Sydney Margaret Penny (born August 7, 1971) is an American actress. She began her career as a child performer appearing in made-for-television movies. She made her big screen debut in the Western film Pale Rider directed by Clint Eastwood. She received total six Young Artist Awards nominations, winning two for playing Young Meggie Cleary in the miniseries The Thorn Birds (1983), and for Pale Rider. Penny also starred in the sitcom The New Gidget (1986–1988), and played Bernadette Soubirous in the French drama film Bernadette (1988) and its sequel The Passion of Bernadette (1990) both directed by Jean Delannoy.
Penny starred as B.J. Walker during the final season of NBC soap opera Santa Barbara (1992–1993), receiving Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series nomination. She later joined the cast of ABC soap opera All My Children (1993–97, 2002, 2005–08) playing the role of Julia Santos Keefer receiving Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 1995. She also starred in the drama series Hyperion Bay (1998–1999) and Largo Winch (2001–2003).
Early life, family and education Penny was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Chatsworth, California, the daughter of former Western Swing bandleader and comedian Hank Penny and his wife, Shari.
Career She began performing when she was three years old singing "My Little Pony" during her father's concert. She made her screen debut playing the supporting role in the made-for-television movie The Night Rider (1979) starring David Selby, Kim Cattrall and Hildy Brooks. She performed as Lucy Van Pelt in the 1981 television special It's Magic, Charlie Brown and also that year appeared in the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated television movie Through the Magic Pyramid. She played Tessa Dahl in the television film The Patricia Neal Story (1981) starring Glenda Jackson and Peg Adams in The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982). At the 4th Youth in Film Awards, Penny received two Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television nominations for this performances, as well one Best Young Actress in a Television Special nomination for The Circle Family. She later guest-starred on Fame, T. J. Hooker, St. Elsewhere and The Twilight Zone.
In 1983, Penny played Young Meggie Cleary in the miniseries The Thorn Birds. For her performance she won Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television at the 5th Youth in Film Awards. She played Megan Wheeler in the Western film Pale Rider directed by and starring Clint Eastwood,. For this performance she was awarded a Young Artist Award for Exceptional Performance By a Young Actress - Motion Picture at the 7th Youth in Film Awards in December 1985. The following year, Penny went to star in the science fiction family film Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star distributed by Tri-Star Pictures. She starred as Danielle 'Dani' Collins-Griffin in the syndicated sitcom The New Gidget from 1986 to 1988. She later played the role of Bernadette Soubirous in the French drama film Bernadette (1988) and its sequel The Passion of Bernadette (1990) both directed by Jean Delannoy. She starred alongside Sophia Loren in the Italian drama film Running Away (1989), and opposite Malcolm McDowell in the Switzerland-filmed thriller film In the Eye of the Snake (1990). In 1991 she appeared in the made-for-television horror film Child of Darkness, Child of Light.
In 1992, Penny made her daytime television debut playing the role of B.J. Walker in the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara appearing on show to its finale in 1993. For her performance, she received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series nomination. She played the role of Julia Santos Keefer on the ABC soap opera All My Children, from 1993 to 1996, with guest appearances in 1997 and 2002 and returned to the show in 2005. Penny left the show in May 2008 when Julia was killed off. She received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 1995. She returned to film starring in independent productions Hearts Adrift (1996), Enchanted (1998) and The Pawn. From 1998 to 1999, Penny starred alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar in the WB drama series Hyperion Bay. In 1999 she took the role of Meg Cummings in the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach replacing Susan Ward for one month during her filming the movie The In Crowd. The serial's creator, Aaron Spelling, was impressed with Penny's portrayal of Meg so he cast her in another series he created. She had a recurring role as Josie Oliver during the final season of Beverly Hills, 90210.
From 2001 to 2003, Penny starred in the internationally-produced action adventure series, Largo Winch. In August 2003, she was cast as Samantha Kelly on The Bold and the Beautiful. The character never caught on and Penny was bumped to recurring status in late 2004. She last appeared on April 26, 2005, and rejoined All My Children a few months later. She stayed with the show for an additional three years. Since leaving daytime television, Penny guest-starred on Drop Dead Diva and Pretty Little Liars. She starred in a number of movies for Hallmark Channel and Lifetime, notably Hidden Places (2006), The Wife He Met Online (2012) and Killer Crush (2015).
Personal life In 1995, Penny married producer Robert Powers (1965–2024), and has lived in Wilmington, North Carolina since 2005. They had a child in 2007. Powers died on December 31, 2024, aged 59, from colon cancer.
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1983The Last Leaf Susan1985Pale Rider Megan WheelerYoung Artist Award for Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress - Motion Picture1986 Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star Robyn1988 Bernadette Bernadette Soubirous1989Running AwayRosetta1990La Passion de Bernadette Bernadette Soubirous1990In the Eye of the Snake Malika1996Hearts AdriftMax Deerfield1998Enchanted Natalie Ross1999 The Pawn Megan2012 Little Red Wagon Ashley Lagare2012Ambush At Dark Canyon Madeleine Donovan2013 The Perfect Summer Alyssa2013 Heart of the Country CandaceAlso producer2016 Heritage Falls Heather Fitzpatrick2017 Mountain Top Judge Coberg2022Birdies Sarah2022The DishwasherShort film, also writer and director
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1979The Night RiderMelissa HollisterTelevision film1981The Big Stuffed DogLilyTelevision film1981 It's Magic, Charlie Brown Lucy Van Pelt (voice) Television special 1981Dear Teacher GloriaPilot1981Through the Magic PyramidPrincess AnkelsenTelevision film1981The Patricia Neal Story Tessa DahlTelevision filmNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television1982The Capture of Grizzly AdamsPeg AdamsTelevision filmNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television1982The Circle FamilyTelevision filmNominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Television Special1982 Fame Susan MarshallEpisode: "Beginnings"1983T.J. HookerKatie CoatsEpisode: "The Mumbler"1983The Thorn Birds Young Meggie ClearyMiniseriesYoung Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television1983Two Kinds of Love ElizabethTelevision film1983St. ElsewhereMelissa GreelyEpisode: "AIDS & Comfort"1984Silver Spoons BillieEpisode: "Changes"Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress - Guest in a Television Series1984 Getting Physical RamonaTelevision film1985 The Fourth Wise Man ShameirTelevision film1985Half NelsonEpisode: "The Beverly Hills Princess"1985Heart's IslandTommy Jean BaylorPilot1986News at Eleven Melissa KenleyTelevision film1986 The Twilight Zone Mary Miletti Episode: "Shadow Play/Grace Note"1986-1988 The New Gidget Danielle 'Dani' Collins-GriffinSeries regular, 44 episodes1988A Year in the Life MeganEpisode: "The Go-Between"1990Super ForceMelanie LemaysEpisode: "The Gauntlet"1991 Child of Darkness, Child of Light Margaret GallagherTelevision film1992Jack's PlaceJennifer SimpsonEpisode: "Forever"1992–1993 Santa Barbara B.J. WalkerSeries regularNominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama SeriesNominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer1993–1997, 2002, 2005–2008 All My Children Julia Santos KeeferSeries regularSoap Opera Digest Award for Hottest Romance (1996)Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1995)Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1995)1998Love Boat: The Next WaveJuliette TitlebaumEpisode: "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"1998–1999Hyperion Bay Jennifer WorthSeries regular, 17 episodes1999 Sunset Beach Meg Cummings40 episodes2000 Beverly Hills, 90210 Josie Oliver4 episodes2001–2003 Largo Winch Joy ArdenSeries regular, 39 episodes2003–2005 The Bold and the Beautiful Samantha KellySeries regular2005McBride: The Doctor Is Out... Really OutDaphne BlakeTelevision film2006 Hidden Places Eliza Monteclaire WyattTelevision film2010 The Wish List ChloeTelevision film2011 Days of Our Lives Dr. Liv Norman7 episodes2011 Drop Dead Diva Ms. KritzerEpisode: "Closure"2012 The Wife He Met Online GeorgiaTelevision film2014–2015Pretty Little Liars Leona VanderwaalEpisodes: "Taking This One to the Grave" and "Through a Glass, Darkly"2015 Killer CrushGabyTelevision film
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