Angela Bethany Goethals ( ) is an American film, television and

stage Stage or stages may refer to: Acting * Stage (theatre), a space for the performance of theatrical productions * Theatre, a branch of the performing arts, often referred to as "the stage" * ''The Stage'', a weekly British theatre newspaper * Sta ...

actress An actor or actress is a person who portrays a Character (arts), character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. The analogous Greek ...

. Goethals made her acting debut in the

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

production of ''

Coastal Disturbances ''Coastal Disturbances'' is a play by Tina Howe, which premiered Off-Broadway in 1986 and transferred to Broadway. It received a Tony Award nomination as Best Play. The play takes place on a beach in Massachusetts. Background Howe said that she " ...

'' in 1987, and later played the sister of

Macaulay Culkin Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin (born Macaulay Carson Culkin; ) is an American actor. Often regarded as one of the most successful child actors of the 1990s, he was placed 2nd on VH1's list of the "100 Greatest Kid-Stars". Culkin rose to prom ...

's character in ''

Home Alone ''Home Alone'' is a 1990 American Christmas comedy film directed by Chris Columbus and written and produced by John Hughes. The first film in the ''Home Alone'' franchise, the film stars Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Hear ...

'' (1990). Throughout the 1990s, Goethals went on to star in several independent films and television shows, including a leading role on the sitcom ''

Phenom Phenom may refer to: * AMD Phenom, the 64-bit AMD desktop processor line based on the K10 microarchitecture ** Phenom II, a family of AMD's multi-core 45 nm processors using the AMD K10 microarchitecture * Phenom (electron microscope), a fast elec ...

'' (1993), as well as a small role in ''

Jerry Maguire ''Jerry Maguire'' is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama sports film written, produced, and directed by Cameron Crowe; it stars Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger, and Regina King. Produced in part by James L. Brooks, it was inspi ...

'' (1996). In 1999, Goethals graduated from Vassar college with a

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

in French before returning to acting. In 2005, she landed a recurring guest appearance on '' 24'', and also gained recognition and critical acclaim for her starring role in the black comedy horror

mockumentary A mockumentary (a blend of ''mock'' and ''documentary''), fake documentary or docu-comedy is a type of film or television show depicting fictional events but presented as a documentary. These productions are often used to analyze or comment on c ...

'' Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon'' (2006).

Early life

Goethals was born and raised in

New York City, New York New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

, the daughter of Rosalind, a

teacher A teacher, also called a schoolteacher or formally an educator, is a person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching. ''Informally'' the role of teacher may be taken on by anyone (e.g. whe ...

who raised Angela and her sister Sara. She is a great-great-granddaughter of

George Washington Goethals George Washington Goethals ( June 29, 1858 – January 21, 1928) was a United States Army General and civil engineer, best known for his administration and supervision of the construction and the opening of the Panama Canal. He was the State E ...

, the chief engineer of the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...

, and namesake of New York's

Goethals Bridge The Goethals Bridge () is the name of a pair of cable-stayed bridge spans connecting Elizabeth, New Jersey, to Staten Island, New York, in the United States. The spans cross a strait known as Arthur Kill, and replaced a cantilever bridge span bu ...

. She was a

cheerleader Cheerleading is an activity in which the participants (called cheerleaders) cheer for their team as a form of encouragement. It can range from chanting slogans to intense physical activity. It can be performed to motivate sports teams, to ente ...

Stuyvesant High School Stuyvesant High School (pronounced ), commonly referred to among its students as Stuy (pronounced ), is a State school, public university-preparatory school, college-preparatory, Specialized high schools in New York City, specialized high school ...

and was introduced to the acting world by actress Jeanie Hackett, a family friend, who took her to several auditions. At the age of nine she got her first professional acting job, as the

understudy In theater, an understudy, referred to in opera as cover or covering, is a performer who learns the lines and blocking or choreography of a regular actor, actress, or other performer in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to ap ...

Sarah Michelle Gellar Sarah Michelle Prinze ( ; born April 14, 1977) is an American actress. After being spotted at the age of four in New York City, she made her screen acting debut in the television film ''An Invasion of Privacy'' (1983). A leading role on the te ...

in ''The Widow Claire'', an off-Broadway play written by

Horton Foote Albert Horton Foote Jr. (March 14, 1916March 4, 2009) was an American playwright and screenwriter. He received Academy Awards for his screenplays for the 1962 film ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', which was adapted from the 1960 novel of the same name ...

. Two years later Goethals appeared as the daughter of

Edwin Booth Edwin Thomas Booth (November 13, 1833 – June 7, 1893) was an American actor who toured throughout the United States and the major capitals of Europe, performing Shakespearean plays. In 1869, he founded Booth's Theatre in New York. Some theatri ...

, portrayed by

David Strathairn David Russell Strathairn (; born January 26, 1949) is an American actor. Known for his leading roles on stage and screen, he has often portrayed historical figures such as Edward R. Murrow, J. Robert Oppenheimer, William H. Seward, and John Dos ...

, in a workshop production of ''Booth: A House Divided'', at The Players, New York City.

Career

Goethals appeared in her first movie, drama ''

Rocket Gibraltar ''Rocket Gibraltar'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Daniel Petrie and starring Burt Lancaster, Suzy Amis, Patricia Clarkson, Frances Conroy, Sinead Cusack, John Glover, Bill Pullman, Kevin Spacey and Macaulay Culkin in his film deb ...

'', two years later. The cast included

Burt Lancaster Burton Stephen Lancaster (November 2, 1913 – October 20, 1994) was an American actor and producer. Initially known for playing tough guys with a tender heart, he went on to achieve success with more complex and challenging roles over a 45-yea ...

Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolades ...

and

. Her sister Sara also had a small part. Later that year Goethals also appeared in ''

Heartbreak Hotel "Heartbreak Hotel" is a song recorded by American singer Elvis Presley. It was released as a single on January 27, 1956, Presley's first on his new record label RCA Victor. It was written by Mae Boren Axton and Tommy Durden, with credit being g ...

'', a film directed by Chris Columbus about the fictional kidnapping of

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

. Goethals's first starring role came in the 1993 TV series ''

''. She played Angela Doolan, a young tennis player struggling with the challenges of life including her single mother (

Judith Light Judith Ellen Light (born February 9, 1949) is an American actress. She made her professional stage debut in 1970, before making her Broadway debut in the 1975 revival of ''A Doll's House''. Her breakthrough role was in the ABC daytime soap opera ...

), obsessive tennis coach (

William Devane William Joseph Devane (born September 5, 1939) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Greg Sumner on the primetime soap opera '' Knots Landing'' (1983–1993) and as James Heller on the Fox serial dramas '' 24'' (2001–2010) and '' ...

) and bratty younger sister ( Ashley Johnson). It ran for 22 episodes before being cancelled by network

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 ...

in May 1994. In 1990, Goethals played Linnie, the sister of main character Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), in ''

''. The blockbuster family comedy, directed by Chris Columbus, is about a young boy facing two inept burglars when he's left home alone. The movie made nearly $500m worldwide. Goethals was one of only three main cast members not to return in the sequel, '' Home Alone 2: Lost in New York'', two years later. Goethals' next role in a blockbuster movie came in 1996's ''

'', a film that starred

Tom Cruise Thomas Cruise Mapother IV (born July 3, 1962), known professionally as Tom Cruise, is an American actor and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actors, he has received various accolades, including an Honorary Palme d'Or and three Gol ...

Cuba Gooding, Jr. Cuba Mark Gooding Jr. (born January 2, 1968) is an American actor. He is the recipient of an Academy Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy nomination. After his breakthrough role as Tre Styles in ''Boyz n the Hood'' (1991), he appeare ...

and

Renée Zellweger Renée Kathleen Zellweger (; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress. The recipient of various accolades, including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards, she was one of the world's highest-paid ...

. Goethals played Kathy Sanders, Jerry's client who fakes tears when he calls her to inform her of his departure from the agency. In 1999, Goethals graduated from the private

liberal arts college A liberal arts college or liberal arts institution of higher education is a college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in liberal arts and sciences. Such colleges aim to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capac ...

, Vassar, with a

bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Middle Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six ...

in French, in which she is fluent, and she rode in the IHSA Zone II Region 1 at the Advanced Walk-Trot-Canter level. In February 2002 she moved back to

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

to pursue film and television. 2002 saw Goethals star as Polly in

Comedy Central Comedy Central is an American basic cable channel owned by Paramount Global through its network division's MTV Entertainment Group unit, based in Manhattan. The channel is geared towards young adults aged 18–34 and carries comedy programming ...

's first original movie, ''

Porn 'n Chicken Porn 'n' Chicken was a club based at Yale University. The secret society blazed briefly in the headlines in 2001 when members announced plans to make their own pornographic film on campus starring other Yale students, although the film was never r ...

''. The movie was based on the true story of the Porn 'n Chicken Club at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wo ...

. Its members gathered weekly to eat

fried chicken Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or ...

and watch

porn Pornography (often shortened to porn or porno) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the exclusive purpose of sexual arousal. Primarily intended for adults,

. The club made headlines in 2001 when members announced plans to make their own porn film, entitled ''"The StaXXX"''. Despite a trailer being released for their film, it was never finished and no further footage ever emerged.Yale Daily News
, retrieved March 3, 2007. Later in 2002, Goethals also starred in the 1980s based sitcom ''

Do Over ''Do Over'' is an American fantasy sitcom television series created by Kenny Schwartz and Rick Wiener about a man who gets a chance to relive his childhood. The series, which was originally broadcast on The WB from September 19 to December 5, 200 ...

''. The show featured

Penn Badgley Penn Dayton Badgley (born November 1, 1986) is an American actor and musician. He is known for his roles as Dan Humphrey in The CW teen drama series ''Gossip Girl'' (2007–2012) and as Joe Goldberg in the Netflix thriller series ''You'' (2018� ...

as 34-year-old Joel Larsen, catapulted back in time to 1981 and forced to relive his school life. Goethals played his sister, Cheryl. Between 2003 and 2004, Goethals made guest appearances on the popular TV series ''

Boston Public ''Boston Public'' is an American drama television series created by David E. Kelley and broadcast on Fox. Set in Boston, the series centers on Winslow High School, a fictional public high school in the Boston Public Schools district. It features ...

'', '' Six Feet Under'' and ''

Without a Trace ''Without a Trace'' is an American police procedural drama television series created by Hank Steinberg that aired on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009 with the total of seven seasons and 160 episodes. The series focuses the cases of ...

'', as well as playing a minor role in the

Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...

romantic comedy, ''

Spanglish Spanglish (a portmanteau of the words "Spanish" and "English") is any language variety (such as a contact dialect, hybrid language, pidgin, or creole language) that results from conversationally combining Spanish and English. The term is mos ...

''. In 2005, Goethals made a recurring guest appearance on the TV show '' 24''. She played Maya Driscoll, the mentally ill daughter of then Director of CTU

Erin Driscoll The following is a list of characters in the American serial drama television series ''24 (TV series), 24'', ''24: Live Another Day'', and ''24: Legacy'' by season and event. The list first names the actor, followed by the character. Some characte ...

. Maya appeared in six episodes (including one uncredited) before committing suicide in a bathroom at CTU between 5pm and 6pm on Day 4. Since then, Goethals has gone on to make guest appearances on the TV series ''

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 ...

'', '' CSI'' and ''

Crossing Jordan ''Crossing Jordan'' is an American crime drama television series created by Tim Kring, that aired on NBC from September 24, 2001, to May 16, 2007. It stars Jill Hennessy as Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh, a crime-solving forensic pathologist employed in ...

''.

Awards and nominations

She was nominated four times to a Young Artist Award at the

Young Artist Awards The Young Artist Award (originally known as the Youth in Film Award) is an accolade presented by the Young Artist Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers, and to provide scholarships for young ...

: in 1989 for Best Young Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Fantasy for ''

'' (1988), in 1991 for Best Young Actress Supporting Role in a Motion Picture for ''

'' (1990), in 1992 for Best Young Actress Starring in a Motion Picture for ''

V.I. Warshawski Victoria Iphigenia "Vic" "V. I." Warshawski is a fictional character, fictional private investigator from Chicago who is the protagonist featured in a series of Detective fiction, detective novels and short story, short stories written by Chicag ...

'' (1991) and in 1994 for Youth Actress Leading Role in a Television Series for ''

'' (1993).

Theatre

* ''

'' (

, 1987) .... Miranda Bigelow * ''Approaching Zanzibar'' (

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

, 1989) .... Pony Blossom * ''The Good Times Are Killing Me'' (Off-Broadway, 1991) .... Edna Arkins * ''Four Baboons Adoring the Sun'' (Broadway, 1992) .... Halcy * ''

Picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors ( ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event such as preceding ...

'' (Broadway, 1994) .... Millie Owens * ''Hazelwood Jr. High'' (Off-Broadway, 1998) * ''True History and Real Adventures'' (Off-Broadway, 1999) * ''Be Aggressive'' (2001) .... Hannah * ''Blur'' (2001) .... Dot DiPrima * ''The Mandrake Root'' (2001) .... Kate Randall/Young Man * ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' (2002) .... Rosalind * ''

House of Blue Leaves ''The House of Blue Leaves'' is a play by American playwright John Guare which premiered Off-Broadway in 1971, and was revived in 1986, both Off-Broadway and on Broadway theatre, Broadway, and was again revived on Broadway in 2011. The play won ...

'' (2008) .... Little Nun * ''

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they receive ...

'' (Off-Broadway, 2009) .... Honey * ''Nothing Sacred'' (2010) .... Becky Shaw * '' Long Day's Journey into Night'' (2017) .... Kathleen

Filmography

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Goethals, Angela Actresses from New York City American child actresses American film actresses American television actresses American people of Belgian descent American people of Flemish descent Living people People from New York City Stuyvesant High School alumni Vassar College alumni 20th-century American actresses 21st-century American actresses Year of birth missing (living people)