Donna Lynne Champlin (born January 21, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for playing Paula Proctor on The CW comedy-drama series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.
Early life Champlin was born in Rochester, New York, to a technical writer mother and a scientist father. She participated in various lessons, theatre productions, and national and international competitions throughout her childhood, in voice, piano, flute, theatre and dance.
Champlin went on to study musical theatre at Carnegie Mellon University, graduating with her BFA in 1993, and studied abroad as a 1992 Advanced Acting Scholar in Shakespeare and Chekhov at the University of Oxford. In 1992 she won the Princess Grace Foundation Award in Theatre. While still in college, she performed as Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz with Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.
Career Champlin took on the title role of Very Warm for May, her Broadway debut in James Joyce's The Dead, then By Jeeves, Hollywood Arms, Sweeney Todd, Billy Elliot the Musical, and The Dark at the Top of the Stairs, for which she won the 2007 Obie Award. Other credits include: No, No Nanette, Very Good Eddie, First Lady Suite, Harold and Maude, My Life with Albertine, Bloomer Girl, and Jolson. She also performed with Len Cariou in the Simply Sondheim inaugural concert which celebrated the opening of the Sondheim Center for the Performing Arts.
Champlin's awards include the 2019 Gracie Award for Best Supporting Actress, 2013 Drama Desk Award, 2007 OBIE award, the Princess Grace Award, the title of National Tap Dance Champion four consecutive times, and she has received grants from the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts, The Anna Sosenko Trust, Princess Grace Foundation, and has received The Charlie Willard Memorial Grant.
Champlin's film and television credits include The Dark Half, the 2000 and 2006 Annual Tony Awards, The View, Law & Order, The Good Wife, The Good Fight, The Good Doctor, and Live with Regis and Kelly. From 2015 to 2019, she starred in the role of Paula Proctor in The CW comedy-drama series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend., Hortense in Another Period and Barb in Netflix's Feel the Beat. In 2022, she appeared in the Showtime series The First Lady.
Champlin released a solo album entitled Old Friends, performs a one-woman show entitled Finishing the Hat, and teaches acting at the Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Hartford, and New York University.
Personal life Champlin married actor Andrew Arrow in 2010 and they have one child. They live in New York City. She spends her downtime writing, raising money for JDRF, BCEFA, The Actors Fund, and with her family.
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes 2001 By Jeeves Honoria Glossop TV movie 2008–2010 Law & Order Sergeant Angelyne Robinson / CSU Det. Halpern 2 episodes 2011–2014 Submissions Only Kim Gifford 6 episodes 2014 The Good Wife Myra Weymouth Episode: "Oppo Research" 2015 Younger Lori Episode: "I'm with Stupid" 2015–2019 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Paula Proctor Main character, 62 episodes 2018 Another Period Hortense Bellacourt Main character, 6 episodes 2020 The Good Fight Mrs. Feldman Episode: "The Gang Discovers Who Killed Jeffrey Epstein" 2021 Centaurworld Prairiedogtaur (voice) Episode: "Holes: Part 3" 2021 The Blacklist Guinevere Claflin Episode: "Elizabeth Keen (No. 1)" 2022 Baby Shark's Big Show! Sammi Slickfish Episode: "Swimming With the Sharks" 2022 The First Lady Melissa Winter 6 episodes 2022 The Good Doctor Brenna Episode: "Dry Spell"2024 The Perfect Couple Nikki Henry Miniseries Batman: Caped Crusader Leslie Thompkins (voice) Episode: "Nocturne"2025 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Megan Wallace Episode: "The Grid Plan" Elsbeth Prison Warden "Mama" Martin Episode: "Ramen Holiday" Super Duper Bunny League Frau Whatsherface (voice) Episode: "What's-Her-Face"
Film Year Title Role Notes 1993 The Dark Half Babysitter Uncredited 2008 The Audition Monitor Short film 2009 My Father's Will Sandra 2014 Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) Broadway Lady 2017 Downsizing Leisureland Administrator 2019 Yes, God, Yes Mrs. Veda 2020 Feel the Beat Barb
Podcasts Year Title Voice role 2020-21 In Strange Woods Kathy
Theatre credits Year Title Role Notes 2000 James Joyce's The Dead Mary Jane Morkan, Miss Molly Ivors (understudy) Broadway Mary Jane Morkan Tour 2001 By Jeeves Honoria Glossop Broadway 2002 Hollywood Arms Older Helen Broadway 2003 My Life with Albertine Grandmother Off-Broadway, Playwrights Horizons 2005–2006 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Adolpho Pirelli Broadway 2008–2012 Billy Elliot the Musical Dead Mum (understudy), Ensemble Broadway 2010 See Rock City & Other Destinations Claire/Kate Off-Broadway, Transport Group 2021 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Mrs. Lovett Regional, Hangar Theatre 2026 The Loved Ones Cheryl-Ann Off-Broadway, Irish Repertory Theatre
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult1993Princess Grace AwardGrantTheatre2007Obie AwardPerformanceThe Dark at the Top of the Stairs2008NYMF Award for ExcellenceOutstanding PerformanceLove Jerry2013Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Ensemble PerformanceWorking: A Musical2017Gracie AwardsOutstanding Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Comedy or MusicalCrazy Ex-Girlfriend
References
External links