Sydney Penny

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Sydney Penny
Born
Sydney Margaret Penny

August 7, 1971 (1971-08-07) (age 52)
OccupationActress
Years active1979–present
Known for
Spouse
Robert Powers
(m. 1995)
Children1
Parents
RelativesGreg Penny (half-brother)[1]
Websitewww.sydneypenny.net Edit this at Wikidata

Sydney Margaret Penny (born August 7, 1971) is an American actress. She began her career as a child performer appearing in made-for-television movies. She made her big screen debut in the Western film Pale Rider directed by Clint Eastwood. She received total six Young Artist Awards nominations, winning two for playing Young Meggie Cleary in the miniseries The Thorn Birds (1984), and for Pale Rider. Penny also starred in the sitcom The New Gidget (1986–1988), and played Bernadette Soubirous in the French drama film Bernadette (1988) and its sequel The Passion of Bernadette (1990) both directed by Jean Delannoy.

Penny starred as B.J. Walker during the final season of NBC soap opera Santa Barbara (1992–1993), receiving Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series nomination. She later joined the cast of ABC soap opera All My Children (1993–1997, 2002-05, 2008) playing the role of Julia Santos Keefer receiving Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 1995. She also starred in the drama series Hyperion Bay (1998–1999) and Largo Winch (2001–2003).

Life and career[edit]

Penny was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Chatsworth, California, the daughter of former Western Swing bandleader and comedian Hank Penny and his wife, Shari.[2] She began performing when she was three years old singing "My Little Pony" during her father's concert.[2] She made her screen debut playing the supporting role in the made-for-television movie The Night Rider (1979) starring David Selby, Kim Cattrall and Hildy Brooks. She performed as Lucy Van Pelt in the 1981 television special It's Magic, Charlie Brown and also that year appeared in the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated television movie Through the Magic Pyramid.[2] She played Tessa Dahl in the television film The Patricia Neal Story (1981) starring Glenda Jackson and Peg Adams in The Capture of Grizzly Adams (1982). At the 4th Youth in Film Awards, Penny received two Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television nominations for this performances, as well one Best Young Actress in a Television Special nomination for The Circle Family.[3] She later guest-starred on Fame, T. J. Hooker, St. Elsewhere and The Twilight Zone.

In 1983, Penny played Young Meggie Cleary in the miniseries The Thorn Birds. For her performance she won Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television at the 5th Youth in Film Awards.[4] In 1985, she starred as Megan Wheeler in the Western film Pale Rider directed by Clint Eastwood, released on June 26, 1985.[5] For this performance she was awarded a Young Artist Award for Exceptional Performance By a Young Actress - Motion Picture at the 7th Youth in Film Awards in December 1985.[6] The following year, Penny went to star in the science fiction family film Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star distributed by Tri-Star Pictures. She starred as Danielle 'Dani' Collins-Griffin in the syndicated sitcom The New Gidget from 1986 to 1988. She later played the role of Bernadette Soubirous in the French drama film Bernadette (1988) and its sequel The Passion of Bernadette (1990) both directed by Jean Delannoy. She starred alongside Sophia Loren in the Italian drama film Running Away (1989), and opposite Malcolm McDowell in the Switzerland-filmed thriller film In the Eye of the Snake (1990).[7][8] In 1991 she appeared in the made-for-television horror film Child of Darkness, Child of Light.

In 1992, Penny made her daytime television debut playing the role of B.J. Walker in the NBC soap opera, Santa Barbara appearing on show to its finale in 1993. For her performance, she received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series nomination.[9] She played the role of Julia Santos Keefer on the ABC soap opera All My Children, from 1993 to 1996, with guest appearances in 1997 and 2002 and returned to the show in 2005. Penny left the show in May 2008 when Julia was killed off. She received Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series nomination in 1995.[10] She returned to film starring in independent productions Hearts Adrift (1996), Enchanted (1998) and The Pawn. From 1998 to 1999, Penny starred alongside Mark-Paul Gosselaar in the WB drama series, Hyperion Bay. In 1999 she took the role of Meg Cummings in the NBC soap opera Sunset Beach replacing Susan Ward for one month during her filming the movie The In Crowd. The serial's creator, Aaron Spelling, was impressed with Penny's portrayal of Meg so he cast her in another series he created. She had a recurring role as Josie Oliver during the final season of Beverly Hills, 90210.[11]

From 2001 to 2003, Penny starred in the internationally-produced action adventure series, Largo Winch. In August 2003, she was cast as Samantha Kelly on The Bold and the Beautiful.[12] The character never caught on and Penny was bumped to recurring status in late 2004. She last appeared on April 26, 2005, and rejoined All My Children a few months later. She stayed with the show for an additional three years. Since leaving daytime television, Penny guest-starred on Drop Dead Diva and Pretty Little Liars.[13] She starred in the number of movies for Hallmark Channel and Lifetime, notable Hidden Places (2006), The Wife He Met Online (2012) and Killer Crush (2015).

Personal life[edit]

In 1995, Penny married producer Robert Powers, and has lived in Wilmington, North Carolina since 2005.[14] They had a child in 2007.[15]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1983 The Last Leaf Susan
1985 Pale Rider Megan Wheeler Young Artist Award for Exceptional Performance by a Young Actress - Motion Picture
1986 Hyper Sapien: People from Another Star Robyn
1988 Bernadette Bernadette Soubirous
1989 Running Away Rosetta
1990 La Passion de Bernadette Bernadette Soubirous
1990 In the Eye of the Snake Malika
1996 Hearts Adrift Max Deerfield
1998 Enchanted Natalie Ross
1999 The Pawn Megan
2012 Little Red Wagon Ashley Lagare
201 Dark Canyon Madeleine Donovan
2013 The Perfect Summer Alyssa
2013 Heart of the Country Candace Also producer
2016 Heritage Falls Heather Fitzpatrick
2017 Mountain Top Judge Coberg
2022 Birdies Sarah
2022 The Dishwasher Short film, also writer and director

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1979 The Night Rider Melissa Hollister Television film
1981 The Big Stuffed Dog Lily Television film
1981 It's Magic, Charlie Brown Lucy Van Pelt (voice) Television special
1981 Dear Teacher Gloria Pilot
1981 Through the Magic Pyramid Princess Ankelsen Television film
1981 The Patricia Neal Story Tessa Dahl Television film
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television
1982 The Capture of Grizzly Adams Peg Adams Television film
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television
1982 The Circle Family Television film
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Television Special
1982 Fame Susan Marshall Episode: "Beginnings"
1983 T.J. Hooker Katie Coats Episode: "The Mumbler"
1983 The Thorn Birds Young Meggie Cleary Miniseries
Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress in a Movie Made for Television
1983 Two Kinds of Love Elizabeth Television film
1983 St. Elsewhere Melissa Greely Episode: "AIDS & Comfort"
1984 Silver Spoons Billie Episode: "Changes"
Nominated — Young Artist Award for Best Young Actress - Guest in a Television Series
1984 Getting Physical Ramona Television film
1985 The Fourth Wise Man Shameir Television film
1985 Half Nelson Episode: "The Beverly Hills Princess"
1985 Heart's Island Tommy Jean Baylor Pilot
1986 News at Eleven Melissa Kenley Television film
1986 The Twilight Zone Mary Miletti Episode: "Shadow Play/Grace Note"
1986-1988 The New Gidget Danielle 'Dani' Collins-Griffin Series regular, 44 episodes
1988 A Year in the Life Megan Episode: "The Go-Between"
1990 Super Force Melanie Lemays Episode: "The Gauntlet"
1991 Child of Darkness, Child of Light Margaret Gallagher Television film
1992 Jack's Place Jennifer Simpson Episode: "Forever"
1992–1993 Santa Barbara B.J. Walker Series regular
Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer
1993–1997, 2002, 2005–2008 All My Children Julia Santos Keefer Series regular
Soap Opera Digest Award for Hottest Romance (1996)
Nominated — Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (1995)
Nominated — Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1995)
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Juliette Titlebaum Episode: "I Can't Get No Satisfaction"
1998–1999 Hyperion Bay Jennifer Worth Series regular, 17 episodes
1999 Sunset Beach Meg Cummings 40 episodes
2000 Beverly Hills, 90210 Josie Oliver 4 episodes
2001–2003 Largo Winch Joy Arden Series regular, 39 episodes
2003–2005 The Bold and the Beautiful Samantha Kelly Series regular
2005 McBride: The Doctor Is Out... Really Out Daphne Blake Television film
2006 Hidden Places Eliza Monteclaire Wyatt Television film
2010 The Wish List Chloe Television film
2011 Days of Our Lives Dr. Liv Norman 7 episodes
2011 Drop Dead Diva Ms. Kritzer Episode: "Closure"
2012 The Wife He Met Online Georgia Television film
2014–2015 Pretty Little Liars Leona Vanderwaal Episodes: "Taking This One to the Grave" and "Through a Glass, Darkly"
2015 Killer Crush Gaby Television film

References[edit]

  1. ^ "producer Greg Penny". Studio Expresso. Retrieved December 20, 2020 – via www.studioexpresso.com. The son of famous pop singer Sue Thompson and musician / songwriter / producer Hank Penny, Greg was raised ...
  2. ^ a b c "About the Actors | Sydney Penny | All My Children on Soap Central". soapcentral.com.
  3. ^ "4th Annual Awards". March 10, 2008. Archived from the original on March 10, 2008. Retrieved October 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  4. ^ "5th Annual Awards". April 3, 2011. Archived from the original on April 3, 2011. Retrieved October 8, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ Giroux, Jack (December 14, 2018). "All 37 Clint Eastwood Movies, Ranked". Thrillist. Group Nine Media Inc. Retrieved March 3, 2019.
  6. ^ Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Vol. 73. Gale. January 19, 2007. p. 189. ISBN 9780787690465.
  7. ^ "Running Away". www.tcm.com.
  8. ^ "In the Eye of the Snake". www.tcm.com.
  9. ^ "Toledo Blade - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  10. ^ "The Free Lance-Star - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  11. ^ "The Daily Courier - Google News Archive Search". news.google.com.
  12. ^ "Buzz". Soap Opera Weekly. February 13, 2007. p. 8.
  13. ^ Richenthal, Matt (July 14, 2014). "Sydney Penny Cast as Mona's Mother on Pretty Little Liars". TV Fanatic.
  14. ^ "CoastLine: Sydney Penny on her new production company, dodging child actor perils, and why creativity is everything". WHQR.
  15. ^ "Update: A son for All My Children's Sydney Penny". Peoplemag.

External links[edit]