Donna Murphy (born March 7, 1959) See also: is an American actress and singer, best known for her work in musical theater. A five-time Tony Award nominee for Best Actress in a Musical, she has won twice: for her role as Fosca in Passion (1994–1995) and as Anna Leonowens in The King and I (1996–1997). She was also nominated for her roles as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town (2003), Lotte Lenya in LoveMusik (2007), and Bubbie/Raisel in The People in the Picture (2011).
Murphy made her Broadway debut as a replacement in the 1979 musical They're Playing Our Song. Her other stage credits include the original Off-Broadway productions of Song of Singapore (1991) and Hello Again (1993), as well as the alternate to Bette Midler as the title character of Dolly Gallagher Levi in a Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! (2017–2018). In 1997, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special for her role in "Someone Had to be Benny", an episode of the HBO series Lifestories: Families in Crisis. Her film roles include Anij in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), Rosalie Octavius in Spider-Man 2 (2004), Mother Gothel in the animated film Tangled (2010), and government agent Dita Mandy in The Bourne Legacy (2012). As of 2022, she portrays Caroline Schermerhorn Astor in the HBO series The Gilded Age.
Early life and education
Donna Murphy, the eldest of seven children, was born in Corona, Queens, New York, the daughter of Jeanne (née Fink) and Robert Murphy, an aerospace engineer. Murphy is of Irish, French, German, and Czech ancestry. Her family moved to Hauppauge, Long Island, New York. At age three, she asked for voice lessons, and she put on shows as a child in Hauppauge. She later moved to Topsfield, Massachusetts and graduated from Masconomet Regional High School in 1977. See also:
Career
Murphy dropped out of the New York University drama program in her sophomore year when she was cast to understudy the three backup singers in the 1979 Broadway musical They're Playing Our Song. In a 2007 interview, Murphy explained, "At the end of my sophomore year, I took a leave of absence. I needed to audition without cutting classes."Nassour, Ellis. "Donna Murphy: Singing in a Different Key in LoveMusik", broadwaystars.com, May 7, 2007IMDB shows that she earned a bachelor of fine arts in 1980. She also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
She has appeared in many Off-Broadway productions, including the musical Francis in 1981 at the York Theatre at St. Peter's, The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1985 at the Public Theater's Delacorte Theatre, Birds of Paradise in 1987 (Promenade Theatre), Privates on Parade (Roundabout Theatre) in 1989, the musical Song of Singapore in 1991, the Michael John LaChiusa musical Hello Again at the Lincoln Center Mitzi Newhouse Theater in 1993, Twelve Dreams at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater in 1995, and Helen at the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival in 2002. In 2012, she appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at The Public Theater's Delacorte Theatre as the Witch.Hetrick, Adam. "Once Upon a Time, Later": 'Into the Woods' Casts Spell in Central Park Starting July 24" . Playbill.com, July 24, 2012
On Broadway, after They're Playing Our Song (1979), she was an understudy in the musical/opera The Human Comedy in April 1984 and played various roles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood from 1985 to 1987. She also played Audrey Fulquard in Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's Little Shop of Horrors. In 1994, she played the role of Fosca in Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Passion, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance at the 48th Tony Awards. A year later she appeared in Lapine's revival, Twelve Dreams. In 1996, she played Anna Leonowens in the revival of The King and I alongside Lou Diamond Phillips, also recording a cast album. The role earned her a second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical at the 50th Tony Awards. She appeared as Ruth Sherwood in a revival of Wonderful Town from 2003 to 2005 (having previously performed in the New York City Center Encores! 2000 staged concert of that musical), and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical at the 58th Tony Awards and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. In 2007, she appeared in LoveMusik as Lotte Lenya, opposite Michael Cerveris as Kurt Weill, receiving a Tony Award nomination at the 61st Tony Awards as well as a Drama Desk Award nomination. She appeared in the 2007 New York City Center Encores! staged concert of Follies as Phyllis. She appeared in the Roundabout Theatre production of a new musical, The People in the Picture, which opened on April 28, 2011, and closed on June 19, 2011.BWW News Desk. "Donna Murphy to Return to Broadway in 'The People In The Picture'" broadwayworld.com, October 31, 2010 She was nominated for a 2011 Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in the production at the 65th Tony Awards."Tony Nominations Announced" broadwayworld.com, May 3, 2011
She appeared in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! as Dolly Gallagher Levi, the alternate to Bette Midler on Tuesday evenings and other select performances. She played her last performance on January 7, 2018.McPhee, Ryan. "Donna Murphy Sets Last Night in 'Hello, Dolly!'; Bernadette Peters to Play 8 Performances a Week" Playbill, September 7, 2017McPhee, Ryan. "Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein Bid Farewell to 'Hello, Dolly!' January 14" Playbill, January 14, 2018 Murphy returned to Hello, Dolly! for six performances (July 22 and 29, August 5, 12, 19, and 20) when Midler rejoined the musical before it closed on August 25, 2018.McPhee, Ryan. "Donna Murphy to Return to Broadway's 'Hello, Dolly!'" Playbill, May 29, 2018
Murphy's film roles include Anij, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart)'s love interest, in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); in the film Center Stage, as Juliette Simone, a ballet teacher (2000); as Rosalie Octavius, wife of Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina), the film's villain in Spider-Man 2 (2004); as Betty, a surgical research assistant in Darren Aronofsky's film The Fountain (2006), and Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson)'s mother Judy Braddock in The Nanny Diaries (2007). In her voice role as Mother Gothel in the animated musical film Tangled (2010), Murphy sang the song "Mother Knows Best"."Alan Menken Interview" broadwayworld.com, November 15, 2010 She also played Kathleen Walker, Corinne Walker (Vera Farmiga)'s mother in Higher Ground (2011) and Marie in Dark Horse (2011). In 2012, she appeared as government secretary Dita Mandy in The Bourne Legacy.
On television, Murphy appeared on the NBC soap opera Another World from 1989 through 1991 as District Attorney Morgan Graves. She won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special at the 24th Daytime Emmy Awards in 1997, for playing Armanda Agrelo in "Someone Had to be Benny" (1996), an episode of the HBO series Lifestories: Families in Crisis. Other television series roles include a recurring role as Abigail Adams on Liberty! The American Revolution (1997), Murder One (1995–1996), Law & Order as Carla Tyrell in a recurring role (2000), Hack (2002–2003), Trust Me (2009) and Quantico (2017). Her voice-over work in TV commercials, includes the Le Vian chocolate diamonds series for Jared Jewelry. In 2022, Murphy joined the cast of HBO's The Gilded Age as Caroline Schermerhorn Astor.
Personal life
Murphy was married to actor and singer Shawn Elliott from 1990 until his death in March 2016."Actor Shawn Elliott, Husband of Donna Murphy, Dies at 79" Playbill, March 18, 2016 She is the stepmother of Elliott's two daughters. In 2005, they adopted a daughter from Guatemala.
Stage
Year Show Role Location Notes 1979–1981 They're Playing Our Song Swing / Sonia Walsk Imperial Theatre Voice 1984 The Human Comedy Bess Macauley and Mary Arena Royale Theatre Understudy 1985–1987 The Mystery of Edwin Drood Various characters Imperial Theatre1991Song of SingaporeRoseIrving Plaza1993–1994Hello AgainThe WhoreMitzi E. Newhouse Theater 1994–1995 Passion Fosca Plymouth Theatre 1995Twelve DreamsDorothy TrowbridgeLincoln Center 1996–1997 The King and I Anna Leonowens Neil Simon Theatre 2002HelenHelen of TroyThe Public Theater 2003–2004 Wonderful Town Ruth Sherwood Al Hirschfeld Theatre2004 Passion FoscaAmbassador TheatreConcert 2007FolliesPhyllis StoneNew York City Center LoveMusik Lotte Lenya Biltmore Theatre 2010Anyone Can WhistleCora Hoover HooperNew York City Center 2011 The People in the Picture Bubbie / Raisel Studio 54 2012 Into the Woods The Witch Delacorte Theater Central Park 2017–2018 Hello, Dolly! Dolly Gallagher Levi Shubert Theatre Alternate to Bette Midler 2023 Dear World Countess Aurelia New York City Center2024Gutenberg! The Musical!ProducerJames Earl Jones TheatreOne night only
Filmography
Film
Year Title Role Notes 1995 Jade Detective Karen Heller 1998 October 22 Carole Star Trek: Insurrection Anij 1999 The Astronaut's Wife Natalie Streck 2000 Center Stage Juliette Simone 2004 The Door in the Floor Frame Shop Owner Spider-Man 2 Rosalie Octavius 2006 Ira & Abby Dr. Betsy Goldman World Trade Center Judy Jonas The Fountain Betty 2007 The Nanny Diaries Judy Braddock 2008 Sherman's Way Evelyn Black 2010 Tangled Mother GothelVoice 2011 Higher Ground Kathleen Walker Dark Horse Marie 2012 The Bourne Legacy Dita Mandy 2016 No Pay, Nudity Pearl 2020 Anastasia: Once Upon a Time Yara the Enchantress 2023 Nowhere Men NarratorVoice
Television