Kathy Lamkin's journey in the world of acting began in her school choir, where she discovered her passion for performing. She continued to pursue her dream at Texas Women's University, and later in Houston, where she performed with a traveling theater company.
Kathy's artistic journey was mentored by Barbara Jenkins, who guided her transition from stage to film. Jo Edna Boldin, a renowned casting director, was one of the first to recognize Kathy's unique talent, casting her in several films.
In Texas, Kathy remained active in commercials and theatre, even running her own company, Unicorn School of Acting, and later the performing wing, USA Theatre. It was the encouragement of Terry Berland, a casting director, and Kristene Wallis, an agent, that led Kathy to make the move to Los Angeles in 2002.
Kathy's first TV role in Hollywood was on "Malcolm in the Middle", where she had the opportunity to work alongside Jane Kaczmarek. Kathy was extremely grateful to Jane for pointing out that they needed to turn around for her close-ups.
Kathy's memorable guest star roles include appearances in "Nip/Tuck", where she wore a 200-pound fat suit, and the iconic "Tea Lady" in the remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Her subsequent film roles include "In the Valley of Elah", "The Heartbreak Kid", and "No Country for Old Men", where she stood up to Javier Bardem's psychotic killer and lived.
Kathy's first screen kiss was with Ben Stiller in "The Heartbreak Kid", although it unfortunately didn't make the final cut of the film.
Kathy's personal life is filled with love and support. Her daughter, Kati, is a film editor in Los Angeles, and her son, Greg, is a police officer, married with two young children. Kathy's husband, Steve, is an aerospace engineer at NASA, and Kathy's father was an oil field wildcatter, while her mother was an artist and businesswoman.