Brenda Strong is a renowned actress, voice artist, and director, best known for her iconic portrayal of "Mary Alice Young" on the hit television series Desperate Housewives. Throughout her illustrious career, she has garnered numerous accolades, including two Emmy nominations and a SAG Award.
In addition to her work as an actress, Strong co-founded End Stop Star Entertainment with her husband John Farmanesh-Bocca, producing two critically acclaimed short films, "I Did Not Forget You" and "#3 Normandy Lane." The latter, her directorial debut, received widespread recognition, showcasing in 21 film festivals worldwide and winning 12 awards, including several best narrative short and best first-time filmmaker awards.
In 2019, Strong made her television directing debut with two pivotal episodes on Netflix's 13 Reasons Why, and is currently preparing for her directorial film debut as a proud member of the Directors Guild of America. Moreover, she is working on a series of empowering books for women, encompassing both fiction and non-fiction.
Strong's acting career began with her graduation from Arizona State University, where she earned a degree in Musical Theatre. Her early credits include Mel Brooks' Spaceballs and Aaron Sorkin's Malice. Television audiences have come to know her through her diverse roles in Seinfeld, Party of Five, Sports Night, and Dallas, the reboot.
Recent notable performances include "Ilene Stowe" in Fear the Walking Dead and "Lillian Luthor" on Supergirl, as well as her three-season stint as "Ann Ewing" in the Dallas reboot. She also played "Nora Walker" on 13 Reasons Why. In the world of theatre, Strong has appeared in productions such as Not Man Apart Physical Theatre Ensemble's/New American Theatre's co-production of "Titus Redux" and Nick Jones' Ovation-nominated play, "Trevor."
In a unique aspect of her career, Strong has performed with the Millennium Choir at the Vatican in 2000 and toured with composer Beppe Cantarelli, singing in Latin and Italian throughout Italy.