Danica McKellar

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Danica McKellar (born January 3, 1975)[1] is an American actress, mathematics writer, and education advocate. She is best known for playing Winnie Cooper in the television series The Wonder Years. She has appeared in various television films for the Hallmark Channel. She has also done voice acting including Frieda Goren in Static Shock, Miss Martian in Young Justice, and Killer Frost in DC Super Hero Girls. In 2015, McKellar became part of the main cast in the Netflix original series Project Mc2.

McKellar has written seven non-fiction books about mathematics: Math Doesn't Suck, Kiss My Math, Hot X: Algebra Exposed, Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape, Goodnight, Numbers, and Do Not Open This Math Book, which encourage middle-school and high-school girls to have confidence and succeed in mathematics.[2][3][4]

Early life and education

Danica McKellar was born on January 3, 1975 in La Jolla, California.[5][6][7] She moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was eight. Her mother, Mahaila McKellar (née Tello), was a homemaker; her father, Christopher McKellar, is a real estate developer; her younger sister, Crystal, is a lawyer and former child actor.[8] She is of Scottish, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch descent on her father's side. On her mother's side, she is of Portuguese descent, by way of the Azores and the Madeira islands.[9]

In 1998, McKellar earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics (summa cum laude) from University of California, Los Angeles , where she was a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority.[10][11] As an undergraduate, she coauthored a scientific paper with Professor Lincoln Chayes and fellow student Brandy Winn titled "Percolation and Gibbs states multiplicity for ferromagnetic Ashkin–Teller models on ℤ2."[12] Their results are termed the "Chayes–McKellar–Winn theorem".[13][14] Later, when Chayes was asked to comment about the mathematical abilities of his student coauthors, he told The New York Times, "I thought that the two were really, really first-rate."[15] As a result of her past collaborative work on research papers, McKellar is assigned the Erdős number four, and the Erdős–Bacon number six.[16]

Acting career

The Wonder Years and early acting career Template:Anchor

At age seven, McKellar enrolled in weekend acting classes for children at the Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles.[17] In her teens, she landed a prominent role on The Wonder Years, an American television comedy-drama which ran for six seasons on ABC, from 1988 to 1993. She portrayed Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper, the main love interest of Kevin Arnold (played by Fred Savage) on the show. Her first kiss was with Savage in an episode of The Wonder Years.[18][19] She later said, "My first kiss was a pretty nerve-wracking experience! But we never kissed off screen, and pretty quickly our feelings turned into brother/sister, and stayed that way."[20]

Later acting career

McKellar at a book signing, October 2007

McKellar said that she found it "difficult" to move from being a child actress to an adult actress.[20] Since leaving The Wonder Years, McKellar has had several guest roles in television series (including one with former co-star Fred Savage on Working), and has written and directed two short films. She appeared in two Lifetime films in the Moment of Truth series, playing Kristin Guthrie in 1994's Cradle of Conspiracy and Annie Mills Carman in 1996's Justice for Annie. She briefly returned to regular television with a recurring role in the 2002–03 season of The West Wing, portraying Elsie Snuffin, the half-sister and assistant of Deputy White House Communications Director Will Bailey.

McKellar was featured in the video for Debbie Gibson's eighth single from the Electric Youth album, "No More Rhyme", which was released in 1989. She plays the cello in the beginning of the video.[21] McKellar appeared in lingerie in the July 2005 edition of Stuff magazine[22] after readers voted her the 1990s star they would most like to see in lingerie. She explained that she agreed to the shoot in part to obtain "grittier roles".[20] In 2006, McKellar starred in a Lifetime film and web-based series titled Inspector Mom about a mother who solves mysteries.[23][24]

On the August 1, 2007, edition of the Don and Mike Show, a WJFK-FM radio program in Washington D.C., McKellar announced that the producers of How I Met Your Mother were planning to bring her back for a recurring role (she guest-starred on the show in late 2005 in "The Pineapple Incident" and again in early 2007 in "Third Wheel"). She made an appearance on the show The Big Bang Theory, in the episode "The Psychic Vortex".[25] In 2008, she starred in Heatstroke, a Sci-Fi Channel film about searching for alien life on Earth, and in 2009 she was one of the stars commenting on the occurrences of the new millennium in VH1's I Love the New Millennium and was the math correspondent for Brink, a program by the Science Channel about technology. In 2013, she played Ellen Plainview in Lifetime's reimagining of the 1956 Alfred Hitchcock film The Wrong Man.

McKellar has also worked as a voice actress, having provided the voice of Jubilee in the video game X-Men Legends (2004), and Invisible Woman in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006) and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009). She provided the voice of Miss Martian in the TV series Young Justice. In 2012, she starred in the Lifetime film Love at the Christmas Table with Dustin Milligan. In January 2013, she starred in the Syfy film Tasmanian Devils with Apolo Ohno.

On August 20, 2013, Canadian singer Avril Lavigne released the music video for her single "Rock N Roll" from her self-titled fifth album, which features McKellar as "Winnie Cooper".[26] On March 4, 2014, it was announced that McKellar would be competing on season 18 of Dancing with the Stars. She paired with Valentin Chmerkovskiy.[27] McKellar and Chmerkovskiy were eliminated on Week 8, finishing in 6th place. She had a guest appearance in the sixth episode of Impractical Jokers season four, which was titled "The Blunder Years". She made another guest appearance in season seven, episode ten, "Speech Impediment". In 2015, she starred in the Netflix original series Project Mc2 as The Quail.

She has starred in several Hallmark Channel films, including Crown for Christmas, My Christmas Dream, Campfire Kiss, Love and Sunshine, Christmas at Dollywood, and You, Me & the Christmas Trees, as well as the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series The Matchmaker Mysteries. McKellar was a judge on the single season of Fox's Domino Masters[28] which premiered on March 9, 2022.[29]

Writing

McKellar has authored several mathematics-related books, primarily targeting adolescent readers interested in succeeding at the study of mathematics. Her first book, Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail, was a New York Times bestseller,[2] and was favorably reviewed by Tara C. Smith, the founder of Iowa Citizens for Science and a professor of epidemiology at the University of Iowa in Iowa City.[30] The book also received a review from Anthony Jones, writing for the School Librarian journal, who described the book as "a trouble-shooting guide to help girls overcome their biggest maths challenges," noting what he described as "real-world examples of great mathematics in action."[31] In an interview with Smith, McKellar said that she wrote the book "to show girls that math is accessible and relevant, and even a little glamorous" and to counteract "damaging social messages telling young girls that math and science aren't for them".[32]

McKellar's second book, Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss,[33] was released on August 5, 2008. The book's target audience is girls in the 7th through 9th grades. Her third book, Hot X: Algebra Exposed![34] covers algebra topics, while the previous two titles were intended as "algebra-readiness books."[35] Hot X was published on August 3, 2010. Her fourth book, Girls Get Curves – Geometry Takes Shape,[36] focuses on the subject of geometry, and attempts to make the subject more accessible.[37]

Three of McKellar's books were listed in The New York Times children's bestseller list.[38][39] She received Mathical Honors for Goodnight, Numbers.[40]

Published papers

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Awards and honors

McKellar was named Person of the Week on World News with Charles Gibson for the week ending August 10, 2007. The news segment highlighted her book Math Doesn't Suck and her efforts to help girls develop an interest in mathematics, especially during the middle school years.[41] In January 2014, she received the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics (JPBM) Communications Award. The citation credited her books, blog, and public appearances for encouraging "countless middle and high school students, especially girls, to be more interested in mathematics."[42]

Personal life

McKellar married composer Mike Verta on March 22, 2009, in La Jolla, California; the couple had dated since 2001.[43] They had their only child, a son, in 2010.[44][45] McKellar filed for divorce from Verta in June 2012.[46]

She and her boyfriend Scott Sveslosky got engaged on July 16, 2014. Sveslosky is an attorney and a partner at the law firm Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton in downtown Los Angeles. On November 15, 2014, they married in Kauaʻi, Hawaii.[47]

In 2022, she became an evangelical Christian and is a member of Shepherd Church in Los Angeles.[48][49] She cites Candace Cameron Bure as having been a major influence in her life after Bure gave her a copy of the Bible.[49]

Cultural references

McKellar's career in Hallmark mystery films was spoofed in the 2019 film Knives Out, complete with the parody title Deadly By Surprise.[50]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1992 Sidekicks Lauren
2001 Good Neighbor Molly Wright
XCU: Extreme Close Up Sarah
Speechless... Dana Woodman Short film
2002 Sex and the Teenage Mind Debbie
Black Hole Rachael
Reality School Sexy Sally Short film
Jane White Is Sick & Twisted Tiffany
The Year That Trembled Pam Hatch
Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool Sissie
2004 Raising Genius Lacy Baldwin
Intermission Sleepwalker Short film
Quiet Kill Pet Shop Girl
2007 Hack! Emily
2008 Heatstroke Caroline
2009 21 and a Wake-Up Jenny Valentine
2010 Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo Madelyn Dinkley Voice, direct-to-video[51]
Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam Sally Voice, direct-to-video[51]
2012 Flatland 2: Sphereland Aero Direct-to-video
Mancation Rebecca
2014 Where Hope Grows Susan Malcolm
2017 The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania! Judy Jetson Voice, direct-to-video[51]
2018 The Fiddling Horse Leslie Heart
2018 Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High Frost Voice, direct-to-video[51]
2018 DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis Voice, direct-to-video[51]

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1985–1987 Template:Sortname Nola (age 10), Deidre Dobbs 2 episodes
1988–1993 Template:Sortname Winnie Cooper Main role (ABC)
1989 Template:Sortname Patty Voice, 2 episodes
1990 Camp Cucamonga Lindsey Scott Television film (NBC)
1992 Captain Planet and the Planeteers Lisa Voice, episode: "A Formula for Hate"
1994 Babylon 5 Aria Tensus Episode: "The War Prayer"
Moment of Truth: Cradle of Conspiracy Kristin Guthrie Television film (NBC)
Walker, Texas Ranger Laurie Maston Episode: "Stolen Lullaby"
Sirens Alison Trent Episode: "Victims"
1996 Justice for Annie: A Moment of Truth Movie Annie Mills Carman Television film (NBC)
1998 Love Boat: The Next Wave Mary Dutton Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?"
Working Jolie 2 episodes
1999 Random Play Daughter Episode: "1.4"
2000–2004 Static Shock Frieda Goren Voice, recurring role (15 episodes)[51]
2001 Template:Sortname Wendy Episode: "Don't Ask"
Even Stevens Sandrine Episode: "Sibling Rivalry"
The Weakest Link Herself TV Child Stars Special Edition
2002 Justice League Sapphire Stagg Voice, episode: "Metamorphosis"[51]
2002–2003 Template:Sortname Elsie Snuffin Recurring role (season 4)
2004 King of the Hill Misty Voice, 1 episode
Game Over Elsa, Renee Voice, recurring role (season 1)[51]
Century City Sally Episode: "Without a Tracer"
Eve Claudia Episode: "Friend or Foe?"
2005 NCIS Erin Kendall Episode: "Witness"
Jack & Bobby Keirsten Episode: "And Justice for All"
NYPD Blue Rosemary Episode: "Moving Day"
Strong Medicine Natalie Pascal Episode: "Feeling No Pain"
Path of Destruction Katherine Stern Television film (Sci-Fi Channel)
2005–2007 How I Met Your Mother Trudy Episodes: "The Pineapple Incident" and "Third Wheel"
2006 Inspector Mom Maddie Monroe Television film (Lifetime)
Cyberchase Wanda Voice, episode: "Designing Mr. Perfect"
(PBS Kids Go!)
2006–2007 Inspector Mom Maddie Monroe Recurring role (Season 1)
2007 Random! Cartoons Katerina "Kat" Metropoulos Voice, episode: "Girls on the Go: The First Date"[51]
2010 Template:Sortname Abby Episode: "The Psychic Vortex"
2010–2013,
2019–2022 		Young Justice Miss Martian, Marie Logan, Tuppence Terror, Angel O'Day, Reach Commercial Singer Voice, main role[51]
2010–2013 Generator Rex Claire Voice, 3 episodes[51]
2010 G.I. Joe: Renegades Sister Leia Voice, episode: "Brothers of Light"[51]
2012 Template:Sortname Herself Talk show
Love at the Christmas Table Katherine "Kat" Patton Television film (Lifetime)
2013 Tasmanian Devils Alex Television film (Syfy)
Template:Sortname Herself Episode: "Interference"
Nerdist: Course of the Force Bounty Hunter Episode: "Michael Rooker & CM Punk: Lighstaber Hunt"
The Wrong Woman Ellen Plainview Television film (Lifetime)
2014 Transformers: Rescue Bots Hayley Voice, 2 episodes[51]
Dancing with the Stars Herself Contestant on season 18; finished in sixth place
Phineas and Ferb Becky Voice, episode: "Doof 101"[51]
2015 King of the Nerds Herself Judge
2015,
2017–2018 		Impractical Jokers Herself 3 episodes
2015 Perfect Match (aka A Perfect Wedding) Jessica Summers Television film (Hallmark Channel)
Miss America 2016 Herself Judge
Crown for Christmas Allie Evans Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2015–2017 Project Mc2 The Quail Main role (Seasons 1–2,4–5)
Netflix original series
2015–2018 DC Super Hero Girls Frost Voice, recurring role (Seasons 1–5)[51]
2016 My Christmas Dream Christina Television film (Hallmark Channel)
Wedding Bells Molly Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2016–2018 Shimmer and Shine Layla, Generic Female Genie Voice, 3 episodes[51]
2017 Mommy, I Didn't Do It Ellen Plainview Television film (Lifetime)
Campfire Kiss Dana Television film (Hallmark Channel)
Coming Home for Christmas Lizzie Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2018 Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Taylor Martin Voice, episode: "Hypno! Part Deux!"[51]
Very, Very, Valentine Helen Television film (Hallmark Channel)
Love in Design Hannah Television film (Hallmark Channel)
Christmas at Grand Valley Kelly Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
2019 Love and Sunshine Ally Craig Television film (Hallmark Channel)
The Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement Angie Dove Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Christmas at Dollywood Rachel Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2020 Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance Angie Dove Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
Christmas She Wrote Kayleigh King Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2021 Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill Angie Dove Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
2021–2022 Home Economics Allison 2 episodes
2021 You, Me & the Christmas Trees Olivia Arden Television film (Hallmark Channel)
2022 The Winter Palace Emily Miller Television film (Great American Family)
Domino Masters Herself Judge[28]
Christmas at the Drive-In Sadie Walker Television film (Great American Family)
2023 Swing into Romance Christine Sims Television film (Great American Family)
A Royal Date for Christmas Bella Sparks Television film (Great American Family)
2024 A Cinderella Christmas Ball Chelsea Jones Television film (Great American Family)
2025 Futurama Herself Episode: "The Numberland Gap"
Grounded in Love Annie Television film (Great American Family)
Have We Met This Christmas? Katie Sloan Television film (Great American Family)

Music videos

Year Title Role Artist
1989 "No More Rhyme" Girl Playing Cello Debbie Gibson
2013 "Rock n Roll" Winnie Cooper Avril Lavigne

Video games

Year Title Role
2004 X-Men Legends Jubilee[51]
EverQuest II Lolla Cotgrove / Pona
2006 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance Invisible Woman[51]
2009 Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2
2013 Young Justice: Legacy Miss Martian, Batgirl[51]

Books

References

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  48. ↑ Nicole VanDyke, Danica McKellar praises God 2 years after accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior: ‘I feel blessed’, christianpost.com, USA, April 11, 2024
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 Template:Cite web
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  51. ↑ 51.00 51.01 51.02 51.03 51.04 51.05 51.06 51.07 51.08 51.09 51.10 51.11 51.12 51.13 51.14 51.15 51.16 51.17 51.18 51.19 Template:Cite web A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
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