Betsy Brandt (born March 14, 1973) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Marie Schrader in the crime drama series Breaking Bad (2008–2013), receiving three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations as part of the cast, with one win. She also appears in the sitcoms The Michael J. Fox Show (2013–2014) and Life in Pieces (2015–2019), the miniseries Soulmates (2020), and the psychological drama series Saint X (2023).
Early life Brandt was born in Bay City, Michigan, on March 14, 1973. She is of German descent. She graduated from Bay City Western High School in Bay City, Michigan, in 1991. She earned a BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in 1996. She earned an MFA at Harvard University's Institute for Advanced Theater Training and studied abroad at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Career In theater, Brandt has acted in Much Ado About Nothing with the Arizona Theatre Company, with the San Jose Repertory Theatre, Beth Henley's Ridiculous Fraud, Julia Cho's The Language Archive with South Coast Repertory, and Next Fall with Geffen Playhouse.
Brandt has had guest roles on the television shows Without a Trace, Judging Amy, ER, Boston Legal, The Practice, and NCIS.
From 2008 to 2013, Brandt portrayed Marie Schrader in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad. She auditioned for three different roles before being offered the part of Marie. She described her character as "an unpleasant bitch", but also stated that there was more to her than that. "I think we're seeing more of it now that she would be there for her family. But it's all about her." She reprised her role for the Better Call Saul series finale "Saul Gone" in 2022.
In 2012, she was cast as Sandy in Parenthood. Brandt was cast as Annie Henry on The Michael J. Fox Show, which premiered in September 2013. Her performance was met with positive reviews.
In 2014, Brandt was cast as one of the lead characters in the ABC series Members Only created by Susannah Grant, but the series did not go forward."Betsy Brandt to co-star in The Club on ABC" (March 2014); accessed April 21, 2014. From 2015 to 2019, she starred as Heather Short Hughes in the CBS comedy series Life in Pieces. The series was cancelled after four seasons.
In 2020, Brandt was cast as Cleo in the pilot episode of the NBC sitcom Jefferies, created by Jim Jefferies and Suzanne Martin. To date, the pilot remains unaired.
Personal life Brandt married fellow UIUC graduate Grady Olsen in September 1998. They have two children together. They separated in August 2023 and she filed for divorce in December 2024.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1998 Confidence Natasha Short film 2001 Memphis Bound...and Gagged The Director The Red Boot Diaries Rachel Short film 2004 Subhuman Nikki Reynolds Also known as Shelf Life 2005 All Features Great and Small Jennifer Short film 2011 Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life Madame Zaleski 2012 Magic Mike Banker 2013 The Professor The Professor Short film 2016 Between Us Gigi Claire in Motion Claire 2018 Anywhere with You Jeanine 2019 Straight Up Topanga 2020 Run Sweetheart Run Judy 2022 The Valet Kathryn Royce
Television Year Title Role Notes 2001 Judging Amy Elizabeth Granson Episode: "Imbroglio" 2002 JAG Leslie Rosenbaum Episode: "The Promised Land" 2003 ER Franny Myers Episode: "Death and Taxes" Without a Trace Libby Coulter 2 episodes The Guardian Sofia Trokey Episode: "The Intersection" 2004 NCIS Petty Officer Barbara Swain Episode: "The Good Wives Club" The Practice Lynda Hobbs Episode: "Adjourned (AKA Cheers)" Back When We Were Grownups Nono Television film 2005 Medical Investigation Karen Banks Episode: "Ice Station" 2006 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Dawn Hanson Episode: "Burn Out" Close to Home Karen Randall Episode: "Reasonable Doubts" 2007 Boston Legal Gwen Richards Episode: "Hope and Gory" Side Order of Life Sara Rose Episode: "Aliens" Breaking Bad Marie Schrader Main role 2010 The Whole Truth Sister Theresa Bendicta Episode: "Thicker Than Water" Miami Medical Dana Episode: "Medicine Man" 2011 No Ordinary Family Dr. Lena Hopkins Episode: "No Ordinary Double Standard" Private Practice Joanna Gibbs 2 episodes Parenthood Sandy Recurring role; 7 episodes 2012 Fairly Legal Natalie Roberts Episode: "Shattered" 2013 Body of Proof Susan Hart Episode: "Eye for an Eye" The Michael J. Fox Show Annie Henry Main role 2014 Masters of Sex Barbara Recurring role; 7 episodes Members Only Leslie Holmes Pilot Mothers of the Bride Haley Snow Television film Life in Pieces Heather Hughes Main role 2016 American Dad! Nurse Jocelyn Voice role; episode: "Stan-Dan Deliver" 2017 FANatic Tess Daniels Television film Flint LeeAnne Walters Television film 2019 Pearson Stephanie Novak Recurring role; 6 episodes The Unicorn Caroline Recurring role; 5 episodes 2020 Soulmates Caitlen Recurring role A Million Little Things Colleen Episode: "'Til Death Do Us Part" Jefferies Cleo Unaired pilot Love, Victor Dawn Westen Recurring role 2022 Better Call Saul Marie Schrader Episode: "Saul Gone" 2023 Accused Kara Episode: "Jessie's Story" Saint X Mia Thomas Main role 2024 The Bad Orphan Jessica Television film 2025 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Gretchen Stewart Episode: Post-Rage
Awards and nominations
+ Award Year Category Nominated work Result Critics' Choice Television Awards 2021 Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Soulmates Screen Actors Guild Awards 2012 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama SeriesBreaking Bad 2013 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad 2014 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Breaking Bad
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References
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