Andrea Parker

Ever since she left home at 15 to become a ballerina, a confident Andrea Parker never had a doubt that she would succeed in whatever she chose to do. After recurring roles in NBC's "ER" and "JAG," she knew last spring, as soon as she started reading the pilot script, that she was destined to play the alluring female lead in "The Pretender."

"It was kind of strange," says Parker. "As soon as I saw the role of 'Miss Parker,' I said, 'Hey, my name's all over this script.' I knew I had to make it mine. There was just too much synchronicity for it not to happen. After I was cast, I had to tap into a lot of anger and pain in playing her. We're both alike in that we go after what we want, but I would never dream of treating people the way she does."

A native Southern Californian, Parker is the oldest of four children. She began to study ballet at age six, dedicated herself to improving daily, and trained with youth ballet programs during summers in New York, San Francisco and Cleveland. Her hard work paid off when she joined the San Francisco Ballet at 15, with which she performed at the Metropolitan Opera House and toured during her three-year tenure. "Dancing had a lot to do with my self-assurance and goal-setting," says the 5-foot-10-inch Parker. "Rather than going to play with your friends, you learn at a young age to put on your pointe shoes and practice."

Parker returned to Southern California and began a career as a contemporary dancer, appearing in videos, commercials and fashion shows. She also tended bar part-time for five years to pay bills while putting herself through acting classes. Her appearance in the Los Angeles play "Fine Line" got her a manager, who quickly arranged auditions. Despite having no credits or tape to present to casting directors, Parker landed her first speaking part in a small, but memorable, appearance as a hospital nurse in "The Contest," a classic, Emmy-winning episode of "Seinfeld."

More series episodes followed, with guest-starring roles in "Dream On," "Coach," "Dave's World," "Ellen," "Can't Hurry Love," "Married ... With Children" and "Murder, She Wrote." She soon was cast in recurring roles in "The Adventures of Brisco County," "JAG" (as a Navy lawyer) and "ER" (as a pharmaceuticals saleswoman who wooed George Clooney's Dr. Ross). Her TV movies include NBC's "Ed McBain's 87th Precinct" and "Victim of Love."

Away from the set, Parker enjoys honing her skills as a precision stunt driver as well as testing her marksmanship at the gun range. She also likes to ride horses, read and spend time with her family and friends, and is active in My Good Friend Foundation, a pediatric cancer charity organization. 
 
Parker's birthday is March 8.

Miss Parker

Miss Parker is an elite Centre operative leading the hunt for Jarod. Miss Parker is also the daughter of the Chairman of “The Centre”. 
While pursuing Jarod, she also searches for keys to her own past, including the truth about the death of her mother, Catherine Parker, who died of an apparent suicide in a Centre elevator when Miss Parker was young. 
Miss Parker has had several recent revelations. The first, described in the mysterious red files, is that she was reared to be a Pretender. And this makes her either the twin sister of Angelo or of Mr. Lyle - who she finds out to be her brother. The second is that she may possibly found out who murdered her mother -- Jarod's father (which is denied by Major Charles himself). 
It was her father who called her to lead Jarod's pursuit. She used to be Jarod's friend when they were young. Now, the only thing they have in common is a brother named Ethan. He is Catherine and Major Charles' son. 
Also, Miss Parker had a love affair recently. His name was Thomas Gates and he was killed. Later, Miss Parker finds out that it was Brigitte who killed Thomas, but when she goes to take revenge, Brigitte dies giving birth the baby. She also discovered that Jarod set Thomas and her up. They were friends!
The last events proved to Miss Parker that Raines killed her mother, but not in the elevator. Catherine had to fake her own death in order to survive. It was after Ethan was born, that Raines put a bullet in her head. 
Before she died, Catherine left a DSA explaining everything to her daughter: "all the secrets and lies" of The Centre. But, that DSA is lost and Raines wasn't able to destroy it. Miss Parker is determined in finding what was the plan her mother wanted her to continue.
In the fourth season finale, Miss Parker goes in search of Ethan and Jarod and is caught by the train explosion, jumping only with two seconds left on the timer...

Filmography

Movies:

1988 

Rented Lips - Bailarina (nurse)

Earth Girls Are Easy - not credited (dancer in saloon) 

 

1992

The Naked Truth - Miss France

 

1993 

Victim of Love: The Shannon Mohr Story - TV Movie - 

Bodyshot - Dancer

 

1994 

XXX's & OOO's  - TV Movie - Kelly Morgan

Brush With Death  - Colleen

 

1996 

Ed McBain's 87th Precinct: Ice - TV Movie - Det. Eileen Burke

 

2000 

Delicate Instruments - TV Movie - Dr. Anne Harper 

 

2001 

The Pretender 2001 - TV Movie - Miss Parker

The Pretender: Island of the Haunted - TV Movie - Miss Parker

 

TV (as guest and as regular):

1989 

Married... with Children (ep. 3, #17 "Married... with Prom Queen: Part 1") - series - Go-Go Bailarina

Married... with Children (ep. 3, #18 "Married... with Prom Queen: The Sequel) - series - Go-Go Dancer

 

1992

Seinfeld (ep. 4, #11 "The Contest") - series -  Nurse

 

1993 

Dave's World (ep. 1, #7 "It's a Small Van After All") - series - Alicia 

The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. (ep. 1, #11 "Deep in the Heart of Dixie") - series - Rita Avnet

Herman's Head (ep. 3, #12 "A Decent Proposal") - series - Heather Brookshire

The Adventures of Brisco County Jr. (ep. 1, #15 "A.K.A. Kansas") - series - Rita Avnet

 

1994 

Coach (ep.  6, #15 "Coach For a Day 2") - series - Penny 

Ellen (ep.  2, #1 "The Dentist") - series - Joanna

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #5 "Chicago Heat") - series - Linda Farrell 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #6 "Another Perfect Day") - series - Linda Farrell 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #8 "ER Confidential") - series - Linda Farrell 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #9 "Blizzard") - series - Linda Farrell 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #10 "The Gift") - series - Linda Farrell 

 

1995 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #11 "Happy New Year") - series - Linda Farrell  

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #21 "Men Plan, God Laughs") - series - Linda Farrell 

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 1, #23 "Motherhood") - series - Linda Farrell 

JAG (ep. 1, #1 "Pilot: Part 1") - series - Lt. Caitlin 'Kate' Pike 

JAG (ep. 1, #2 "Pilot: Part 2") - series - Lt. Caitlin 'Kate' Pike

Dream On (ep. 6, #11 "She Won't Do It, But Her Sister Will") - series -

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 2, #4 "What Life?") - series - Linda Farrell

ER - Emergency Room (ep. 2, #7 "Hell and High Water") - series - Linda Farrell

JAG (ep. 1, #8 "Brig Break") - series - Lt. Caitlin 'Kate' Pike

 

1996 

Can't Hurry Love (ep. 1, #17 "Valentine's Day Massacred") - series - Kit 

Coach (ep. 8, #19 "Dauber's Vehicle") - series - Auto Sales Manager Jean Brandow

Murder, She Wrote (ep.  12, #21 "Race To Death") - series - Anne

JAG (ep. 1, #21 "Ares") - series - Lt. Caitlin 'Kate' Pike

The Pretender - series - Miss Parker (1996-2000)

 

2001 

JAG (ep. 6, #10 "Touch & Go") - series - Lt. Caitlin 'Kate' Pike

 

2002

First Monday (ep. 1, #6 "Dangerous Words") - series - FBI Agent Dawson

Less Than Perfect - series - Lydia Weston

 

2005

Kitchen Confidential (ep. 1, #1 "Exile on Main Street") - series - Suze

 

2006

Help Me Help You (ep. 6, #1 "Inger Management ") - series - Krista

 

2007

Deeply Irresponsible - series

 

2008

Starting Under (pilot) - series - Gina

The Mentalist (ep. 6, #1 "Red Handed") - series - Ann Meier

 

2009

My Name is Earl (ep. 18, #4 "Friends with Benefits") - series

CSI Miami (ep.4, #8 "In Plane Sight") - series - Allison Burgess

 

2011

Pretty Little Liars (ep. 6, #2) - series - Jessica DiLaurentis

Suits (ep. 10, #1) - series - Tori

Desperate Housewives (ep. ?, #8) - series - Jane

 

2012

Common Law - series

 

 

 


Vania's bookshelf: read

The Pretender - Rebirth
5 of 5 stars
After 12 years since we last saw these characters, The Pretender is reborn and brought to the present with a renewed strength and tenacity. Follow Jarod's quest for the truth and for the secret to his very existence, as he discovers the...

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