Anne Louise Dudek (born March 22, 1975) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Tiffany Wilson in the 2004 film White Chicks, Danielle Brooks in the television series Covert Affairs, Dr. Amber Volakis on the series House, Lura Grant on the series Big Love, and Francine Hanson on the series Mad Men. She has also starred in the British television series The Book Group.

Early life Dudek was born in Boston, Massachusetts, and grew up in Newton, Massachusetts. Her father was an architect. She graduated from Newton North High School and attended Northwestern University.

Career From the mid-1990s (while at Northwestern University) through 2001, Dudek appeared in various theater productions and on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in Wrong Mountain in 2000.Bio at American Rep. Theatre web site She won the Connecticut Critics Circle Award for outstanding performance in The Glass Menagerie."Anne Dudek Shows Off Baby Bump on 'Big Love' " Buddy TV.com, August 10, 2008

After success on Broadway, she made the jump to television. Her first starring role on television came when she was cast as the lead in the British comedy drama The Book Group. The show aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom to rave reviews. In her native United States, Dudek has since guest starred on other TV shows, including Desperate Housewives (as Karl Mayer's girlfriend in Season 1), How I Met Your Mother (as 'Natalie', Ted's Krav Maga–trained ex-girlfriend), Friends (as 'Precious', Mike Hannigan's girlfriend), ER (as a mother who accidentally shot her son), Charmed, Bones (as Seeley Booth's lawyer girlfriend), Numb3rs, and Six Feet Under. She also played Lucinda Barry in the pilot episode of Psych, and a teacher who has a sexual relationship with one of her students (based on the case of Debra Lafave) on Law & Order: Criminal Intent. In both Friends and How I Met Your Mother, her character was dumped on her birthday.Friends Season 10, Episode 1; How I Met Your Mother Season Season 1 Episode 4 Dudek appeared in several episodes of the HBO series Big Love as a child bride.

Dudek had a role on House (recurring from season 4 onwards) as Amber Volakis, one of 40 physicians under consideration by Dr. House for permanent positions on his team. Her character, nicknamed "Cutthroat Bitch" by House, continued to the end of season 4 but was killed off in the two-part season finale, "House's Head" and "Wilson's Heart". She would later reappear as a hallucination by House in the season 5 episode "Saviors", appearing in this form for the remainder of the season.

Dudek later appeared in Mad Men as next-door neighbor Francine Hanson, and on Big Love as one of antagonist Alby Grant's wives, both recurring roles. In 2010, she joined the cast of Covert Affairs. She played Anthony Hopkins' character's daughter in the 2003 film The Human Stain, and cruise line heir Tiffany Wilson in the 2004 comedy film White Chicks. In 2012, she played an ISS astronaut in one episode of the TV show Touch. She also reprised her role as Amber Volakis for the House series finale "Everybody Dies".

In 2015, Dudek played villainess Dawn Lin in an episode of NCIS: New Orleans, and also made a guest appearance in the fifth-season finale of Rizzoli & Isles. In 2017, she recurred on The Flash as Tracy Brand.

Personal life Dudek married artist Matthew Dana Heller in 2008. They have a son, who was born in December 2008,Mad Men's Anne Dudek Welcomes a Son People Magazine, December 23, 2008 and a daughter, who was born in February 2012. The couple divorced in 2016.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes2003Lisa Silk2004White ChicksTiffany WilsonSaraShort film2005Anna Marie2006ParkMeredith10 Items or LessLorraineAnd Then It BreaksGirlfriend2007Speed DatingAmyShort film2013Shadow PeopleEllen2016Middle ManGrail The Good NeighborElise Fleming2017House by the LakeKaren 2025ReminisceYvette

Television

Year Title Role Notes2001ERPaula GambleEpisode: "I'll Be Home for Christmas"2002–2003Clare PettengillMain cast2002For the PeopleJennifer CarterRecurring role2003Judging AmyCandace HurleyEpisode: "Marry, Marry Quite Contrary"Six Feet UnderAllison WillimanEpisode: "Twilight"FriendsPreciousEpisode: "The One After Joey and Rachel Kiss"2004Desperate HousewivesBrandiEpisode: "Pretty Little Picture"Less than PerfectAnnie2 episodes2005CharmedDeniseEpisode: "Ordinary Witches"InvasionKatie Paxton2 episodesBonesTessa Jankow2 episodes2005–2010How I Met Your MotherNatalie2 episodes2006PsychLucinda BarryEpisode: "Pilot"Law & Order: Criminal IntentDanielle McCaskinEpisode: "Tru Love"2006–2007Big DayBrittany3 episodes2007NumbersEmmanueline KirtlandEpisode: "Nine Wives"2007–2010, 2014Mad MenFrancine HansonRecurring role (seasons 1–3); guest role, 2 episodes2007–2011Big LoveLura GrantRecurring role (seasons 2–5)2007–2009, 2012HouseDr. Amber VolakisRecurring role (seasons 4–5), series finale: "Everybody Dies"2009CastleEmma CarnesEpisode: "The Fifth Bullet"2010–2012Covert AffairsDanielle BrooksMain cast (seasons 1–2), recurring role (season 3)2012TouchAllegraEpisode: "Zone of Exclusion"Private PracticeLoriEpisode: "Drifting Back"Criminal MindsEmma KerriganEpisode: "The Good Earth"Sloan DietzEpisode: "Cherry Picked"2013Masters of SexRosalieEpisode: "Fallout"Santa SwitchLinda RyebeckTV movie2014Those Who KillBenedicte SchaefferRecurring roleGrimmVera GatesEpisode: "Once We Were Gods"Grey's AnatomyElise CastorEpisode: "Do You Know?"2015NCIS: New OrleansDawn LinEpisode: "The Walking Dead"Rizzoli & IslesCynthia WallaceEpisode: "Family Matters"2016–2017Pearl SunderlandRecurring role (seasons 1–2)2016EdenEpisode: "The Greatest Date in the World"AquariusEpisode: "Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey"LongmireMelissa ParrEpisode: "Chrysalis"2017Tracy Brand4 episodesYou're the WorstWhitney3 episodes2018–2020CorporateKate GlassMain cast2018BoschPamela Duncan4 episodes2019 Hannah Foreman2 episodes2019Deadly InfluencerJessica Lakes' MomTV movie2023OliviaEpisode: "Quiet and Loud" 2024ManhuntEllen StantonMiniseries, 2 episodes

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