Katherine Elaine Hendrix (born December 28, 1970) is an American actress. She gained recognition for appearing in a range of television films in the 1990s before her breakthrough role as Meredith Blake in the romantic comedy film The Parent Trap (1998). On television, Hendrix appeared in Joan of Arcadia (2003–2005), 90210 (2010–2011), Anger Management (2014), Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2015–2016), and later gained renewed attention for starring as Alexis Colby in the CW drama television series Dynasty (2019–2022).
Early life Hendrix was born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her father was serving in the Vietnam War at the time of her birth. Her mother named her Katherine Elaine, but most of her relatives called her by her middle name, and the practice stuck.
Career Dancing and modeling In her senior year of high school, Hendrix won a model search and became a professional dancer with the Gary Harrison Dance Company. She soon split her time as a professional model and dancer for such companies as Nike, Levi's, Mattel, and Sun Microsystems, and for a number of hip-hop artists including Whodini, Keith Sweat and MC Hammer.
In 1992, she moved to Los Angeles, California, and, shortly after, was hit by a car while riding her bike, ending her early career as a model and dancer.
Film and television After recuperating from her accident, Hendrix was cast in the short-lived 1995 Get Smart series. She has also appeared on the television series Joan of Arcadia, Friends, Ellen, Charmed and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and had a recurring role in Married... with Children, User Friendly (1995) and Lez Be Friends (1997).
Films in which she appeared include Romy and Michele's High School Reunion, the 1998 remake of The Parent Trap, Superstar, Inspector Gadget 2, and What the Bleep Do We Know!?. In 2006, she also appeared in an episode of Ghost Whisperer and the movie Coffee Date. In 2018, Hendrix appeared in Christmas at Pemberley Manor, a Hallmark Channel feature TV movie.
In 2008 Hendrix appeared in two episodes of the single-season ABC Family show The Middleman as Roxy Wasserman, a succubus who works as a fashion designer. She was seen in a 2008 episode of Criminal Minds ("Normal"). In 2009 Hendrix made an appearance on the ABC show Castle and in the film Rock Slyde.
In 2011, Hendrix played Felicia in the Tribeca award-winning film Spork.
Hendrix has also appeared as Renee on 90210 in season three in "They're Playing Her Song" and "Holiday Madness". In 2014, she appeared alongside Charlie Sheen for a three-episode story arc as Warden Hartley in the FX sitcom Anger Management. She appears in the web-series Fetching, which is also a nod to her love of animals.
She also co-starred as Ava in the FX comedy series Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll with Denis Leary, Elizabeth Gillies, John Corbett, Bobby Kelly and John Ales.
On September 13, 2018, it was announced that Hendrix would appear as the recurring character Susan Andrews in the Fox series Proven Innocent.
In October 2019, Hendrix was cast as Alexis Carrington Colby for season three of The CW's Dynasty reboot series, replacing Nicollette Sheridan who left the role for personal family reasons.
She reunited with Parent Trap co-star Lindsay Lohan in the 2025 American fantasy comedy film Freakier Friday in a cameo role as Blake Kale. Of her reunion with Lohan, Hendrix told Entertainment Weekly, "I got to physically see her, and we spent a lot of time together on set, hanging out, reminiscing, and catching up. Now, we're better about staying in touch with one another".
In 2025, Hendrix was announced to be competing on season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. She was partnered with Alan Bersten and placed fifth in the season finale.
Stage Hendrix starred as Lisa in the cast of the Off-Broadway play It's Just Sex at the Actors Temple Theatre in Manhattan for its June 2013 to January 2014 run.
In 2016, Hendrix reprised the role of Truvy in Steel Magnolias at the Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania. This production was directed by four time Oscar nominee Marsha Mason, and also starred Patricia Richardson, Lucy DeVito, Jessica Walter and Susan Sullivan. On June 9, 2016, this production became the highest-grossing show in the history of the Bucks County Playhouse.
Activism As an avid animal rights activist, Hendrix has been advocating for animals since 2006, when she also adopted a vegan lifestyle. When not filming, she travels throughout North America and works with organizations around the globe to educate, demonstrate, speak, protest, build habitats, transport and rescue. In 2012, Hendrix founded The Pet Matchmaker, an organization dedicated to celebrating and inspiring the rescue, foster and adoption of homeless pets everywhere. She serves on the board of Stray Rescue of St. Louis as well as the US chapter of No to Dog Meat.
Personal life Hendrix's cousin is Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
In a widely cited August 2025 interview, Hendrix opened up about her romantic life and why she chose a non-traditional path. She stated that while she initially expected to find a lifelong partner, she always knew she never wanted marriage or children. She has a deep, 28-year bond with The Parent Trap co-star Lisa Ann Walter. The publication featured their joint appearance on Ancestry's series unFamiliar, where Walter openly referred to Hendrix as her "life partner" and soulmate. In a November 2025 profile, Hendrix explained to Extra that she and Walter joke about being "a married couple without the romance," supporting each other through decades of life's ups and downs.
She has roots in Oak Ridge and Morristown, Tennessee, including her transition from a local student actor to a professional dancer before a 1992 bicycle accident forced her to pivot to acting.
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes1992Last DanceKelly1993Laurel CanyonTV movie1995Road WarriorsMarissa Rayborn Lover's Knot Robin1996Boys & GirlsBlake BenedictTV movieMixed NutsLaurie WynnTV movieMarilyn MunsterTV movie1997Romy and Michele's High School ReunionLisa Luder1998CarlyVel Duncan DobbsTV movieMeredith Blake1999MollyJennifer ThomasSuperstarEvian Graham2000Here on EarthJennifer CavanaughGet Your StuffCat Hardy2001UnbakeableMrs. DoneVideo short2002DawgAngelWish You Were DeadMelody 'Jupiter Music' MalloyFleur Soap AnnouncerTV movieMr. St. NickHeidi GardelleTV movie2003The Hebrew HammerBlonde BombshellOur Very First Sex TapeWomanVideo shortInspector Gadget 2Gadget Model 2 / G2Video2004What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?JenniferStag PartyBethShort film2005BowTV movieBam Bam and CelesteJackie2006What the Bleep!?: Down the Rabbit HoleJenniferDown the P.C.H.SamanthaCoffee DateBonnie2007LA BluesBrenda SimonStephanieCharlie's Bitch Ass HosAssShort film2008Two SistersCarleyTV movieJane Doe: Eye of the BeholderAgnes DartTV movieTru LovedMrs. MullerAlso co-producerPlayer 5150Mrs. LanzelinTwisted FaithSandraShort film and also producerFriends & Lovers: The Ski Trip 2PattiFood for ThoughtMiss PrissShort film2009Friends of DorothyDorothy RollerShort filmKristieShort film and also producer, director and writerRock SlydeJudy BeeWithinSadie WeissDear Lemon LimaCoach RoachHaunting At The BeaconVanessa Carver2010Nurses Who Kill...MonroeShort filmHatedBetty ChurchillMagicAmanda FrancisCutthroatLacey AndrewsTV movieGood IntentionsEtta MilfordAlso co-producer2011SporkFeliciaFading of the CriesMaggieBeverly Hills Chihuahua 2Colleen MansfieldVideoBeholderEvelynShort filmWitness InsecuritySusanDeep in the HeartPatsyMaterial LiesDeborah2012Anything But ChristmasGrace2013Janice DoughertyShort film2015Kids vs MonstersMary2016Swing StateAnn Alcott2017ShotNurse Marci2018Lez BombMaggieChristmas at Pemberley ManorCarolineTV movie 2019 Adopt a Highway Diane SpringBurying Yasmeen Vaginia 2025Freakier Friday Blake Kale
Television Year Title Role Notes1992Doogie Howser, M.D.Fantasy Girl #2Episode: "The Big Sleep... Not!"1993Fallen AngelsAuditioning Blonde #1Episode: "Since I Don't Have You"1994Days of Our LivesBrandee FieldsEpisode: "#1.7193"Dolly CousinsEpisode: "Wild Card"1995EllenMayaEpisode: "Ballet Class"Get SmartAgent 667 episodes1995–1997Married... with ChildrenSandy/Elaine2 episodes2000JamieEpisode: "...And Then He Looked at Wendell's Thing"2001First YearsFrances O'DonnellEpisode: "The First Thing You Do..."Special Unit 2MedusaEpisode: "The Rocks"2001–2002Kristen Martin7 episodes2002FriendsSallyEpisode: "The One with the Pediatrician"2003Mister SterlingTori WheelerEpisode: "Statewide Swing"Watching EllieDaisyEpisode: "Date"CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationHarper FitzgeraldEpisode: "Forever"CouplingMollyEpisode: "Holiday"2003–2005Joan of ArcadiaMs. Lischak17 episodes2004Oliver BeeneAunt ConnieEpisode: "X-ray Specs"CharmedCleaEpisode: "Witch Wars"Crossing JordanJulie SeatonEpisode: "Dead in the Water"QuintupletsLisa ApplebyEpisode: "Thanksgiving Day Charade"2005CSI: MiamiJoann NivensEpisode: "Felony Flight"Ghost WhispererSandra HollowayEpisode: "Undead Comic"2006ERBrinnEpisode: "Parenthood"2008Roxy WassermanEpisode: "The Accidental Occidental Conception" and "The Cursed Tuba Contingency"2008Criminal MindsJudy HannityEpisode: "Normal"2009PrivilegedElyse ValencourEpisode: "All About Confessions" and "All About Betrayal"2009CastleMelissa TalbotEpisode: "When the Bough Breaks"2009–2011Poor PaulPauline5 episodes2010JuliaEpisode: "Red Herring"NCIS: Los AngelesVanessa MaragosEpisode: "Little Angels"Rules of EngagementStephanieEpisode: "Refusing to Budget"Rizzoli & IslesGeena YoungEpisode: "Don't Hate the Player"2010–201190210Renee4 episodes 2013 The Client List Earlene Episode: "I Ain't Broke But I'm Badly Bent"2014MaronLaurenEpisode: "White Truck"Anger ManagementWarden Hartley3 episodes2015–2016Sex & Drugs & Rock & RollAvaMain role2017StitchersKateEpisode: "Kill it Forward"2019Proven InnocentSusan AndrewsRecurring role2019–2022DynastyAlexis Carrington ColbyMain role (seasons 3–5)2020Paradise LostDevoe ShiffletMain role2025Dancing with the StarsContestantSeason 34
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2015 Resident Evil: Revelations 2 Alex Wesker Likeness and motion capture
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