Biography
Kathy Brier is an American actress and singer best known for her roles in the ABC soap opera One Life to Live and the Broadway production of Hairspray.
Age
She is 49 years old as of 10 March 2024.She was born in 1975 in Staten Island, New York, United States.
Family
Brier grew up on Staten Island, New York, and attended Moore Catholic High School before going on to Wagner College to study theatre and business, earning a Bachelor of Science in arts management.
Husband
Brier married in 2010, and she and her husband welcomed a son in 2011.
Net Worth
She has an estimated net worth of $500,000.
Boardwalk Empire
Brier played singer/actress Sophie Tucker, a well-known vaudeville artist, in episode 1.9 Belle Femme of the HBO series Boardwalk Empire in 2010. She also performs some of the original music for the series.
Sophie Tucker appears in “Belle Femme” as a supporting character. The character is based on a historical figure with the same name. She is spotted performing at Babette’s Supper Club while Nucky Thompson is dining there. She keeps the audience entertained with jokes and a rendition of “Some Of These Days”. Tucker was a Russian/Ukrainian-born American singer and actress. Known for her stentorian delivery of funny and risqué tunes, she was one of America’s most popular entertainers in the first part of the twentieth century. She was widely recognized as “The Last of the Red Hot Mamas.”
Hairspray
Brier starred as Tracy Turnblad in the Broadway version of Hairspray from 2003 to 2004, after serving as a standby for Tony Award winner Marissa Jaret Winokur for six months prior. Tracy Turnblad, an overweight high school girl in Baltimore, auditions for the local youth dance show, The Corny Collins Show, in June 1962 after receiving a warning for her hair height. Her mother, Edna, refuses to let her to audition, and her best friends, Penny and Amber, also quarrel with their mothers. Tracy auditions and meets Link Larkin, but is rejected by the show’s prejudiced producer, Velma Von Tussle. Tracy gets placed in prison for her “monumental hair-don’t” and is taught many dance techniques by black dancer Seaweed J. Stubbs. After the show, Corny offers her a spot on the show.
Tracy becomes the spokeswoman for a plus-size dress shop and organizes a march against the station on Mother’s Day. They are detained, but Tracy is released as a result of Velma’s manipulations. Tracy and Amber are released, and Tracy and Link devise a strategy to incorporate the show.
Tracy wins the Miss Teenage Hairspray competition, and she is joined by Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Wilbur, Little Inez, Corny, and Motormouth. Tracy is declared the winner of the competition, and the show becomes racially integrated. Tracy is pardoned by the governor, who also offers her a full college tuition, a singing contract, and Velma the post of vice president of Ultra Glow, which makes beauty goods for women of color. Prudy welcomes her daughter for who she is, and they share a kiss to commemorate the show’s inclusion.
One Life to Live
Actress Brier has been starring in the ABC soap opera One Life to Live as Marcie Walsh since 2002. In the show, Marcie Walsh makes friends with Jennifer Rappaport, a fellow student at Llanview University, and, desperate for Jen’s approval, manipulates test results using her position as receptionist at Llanview Hospital as part of one of Jen’s schemes. As Jen settles down and becomes more independent, Marcie and Jen become best friends. Marcie also makes friends with Al Holden, a student, and soon learns about his drug habit. With her support, Al beats his addiction and the two start a romantic relationship. Al is later diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2003 and passes away quickly.A distraught Marcie meets cocky young Dr. Michael McBain and immediately dislikes him; she is unaware that Al’s soul has invaded Michael’s body and wishes to reconcile with her. Al/Michael helps Marcie through her pain, and when they ultimately fall in love, Michael loses all memories of his past as Al.
On September 29, 2004, Marcie’s father, Charlie Walsh, visits Llanview to see his daughter and shortly discovers his homosexual son, Eric. Charlie and Eric’s relationship is strained since Charlie has never embraced his son’s gay orientation. This drives Marcie to constantly argue with Charlie and her older brother, Ron. Marcie releases the mystery novel The Killing Club, and in 2005, a serial killer known as the “Killing Club Killer” begins to commit killings similar to those described in Marcie’s book. Charlie, Ron, and Marcie are all attacked after the killer intentionally loosens Marcie’s gas piping. They all survive; Charlie ultimately embraces Eric and welcomes his partner James into the family.
Kathy Brier Movies and TV Shows
♦ 2002–2009, 2011 – One Life to Live
♦ 2003–2006 – SoapTalk
♦ 2004 – The Wayne Brady Show
♦ 2005 – The View
♦ 2005 – JoJo’s Circus
♦ 2008 – Law & Order: Criminal Intent
♦ 2010 – Boardwalk Empire