Wendy Rosenberg Makkena ( ; born October 4, 1958) is an American actress best known for playing Sister Mary Robert in the film Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and numerous other roles in film and television. She has appeared regularly on stage since the 1980s. Her other film credits include Air Bud (1997), State of Play (2009), and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019).
Early life Makkena was born in Manhattan, New York City, and attended the Juilliard School. Her mother, Diana K. Rosenberg, was an astrologer specializing in various fields therein including Western and Indian astrology.Diana K. Rosenberg. astro.com.
Career In 1987, she made her Broadway debut in a production of Pygmalion starring Peter O'Toole. She later appeared in Lend Me a Tenor and Side Man."Wendy Makkena Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed November 11, 2015 In 1988, she made her film debut appearing in Eight Men Out.
In 1992, Makkena had a supporting role opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the musical comedy film Sister Act as the shy but talented singing nun Sister Mary Robert, a role she reprised in Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit the following year. In both films, singer Andrea Robinson provided the actual vocals. In 1994, she co-starred opposite Christopher Lloyd in the comedy film Camp Nowhere, and in 1997 appeared in Air Bud. In 1998, she played a leading role in the LGBT-related independent comedy-drama Finding North. On television, she starred in the short-lived CBS sitcom A League of Their Own in 1993 and later had recurring roles on NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and NCIS. She also had regular roles on the short-lived The Job (2001–02), Oliver Beene (2003–04), Listen Up (2004–05) and The Mob Doctor (2012–13).
Personal life Makkena has been married to Bob Krakower, an acting coach, since 1997 and they have a child together.
Filmography
Film +Key Denotes works that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Notes1988Eight Men OutKate Jackson1992Sister ActSister Mary Robert1993Sister Act 2: Back in the HabitSister Mary Robert1994Camp NowhereDr. Celeste Dunbar1995NapoleonNapoleon's MomMaggieShort film1997The PeopleJean LearyAir BudJackie Framm1998Finding NorthRhonda Portelli19994 a.m.: Open All NightWomanShort film2004NoiseDel2009State of PlayGreer Thornton2017The DiscoveryMom2018WanderlandSandy Tanner2019 The Tomorrow Man Beverly St. MichaelsFair Market ValueJessicaA Beautiful Day in the NeighborhoodDorothy Vogel 2021SpikedMargaret2024Sunday StripsMrs. TomasShort film2025Whispers of FreedomKarin GueffroyTBA Sister Act 3
Television Year Title Role Notes1986Santa BarbaraKatie TimmonsTV series1989Dream StreetHarry's Ex-WifeEpisode: "True Love"1991MonstersMaggie PriceEpisode: "Desirable Alien"1991Dead and Alive: The Race for Gus FaraceBrendaTV movie1991Law & OrderOfficer Nicki SandovalEpisode: "A Death in the Family"1992Black MagicSally RoweTV movie1993Class of '96Margaret ParsonsEpisode: "The Accused"1993A League of Their OwnMae Mordabito6 episodes1994NYPD BlueDet. Sharon LaSalle3 episodes1994Touched by an AngelRobin DunwoodyEpisode: "The Heart of the Matter"1995Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer StoryMary NewcombeTV movie1995Strange LuckLouise BrooksEpisode: "The Box"1996Death BenefitWynn BurkholderTV movie1996On Seventh AvenueNadine JacobsTV movie1997Lies He ToldPattyTV movie1997C-16: FBIMelanie HarmonEpisode: "Orange Kid"1997DellaventuraEpisode: "Fathers"1998TrinityEpisodes: "No Secrets", "Hang Man Down"1999–2000Judging AmySusie Nixon8 episodes2001–2002Karen McNeil6 episodes2002Law & OrderJanet WestonEpisode: "Born Again"2002PhillyAmanda RoyceEpisode: "San Diego Padre"2003–2004Oliver BeeneCharlotte Caraline Beene24 episodes2004–2005Listen UpDana Kleinman18 episodes2006Ghost WhispererJean GodfreyEpisode: "A Grave Matter"2007HouseDr. Julie WhitnerEpisode: "Needle in a Haystack"2007CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationDoris BabinkianEpisode: "Ending Happy"2007SuzanneEpisode: "Confessions"Episode: "Man of the Year"2007ChuckNational Intelligence DirectorEpisode: "Chuck Versus the Intersect"2009Law & Order: Special Victims UnitEllen Van KurenEpisode: "Transitions"2009Desperate HousewivesFran SchulmanEpisode: "Marry Me a Little"2009Without a TraceJubileeEpisode: "True"2009–2010Numb3rsKath BerryEpisodes: "Shadow Markets", "Growin' Up"2010Judge Joan AndersonEpisode: "An Innocent Man"2010Miami MedicalDidiEpisode: "What Lies Beneath"2011Melissa & JoeySuzanne RebackEpisode: "Going the Distance?"2011, 20122014NCISDr. Rachel Cranston4 episodes2012–2013The Mob DoctorDaniella Devlin13 episodes2014Alpha HouseMolly P. Andresun2 episodes2015Rizzoli & IslesIAB Agent HitchcockEpisode: "The Platform"2018The Last O.G.KrystalEpisode: "Swipe Right" 2019BullSherri GibsonEpisode: "Security Fraud"2023Rabbit HoleDebra2026Best MedicineSusan Carlisle
Stage Year Title Role(s) Venue Ref.1987PygmalionTeamaidPlymouth Theatre, Broadway1988The Birthday PartyLuluClassic Stage Company, Off-Broadway1988The Debutante BallBliss WhiteNew York Stage and Film, New York1989The Loman Family PicnicMarshaManhattan Theatre Club Stage II, Off-Broadway1989Mountain LanguageYoung WomanClassic Stage Company, Off-BroadwayThe Birthday PartyLulu1989Lend Me A TenorMaggie (replacement)Royale Theatre, Broadway1990PrinMelanieCity Center Stage I, Off-Broadway1991The American PlanLiliManhattan Theatre Club, Off-Broadway1996The ShawlStellaJewish Repertory Theatre, Off-Broadway1997The Water ChildrenMeganPlaywrights Horizons, Off-Broadway1998The Matrix Theatre Company, Los Angeles1998Side ManTerryCriterion Center Stage Right, Off-BroadwayJohn Golden Theatre, Broadway2007Harm's WayJournalistHayworth Theatre, Los Angeles200845th Street Theatre, Off-Broadway2013Bronx BombersCarmenPrimary Stages, Off-Broadway
References
External links
Wendy Makkena at the Internet Broadway Database