Cynthia Michele Watros (born September 2, 1968) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
actress recognized for her roles in both daytime and primetime television. In 1994, she was cast in the regular role of
Annie Dutton
Annie Dutton is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light''. Cynthia Watros is the actress most closely identified with the role; she played Annie from November 29, 1994, until February 23, 1998. The role was later recast, after ...
on ''
Guiding Light
''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...
'', which earned her the
in 1998. In 2002, she was cast as Kellie on ''
The Drew Carey Show
''The Drew Carey Show'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1995 to September 8, 2004. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, the series revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized ...
'' and in 2005 joined the cast of ''
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
'' as
Libby Smith
Elizabeth “Libby” Smith is a fictional character on the ABC drama television series ''Lost'', which chronicles the lives of over forty people after their plane crashes on a remote island somewhere in the South Pacific. She is played by Amer ...
. Since 2019, Watros has portrayed the role of
Nina Reeves
'' General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. ...
on
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
''.
Early life
Watros was born in
Lake Orion, Michigan
Lake Orion ( ) is a village in the northern outskirts of Metro Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. The population was 2,973 at the 2010 census. "Lake Orion" can refer to either the village or the much larger Orion Township, of wh ...
. She attended
Macomb Community College
Macomb Community College is a multi-campus community college in Macomb County, Michigan. The college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
The college's offerings include university transfer, early college, professional certification ...
in
Clinton Township, Michigan Clinton is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Michigan:
* Clinton County, Michigan
* Clinton Township, Macomb County, Michigan
* Clinton, Lenawee County, Michigan, village
* Clinton Township, Lenawee County, Michigan
* Clinton Township, O ...
, and received a
Bachelor of Fine Arts
A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases.
Background
The Bachelor ...
degree in Theatre from
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
, where she was part of
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
's Professional Actors Training Program.
Career
Watros initially became known for her role as
Annie Dutton
Annie Dutton is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light''. Cynthia Watros is the actress most closely identified with the role; she played Annie from November 29, 1994, until February 23, 1998. The role was later recast, after ...
on the
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainmen ...
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
Guiding Light
''Guiding Light'' (known as ''The Guiding Light'' before 1975) is an American radio and television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the third longest-running drama in television in American history. ''Guiding Light'' a ...
'' from 1994 to 1998.
Her character, a nurse, began as a heroine, but she gained notice and critical acclaim as her character gradually descended into madness. In 1998, Watros won the
for her role on ''Guiding Light''. In 1998, she briefly filled in for
Jensen Buchanan
Jensen Buchanan (born July 18, 1962 in Montgomery, Alabama) is an American soap opera actress, known for portraying Sarah Gordon on ''One Life to Live'' (1987–90) and twins Vicky Hudson and Marley Love on ''Another World (TV series), Another Wo ...
as Victoria Hudson McKinnon on ''
Another World'' while Buchanan was on maternity leave.
Watros appeared as Erin Fitzpatrick on ''
Titus
Titus Caesar Vespasianus ( ; 30 December 39 – 13 September 81 AD) was Roman emperor from 79 to 81. A member of the Flavian dynasty, Titus succeeded his father Vespasian upon his death.
Before becoming emperor, Titus gained renown as a mili ...
'' from 2000 to 2002 and gained recognition as a comedic actress, playing the fiancée of the title character. According to the DVD commentary, Erin was intended to be neurotic and socially awkward, but the character was revised a week before the
pilot
An aircraft pilot or aviator is a person who controls the flight of an aircraft by operating its directional flight controls. Some other aircrew members, such as navigators or flight engineers, are also considered aviators, because they a ...
was shot. After ''Titus'' was canceled, she took on the role of Kellie Newmark on ''
The Drew Carey Show
''The Drew Carey Show'' is an American television sitcom that aired on ABC from September 13, 1995 to September 8, 2004. Set in Cleveland, Ohio, the series revolved around the retail office and home life of "everyman" Drew Carey, a fictionalized ...
'', as a replacement for
Christa Miller
Christa Beatrice Miller is an American actress and model who has achieved success in television comedy. Her foremost roles include Kate O'Brien on ''The Drew Carey Show'' and Jordan Sullivan on ''Scrubs''. She has also appeared in ''Seinfeld'', ...
. Watros played the role from 2002–04.
From 2005 to 2006, Watros was a cast member on the ABC series ''
Lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
'', playing
psychologist
A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how indi ...
Libby, a member of the "Tailies", a group of survivors of the plane crash who were in the tail section of the plane (and not seen during Season One). She was a romantic interest to
Hurley and was very mysterious showing up in flashbacks.
After her departure from ''Lost'' in 2006, Watros filmed a pilot for a show titled ''My Ex-Life'' for CBS. She was slated to play the ex-wife of a character played by
Tom Cavanagh
Thomas Cavanagh (born October 26, 1963) is a Canadian actor. He is known for a variety of roles on American television, including starring roles in '' Ed'' (2000–2004), ''Love Monkey'' (2006) and '' Trust Me'' (2009), and recurring roles on ...
. However, the pilot was not chosen by CBS. Watros was also the lead in the 2007 CBS
television pilot
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other distri ...
for ''The Rich Inner Life of Penelope Cloud'', a comedy about a former literary genius who, after an awakening, decides to pursue optimism instead of cynicism.
In 2009, Watros filmed a pilot for ''
Valley Girls
"Valley Girls" is the twenty-fourth episode of the second season of The CW television series ''Gossip Girl''. The episode served as a backdoor pilot for a potential ''Gossip Girl'' spin-off series set in the 1980s, entitled ''Valley Girls''. Th ...
'', a spin-off of
the CW
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
series ''
Gossip Girl
''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'' set in the 1980s, in which she played CeCe Rhodes, the socialite ex-wife of Rick Rhodes, and mother of the series' protagonists. In a May 2009 episode of the
USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
series ''
In Plain Sight
''In Plain Sight'' is an American drama television series that premiered on the USA Network on June 1, 2008. The series revolves around Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack), a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, office ...
'', "A Stand-Up Triple", she guest starred as a mother of three children in the
witness protection program
Witness protection is security provided to a threatened person providing testimonial evidence to the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during, and after a trial, usually by police. While a witness may only require p ...
. Beginning in April 2010, Watros joined the cast of the TV medical drama ''
House
A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...
'' for seven episodes as Samantha Carr, one of
Dr. James Wilson's ex-wives.
Watros appeared in the 2012
indie film
An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, in ...
, ''
Electrick Children
''Electrick Children'' is a 2012 American independent coming of age film written and directed by Rebecca Thomas and starring Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, and Liam Aiken. Garner plays Rachel, a 15-year-old girl from a fundamentalist Mormon commun ...
''. In May 2012, she guest-starred in episode 8.22 of ''
Grey's Anatomy
''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into se ...
''. In June 2013, she guest-starred in episode 4.17 of ''
Warehouse 13
''Warehouse 13'' is an American science fiction television series that originally ran from July 7, 2009, to May 19, 2014, on the Syfy network, and was executive produced by Jack Kenny and David Simkins for Universal Cable Productions. Described ...
''. She played Mary Matrix, coach of the FPS Varsity team in the online series ''
Video Game High School
''Video Game High School'' (often abbreviated ''VGHS'') is an American action comedy web series from RocketJump Studios. It was written by Matthew Arnold, Will Campos and Brian Firenzi and directed by Matthew Arnold, Brandon Laatsch, and Freddie ...
''. Her character first appears in season two of the series, which started July 2013. Watros starred as Avery Jenning's self-obsessed aunt in ''
Dog with a Blog
''Dog with a Blog'' is an American comedy television series that aired on Disney Channel from October 12, 2012 to September 25, 2015. The series stars G Hannelius, Blake Michael, Francesca Capaldi, Regan Burns, and Beth Littleford, and also feat ...
'' on December 6, 2013.
In 2013, Watros joined the cast of the CBS soap opera ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
'', but left the show in early 2014 with her character being recast. In July 2014, she joined the cast of the
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
series ''
Finding Carter
''Finding Carter'' is an American teen drama television series that aired on MTV for two seasons from July 8, 2014, to December 15, 2015. The series stars Kathryn Prescott as Carter Stevens, a teenage girl whose life is torn apart when she disco ...
''.
In 2019, Watros joined the cast of ''
General Hospital
''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
'' as
Nina Reeves
'' General Hospital'' is the longest running American television serial drama, airing on ABC since April 1, 1963. Created by Frank and Doris Hursley, who originally set it in a general hospital (hence the title), in an unnamed fictional city. ...
, taking over the role from actress
Michelle Stafford
Michelle Stafford (born September 14, 1968) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2013 ...
who's returning to the CBS soap opera ''
The Young and the Restless
''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
''.
Watros also makes a guest appearance in the digital drama series ''Misguided'', playing a waitress named Anne, and is a throw back to her role as Annie Dutton on ''Guiding Light''.
Personal life
![Watros-Laflin](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/01/Watros-Laflin.jpg)
Watros was married to Curtis Gilliland from 1996 to 2020. They have twin daughters, born in 2001.
In 2006, Watros pleaded guilty to a DUI charge. She was fined, ordered to undergo counseling, and had her driver's license suspended for 90 days.
In 2008, Watros participated in a
USO
The United Service Organizations Inc. (USO) is an American nonprofit-charitable corporation that provides live entertainment, such as comedians, actors and musicians, social facilities, and other programs to members of the United States Armed F ...
tour to
Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq ...
, visiting several bases, including
COP Callahan in
Baghdad
Baghdad (; ar, بَغْدَاد , ) is the capital of Iraq and the second-largest city in the Arab world after Cairo. It is located on the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient city of Babylon and the Sassanid Persian capital of Ctesiphon ...
's East Adamiyah area.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watros, Cynthia
1968 births
Living people
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Actresses from Michigan
American musical theatre actresses
American film actresses
American television actresses
American soap opera actresses
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series winners
People from Lake Orion, Michigan
Boston University College of Fine Arts alumni