Kristin Bauer van Straten
{{Short description|American actress}}
{{Infobox actor
| name = Kristin Bauer van Straten
| image = Kristin Bauer van Straten 20121201 Toulouse Game Show 3.jpg
| caption = Bauer van Straten at the 2012 Toulouse Game Show
| image_size = 220px
| birth_name = Kristin Neubauer
| birth_place = Racine, Wisconsin, U.S.
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1993–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Abri van Straten|August 1, 2009}}
| website = {{url|http://www.kristinbauer.com}}
|alma_mater=Washington University in St. Louis
Parsons The New School for Design}}
Kristin Bauer van Straten ({{nee}} Neubauer) is an American film and television actress, notable for her roles as vampire Pamela Swynford De Beaufort on the HBO television series True Blood, Jerry's girlfriend Gillian ("man hands") on Seinfeld, and as Maleficent in the ABC series Once Upon a Time.
Personal life
Bauer van Straten was born Kristin Neubauer{{cite web |title=Racine native flying high in Hollywood |publisher=The Journal Times.com | url=http://www.journaltimes.com/news/local/article_8fe2fe90-4016-52e1-a008-9bff4a2c542e.html |access-date=September 8, 2010}}{{cite web|url=https://familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AKristin~%20%2Bsurname%3ANeubauer|title=Kristin Neubauer birth reference|work=FamilySearch.org|access-date=May 1, 2017}} in Racine, Wisconsin. She is of German descent.{{cite magazine |url=http://ew.com/article/2009/09/11/true-blood-kristin-bauer-pam-eric-skarsgard/ |title=True Blood's Pam, Kristin Bauer, talks meeting her maker (and Alexander Skarsgard) |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Mandi |last=Bierly |date=September 11, 2009}} During childhood, she played sports, rode horses, and fired shotguns. She graduated from The Prairie School in Wind Point.
Bauer van Straten studied fine arts at Washington University in St. Louis, as well as in Boston and at New York City’s Parsons The New School for Design in her youth, but decided to become an actress and moved to Los Angeles, where she has been living since she began acting in 1994. She continues to draw and paint. Her works include commissioned portraits.
On August 1, 2009, she married musician Abri van Straten.{{cite news|last1=Stein|first1=Jennifer|title=True Blood's Kristin Bauer Marries in Wisconsin|url=https://destinationido.com/2009/08/true-blood-kristin-bauer-marries-in|access-date=September 29, 2018|publisher=Destination I Do|date=August 18, 2009|archive-date=September 29, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180929233420/https://destinationido.com/2009/08/true-blood-kristin-bauer-marries-in|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|last1=Won|first1=Christine|title=From TV screen to Racine streets|url=https://journaltimes.com/news/local/from-tv-screen-to-racine-streets/article_6ca3cd47-6b43-537c-89fa-25e6cf81637e.html|access-date= September 29, 2018|publisher=Journal Times|date=August 1, 2009}}
Acting career
File:Kristin Bauer by Gage Skidmore.jpg]]
In 1995, Bauer van Straten had her first regular role in a television series, as Maggie Reynolds on The Crew. Other recurring roles include Geneva Renault in Total Security, Candy Cooper in That's Life, Rebecca Colfax in Dirty Sexy Money, and Belinda Slypich in Hidden Hills. Perhaps her best known film role was in Dancing at the Blue Iguana in 2000. Bauer van Straten played a porn star appearing as the featured act at a Los Angeles strip club and performed an extended nude dance.
In 2001, she starred in the award-winning short film Room 302, and in 2004 she had a minor role in the film 50 First Dates, which starred Adam Sandler. In the animated series Justice League, she supplied the voice of the superhero Mera.
She has also made a number of guest appearances in several television shows, including LA Law, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Dark Angel, Two and a Half Men, Star Trek: Enterprise, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Desperate Housewives, and George Lopez. She famously appeared in a Seinfeld episode (The Bizarro Jerry) as Gillian, Jerry's girlfriend with "man hands",{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/true-bloods-kristin-bauer_n_676361|title=True Blood's Kristin Bauer: As An Actress I'm Always Hungry|date=2010-08-09|website=HuffPost|language=en |access-date=2019-11-14}} although the actual "man hands", seen only in close-ups, belonged to a member of the production crew.{{cite video|title=Seinfeld Season 8: Audio Commentary - "The Bizarro Jerry"|medium=DVD |publisher=Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |people=Mandel, David|date=2007}}
From 2008 to its conclusion in 2014, Bauer van Straten played the vampire Pamela Swynford De Beaufort on the HBO fantasy drama series, True Blood.{{cite web|url=http://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34874/kristin-bauer-becomes-a-true-blood-regular|title=Kristin Bauer Becomes a True Blood Regular|work=Dread Central}} On December 8, 2009, TV Guide confirmed she had been promoted from recurring status to a series regular.{{cite news|author=Natalie Abrams|title=True Blood's Kristin Bauer Becomes Series Regular|url=http://www.tvguide.com/News/True-Bloods-Kristin-1012932.aspx|work=TVGuide.com}}
In 2011, she was cast in the fantasy television series Once Upon a Time as the evil fairy Maleficent (the wicked fairy godmother, using the name from Disney's Sleeping Beauty), the rival of the Evil Queen of Snow White.{{cite web|url=http://kristinbauer.net/kristin-bauer-gets-a-once-upon-a-time/|title=Kristin Bauer Gets Once Upon a Time|work=KristinBauer.net|access-date=2011-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120425090702/http://kristinbauer.net/kristin-bauer-gets-a-once-upon-a-time/|archive-date=2012-04-25|url-status=usurped}}{{cite magazine |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/19/once-upon-time-merrin-dungey-ursula/ |title=Once Upon a Time casts Alias vet Merrin Dungey |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Natalie |last=Abrams |date=November 19, 2014 |access-date=November 19, 2014 |archive-date=January 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110151505/http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/11/19/once-upon-time-merrin-dungey-ursula/ |url-status=dead }}
Activism
Bauer van Straten carries out conservation work to improve the treatment of animals. In 2011, she teamed with the Animal Legal Defense Fund in an unsuccessful fight to release Tony, a Siberian-Bengal tiger who has been kept as a roadside attraction at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tête, Louisiana since 2000.{{cite news|title=Kristin Bauer Takes a Bite out of Animal Cruelty|url=http://www.aldf.org/tony|work=aldf.org}} She worked with Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine to promote cosmetics that are not tested on animals.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/29/fashion/expanding-efforts-to-keep-cosmetics-testing-from-animals.html|title=Expanding Efforts to Keep Cosmetics Testing from Animals|work=The New York Times|date=December 28, 2011}} She is a vegan and has used her platform to support shelter animals by promoting adoption.{{Cite web|url=https://vegnews.com/2013/7/true-blood-star-speaks-out-for-shelter-animals|title=True Blood Star Speaks Out for Shelter Animals|website=VegNews.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-14}}
Bauer van Straten also encourages people to live more sustainably and be more eco-friendly.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sheknows.com/entertainment/articles/963946/girl-crush-interview-with-true-bloods-kristin-bauer/|title=A Vegan Vampire|last=English|first=Whitney|date=2012-07-02|website=SheKnows|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-14}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2"|1995
|Commander | |
| Glory Daze
|Dina | |
| 1997
|Romy and Michele's High School Reunion |Kelly Possenger | |
| 1998
|My Little Havana |Carmen |Short film |
| 2000
|Nico | |
| rowspan="2"|2001
|Hollywood Palms |Kathleen | |
| Room 302
|Karen |Short film |
| rowspan="2"|2004
|Female Firefighter | |
| Living with Lou
|Jean |Short film |
| 2005
|Caroline | |
| 2011
|Sarah Drake | |
| rowspan="2"|2012
|Gotten |Mother |Video short |
| The Story of Luke
|Cindy | |
| 2014
|Mary | |
| 2016
|Samantha Van Helsing | |
| rowspan="3" |2018
|Voice |
| Happy Anniversary
| Willa | |
| Rich Boy, Rich Girl
|Jessica Debenedetto | |
| 2020
| Ms. Burton | |
| 2021
|Paradise Cove |Bree | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1993
|Blond Girl (uncredited) |Episode: "If Wishes Were Horses" |
| 1994
|Miss English |Episode: "McKenzie, Brackman, Barnum & Bailey" |
| 1994
|Suzie Endicott |Episode: "Undercover" |
| 1994
|Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman |Mrs. Loomis |Episode: "The Prankster" |
| 1994
|Heather St. Clair |Episode: "Red Flag" |
| 1995
|Kirsten |Episode: "The Curse of Zoey" |
| 1995
|Ellie |Episodes: "That's Amore", "Father Connie" and "Business and Pleasure" |
| 1995–1996
|Maggie Reynolds |Main role; 21 episodes |
| 1996
|Gillian |Episode: "The Bizarro Jerry" |
| 1997
|Lisa |Episode: "The Car" |
| 1997
|Robin |Episode: "I Am What I Am" |
| 1997
|Geneva Renault |Main role; 13 episodes |
| 1998
|Tamara Stevens |Episode: "Estrogen" |
| 1998
|Melody Cacaci |Episode: "Viagra-Vated Assault" |
| 2000
|Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye |Katy Scott |Television film |
| 2000
|Lydia Meyerson |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2000–2001
|Candy Cooper |Recurring role; 12 episodes |
| 2001
|Stephanie |Episode: "Dharma Does Dallas" |
| 2001
|Allie |Episodes: "At Long Last Allie" and "Finch in the Dogg House" |
| 2001–2003
|Mera |Voice, 2 episodes |
| 2002
|Prostitute |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2002
|Belinda Slypich |Recurring role; 10 episodes |
| 2003
| Unknown |Voice, episode: "Manrattan" |
| 2003
|Laura |2 episodes |
| 2004
|Portia |Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2004
|Commando Nanny |Lizzie Winter |Television series |
| 2004
|Ms. Kilcoyne |Episode: "Teacher's Pet" |
| 2004
|Molly Greene |Episode: "Fire in the Sky" |
| 2005
|Crazy |Unknown |Television film |
| 2005
|JAG |Megan Ransford |Episode: "Automatic for the People" |
| 2005
|Lt. Laneth |Episode: "Divergence" |
| 2005
|Kaye Buchinski |Episode: "Casey V. Kronsky" |
| 2005
|Shannon Cooke |Episode: "Suburban Prostitution" |
| 2005
|CSI: Crime Scene Investigation |Kenli Johnson |Episode: "Secrets & Flies" |
| 2005
|Tori Pines |Episode: "The Ass Fat Jungle" |
| 2006
|Eve |Television film |
| 2006
|Molly Greene |Episode: "Death Toll" |
| 2006
|Veronica |Episode: "Could I Leave You?" |
| 2006
|Paula '04/'06 |Episode: "The War at Home" |
| 2007
|Cris Watson |Episode: "George Joins the Neighborhood Wha-tcha and Raises the Vigil-ante" |
| 2007
|Rebecca Colfax |Episodes: "The Lions" and "The Italian Banker" |
| 2007
|Janelle Stinson |Episode: "Boy in the Time Capsule" |
| 2008
|Bethany |Episode: "Why Not to Cheat on Your Best Friend" |
| 2008–2014
|Recurring role (seasons 1-2), Main role (season 3-7); 59 episodes |
| 2009
|House Rules |Kathy McAdams |Television film |
| 2009
|Susanna |Episode: "Pushing the Limits" |
| 2009
|Val O'Leary |Episode: "Where We Lie" |
| 2010
|Shirley Kelso |Episode: "Riverbrook" |
| 2010
|A Drop of True Blood |Pamela Swynford De Beaufort |Episode: "Eric & Pam" |
| 2010–2013
|The Secret Life of the American Teenager |Didi Stone |Recurring role; 11 episodes |
| 2011
|Pam the Intern |Episode: "8.25" |
| 2011–2015 |
| 2013
|Once Upon a Time in Wonderland |Maleficent |Voice, episode: "Forget Me Not" |
| 2014
|Suzanne Duval |Episode: "Rich Girl" |
| 2017
|Lore |Minnie Otto |Episode: "Unboxed" |
| 2019
|TV Network Executive |Episode: "Adam Ruins Himself" |
| 2020
|Shannon |Main role; 8 episodes |
=Music videos=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Artist(s) ! Role ! class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
|---|
| 2012
| "Gotten" | Slash featuring Adam Levine | Joanna's Mother | {{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/slash-releases-gotten-music-video-to-benefit-homeless-youth/|title=Slash Releases 'Gotten' Music Video to Benefit Homeless Youth|work=Loudwire|date=March 29, 2012|access-date=December 18, 2021}} |
| 2018
|"Trouble Man" |Herself |
= Podcasts =
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year !Title !Role !Notes |
| 2021
|Bridgewater | |
| 2021-2024
|Truest Blood |Host |With co-host Deborah Ann Woll{{Cite web|last=White|first=Peter|date=2021-10-01|title='True Blood': HBO Max To Launch Podcast With Kristin Bauer & Deborah Ann Woll, Produced By Janina Gavankar's Safe Haven|url=https://deadline.com/2021/10/true-blood-hbo-max-to-launch-look-back-podcast-with-kristin-bauer-deborah-ann-woll-1234848025/|access-date=2022-01-19|website=Deadline|language=en-US}} |
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Kristin Bauer}}
- {{IMDb name|0061877}}
- {{Official website|http://www.kristinbauer.com/}}
{{True Blood}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Van Straten, Kristin Bauer}}
Category:American film actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:American voice actresses
Category:People from Racine, Wisconsin
Category:Actresses from Wisconsin
Category:American people of German descent
Category:Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts alumni
Category:20th-century American actresses