Wendy Moniz

{{Infobox person

| name = Wendy Moniz

| image =

| imagesize =

| caption =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|1|19}}

| birth_place = Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.

| education = B.M.C.Durfee High School, Fall River, Massachusetts Siena College, Loudonville, NY

| occupation = Actress

| years_active = 1995–present

| other_names = Wendy Moniz-Grillo

| spouse = {{plainlist}}

{{marriage|David Birsner
|1991|1996|end=divorced}}
{{marriage|Frank Grillo
|2000|2020|end=divorced}}

| children = 2

}}

Wendy Moniz (born January 19, 1969){{cite web |author1=Reier, Evan |title=‘Yellowstone’ TV: Everything to Know About Gov. Perry Actress Wendy Moniz-Grillo |url=https://outsider.com/entertainment/tv/yellowstone/yellowstone-tv-everything-know-about-gov-perry-actress-wendy-moniz-grillo/ |website=Outsider |access-date=November 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220523132917/https://outsider.com/entertainment/tv/yellowstone/yellowstone-tv-everything-know-about-gov-perry-actress-wendy-moniz-grillo/ |archive-date=May 23, 2022 |date=February 10, 2021}} is an American television actress. Her roles include Dinah Marler in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light, as Rachel McCabe in Nash Bridges, and as Louisa Archer in The Guardian. From 2013 to 2014, Moniz starred as Elaine McAllister in ABC drama series Betrayal and from 2018 to 2024 as Governor Lynelle Perry in the Paramount Network neo-Western series, Yellowstone. Moniz also had a recurring role as Laura Moretti in House of Cards (2015–2016).

Career

Moniz made her television debut in the CBS daytime soap opera Guiding Light as Dinah Marler. She starred as a series regular from 1995 to 1999, and was nominated for two Soap Opera Digest Awards. Moniz later returned as a guest star in 2000 and 2002.

In 1999, Moniz landed a role in the primetime CBS drama pilot Partners.{{cite web|author=Jenny Hontz |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/col-cbs-book-their-partners-1117492278/ |title=Col, CBS book their Partners |work=Variety |date=1999-03-14 |access-date=2014-02-18}} In the same year, she starred as the female lead in the critically acclaimed television film adaptation of Mitch Albom's book Tuesdays with Morrie.{{cite web|author=Ray Richmond |url=https://variety.com/1999/tv/reviews/oprah-winfrey-presents-tuesdays-with-morrie-1117759817/ |title=Oprah Winfrey Presents: Tuesdays With Morrie |work=Variety |date=1999-12-02 |access-date=2014-02-18}} She later was a series regular in the short-lived NBC comedy series Battery Park opposite Elizabeth Perkins.{{cite web|first=Phil |last=Gallo |url=https://variety.com/2000/tv/reviews/battery-park-1200461022/ |title=Battery Park |work=Variety |date=2000-03-21 |access-date=2014-02-18}} In fall of 2000, Moniz was cast as a series regular in the role of Rachel McCabe in the sixth and final season of the CBS series Nash Bridges. She later starred as Louisa "Lulu" Archer on the CBS series The Guardian opposite Simon Baker.{{cite web|url=http://www.buddytv.com/info/wendy-moniz-info.aspx |title=Wendy Moniz Biography |publisher=Buddytv.com |date=1969-01-19 |access-date=2013-07-09}} The series aired from 2001 to 2004.

Moniz guest-starred in an episode of the NBC legal drama Law & Order in 2005, and had a recurring role as Stacey Walker in the ABC short-lived comedy-drama Big Shots in 2007. She later appeared as Jill Burnham on the FX series Damages from 2009 to 2010. In 2010 she was cast as Tom Selleck's love interest in the CBS police drama Blue Bloods, but the role was recast with Andrea Roth.{{cite magazine|last=Li |first=Shirley |url=http://insidetv.ew.com/2010/07/22/cbs-blue-bloods-tom-selleck-andrea-roth/ |title=CBS recast shocker: Damages star out, Rescue Me actress in as Tom Selleck's GF |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=2010-07-22 |access-date=2013-12-20}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/ustv/news/a248922/roth-replaces-moniz-on-blue-bloods.html |title=Roth replaces Moniz on Blue Bloods |publisher=Digital Spy |date=2010-07-23 |access-date=2013-12-20}} She later appeared in the recurring role of Llanview Mayor Finn - who succeeds the exiting Mayor Dorian Lord on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://soaps.sheknows.com/onelifetolive/news/id/18833/ |title=Wendy Moniz Joins One Life To Live |publisher=Soaps.com |access-date=2013-07-09}} She also appeared in the ABC series 666 Park Avenue in 2012.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/News/666-Park-Avenue-Enrique-Murciano-Wendy-Moniz-1051961.aspx?rss=breakingnews&partnerid=imdb&profileid=01 |title=Exclusive: Enrique Murciano, Wendy Moniz Move Into ABC's 666 Park Avenue |work=TV Guide |date=2012-08-14 |access-date=2013-07-09}}

In March 2013, Moniz was cast opposite Stuart Townsend, James Cromwell and Hannah Ware in the ABC drama series Betrayal directed by Patty Jenkins and based on the Dutch drama series Overspel.{{cite web|last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |url=https://deadline.com/2013/03/matthew-lillard-to-co-star-in-nbc-pilot-i-am-victor-trio-added-to-abcs-betrayal-447048/ |title=Matthew Lillard To Co-Star In NBC Pilot I Am Victor, Trio Added To ABC's Betrayal |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=6 March 2013 |access-date=2013-07-09}} In 2014, Moniz was cast as lead in the independent drama film The Grief of Others directed by Patrick Wang.{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2014/film/news/rachel-dratch-wendy-moniz-trevor-st-john-in-grief-of-others-1201109984/ |title=Rachel Dratch, Wendy Moniz, Trevor St. John in Grief of Others |work=Variety |date=18 February 2014 |access-date=2014-02-18}} She later has appeared in Netflix series Daredevil and House of Cards. In 2016, she was cast in a recurring role as a love interest for her real-life husband at the time, Frank Grillo, in the DirecTV drama Kingdom.{{cite web|url=http://tvline.com/2016/04/26/kingdom-wendy-moniz-season-2b-frank-grillo/|title=Kingdom: Wendy Moniz Joins Season 2B as Love Interest for Frank Grillo|first=Michael|last=Ausiello|date=26 April 2016 |publisher=TVLine|access-date=26 April 2016}} Since 2018, she has played Montana Governor Lynelle Perry in the Paramount Network drama series Yellowstone.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2017/08/yellowstone-dave-annable-gil-birmingham-leads-wendy-moniz-recur-paramount-network-series-1202141348/|title='Yellowstone': Dave Annable, Gil Birmingham Set As Leads, Wendy Moniz To Recur In Paramount Network Series|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=3 August 2017|access-date=25 November 2018}} She was promoted to series regular for fifth season.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/yellowstone-wendy-moniz-mo-brings-plenty-upped-series-regulars-josh-lucas-jacki-weaver-kylie-rogers-and-kyle-red-silverstein-season-5-1235042943/|title='Yellowstone': Wendy Moniz & Mo Brings Plenty Upped To Series Regulars, Josh Lucas Leads New & Returning Recurring Cast For Season 5|first1=Nellie|last1=Andreeva|date=June 10, 2022}}

Personal life

Moniz, of Portuguese and Irish descent, was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She attended Siena College in Loudonville, New York in 1991.{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/wendy-moniz/bio/178938 |title=Wendy Moniz Biography |publisher=Tvguide.com |access-date=2013-12-20}} She married David Birsner in 1991, but the couple divorced without issue in 1996. She married her former Guiding Light co-star, Frank Grillo in October 2000, and separated from him in February 2020 and finalised their divorce in September 2020.{{cite web|last=Lang|first=Brent|date=2021-02-10|title=Frank Grillo Has 8 Movies in 2021 and No Plans to Slow Down|url=https://variety.com/2021/film/features/kingdom-boss-level-frank-grillo-1234904248/|access-date=2021-04-06|website=Variety|language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://people.com/movies/frank-grillo-wendy-moniz-divorce-19-years-marriage/|title=Frank Grillo and Actress Wendy Moniz Divorce After 19 Years of Marriage|website=PEOPLE.com|language=EN|access-date=2020-04-19}} The couple has two sons.{{cite web|title=Biography|url=http://www.frank-grillo.com/biography.htm|access-date=7 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110303140756/http://www.frank-grillo.com/biography.htm|work=Frank-Grillo.com|archive-date=March 3, 2011}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1995–1999 \| Guiding Light \| Dinah Marler \| Series regular Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer (1996) Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1997)
rowspan="2" \| 1999 \| Partners \| Maggie Spivak \| TV Pilot
Tuesdays with Morrie \| Janine \| Television movie
rowspan="2" \| 2000 \| Battery Park \| Maria DiCenzo \| Series regular, 7 episodes
The Others \| Eva \| Episode: "Life Is for the Living"
2000–2001 \| Nash Bridges \| Insp. Rachel McCabe \| Series regular, 22 episodes
2001–2004 \| The Guardian \| Louisa "Lulu" Archer \| Series regular, 58 episodes
2005 \| Law & Order \| Arlene Tarrington \| Episode: "House of Cards"
2007 \| Big Shots \| Stacey Walker \| Recurring role, 4 episodes
2009–2010 \| Damages \| Jill Burnham \| Recurring role, 7 episodes
2011 \| One Life to Live \| Mayor Kathleen Finn \| Recurring role
2012 \| 666 Park Avenue \| Ingrid Weismann \| Episode: "Hero Complex"
2013–2014 \| Betrayal \| Elaine McAllister \| Series regular, 13 episodes
rowspan="2" \| 2015 \| The Grief of Others \| Ricky Ryrie \|
Daredevil \| Jennifer Fisher \| Episode: "Rabbit in a Snowstorm"
2016–2017 \|House of Cards \|Laura Moretti \|Recurring role, 7 episodes
2016 \|Kingdom \|Roxanne Dunn \|Recurring role, 7 episodes
2016–2017 \|Pure Genius \|Julianna Wallace \|Recurring role, 4 episodes
2017 \| Wheelman \| Jessica \|
2018–2024 \| Yellowstone \| Governor Lynelle Perry \| Recurring role (seasons 1-4), Series regular (season 5), 24 episodes
2021 \|Law & Order: Organized Crime \|ADA Anne Frasier \|Recurring role, 7 episodes
2022 \|FBI: Most Wanted \|Judge April Brooks \|4 episodes
2024 \|Long Gone Heroes \| Mace Spencer \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1995–1999

| Guiding Light

| Dinah Marler

| Series regular
Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Female Newcomer (1996)
Nominated – Soap Opera Digest Award for Outstanding Younger Lead Actress (1997)

rowspan="2" | 1999

| Partners

| Maggie Spivak