and abreast reduction after undergoing fourCaesarean sections.^[50]

In a 2020 interview forParade, Heaton revealed that she had quit drinking two years prior.^[51]

Heaton's political views have been described asconservative, and until 2021, she was a registeredRepublican.^[52][53] In2016, she voiced her disapproval of her party's then-presidential nomineeDonald Trump.^[54] She later stated that she had "given up politics" following the election, but continued to express her admiration forMitt Romney.^[55] After theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack,^[56] Heaton condemned the event,^[57] and announced that she would leave the Republican Party and become anindependent voter.^[58] However, in early 2025 she spoke optimistically about Trump.^[59]

Heaton is a committed pro-life activist and is vocally supportive of groups and causes opposing abortion,euthanasia, and the death penalty.^[5] Her advocacy became particularly visible during the debate regarding theTerri Schiavo case.^[60] In addition, Heaton is honorary chair ofFeminists for Life, an organization which opposes abortion andembryonic stem cell research and supports other pro-life causeson the basis of feminism.^[5]

On February 29, 2012, Heaton criticizedGeorgetown University law studentSandra Fluke, who advocated in favor of acontraceptive mandate for health insurance plans. Heaton said on Twitter, "I don't care if anyone uses birth control – just don't charge me for it", and wrote a series of tweets mocking Fluke's activism, as well as retweeting similar remarks from her followers. After incurring criticism, Heaton apologized and deleted most of the posts.^[61]

In August 2006, Heaton's name was in an advertisement in theLos Angeles Times that condemnedHamas andHezbollah and supported Israel in the2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.^[62] In October 2023, Heaton was a vocal supporter of Israel during theGaza war, releasing a video in which she compared the conflict tothe Holocaust duringWorld War II, and encouraged her followers to donate through theBeth Jacob Congregation.^[63]

In October 2006, Heaton appeared in a commercial opposing aMissouri stateconstitutional amendment concerningembryonic stem cell research, which subsequently passed. The advertisement was a response to the election of Democratic Senate hopefulClaire McCaskill and aired at the same time asMichael J. Fox's advertisement supporting the amendment.^[5] Appearing with Heaton were actorJim Caviezel,St. Louis Cardinals pitcherJeff Suppan,Seattle MarinerMike Sweeney, andSt. Louis Rams/Arizona Cardinals quarterbackKurt Warner.^[64] Following a public outcry, Heaton later said she regretted doing the ad and sent an apology to Fox, saying she was unaware of his ad. Fox accepted her apology and later stated, "If we can have a healthy dialogue about issues that people see differently, that's marvelous."^[5]

• Patricia Heaton atIMDb  
• Patricia Heaton at theInternet Broadway Database 
• Patricia Heaton at theInternet Off-Broadway Database 
• Patricia Heaton atThe Interviews: An Oral History of Television