Biography
In 2021, award-winning actor Margaret Reed plays D.C. Hotel Manager Ellen Marks on "FBI: Most Wanted", her 9th role in Dick Wolf productions. Her 4th role on "Law & Order: SVU", also in 2021, was as Child Psychologist Gretchen Blandon (previously in the recurring defense attorney role as Felicia Chatham.)
Another 2021 gig was a second role for the creative team of Terence Krey and Christine Nyland as librarian Linda Warner in their upcoming supernatural thriller, "Summoners". Voicing the role of Yoni Lotan's mother in Amber Schaefer's upcoming film "NYC - Tips-n-Tricks" was yet another 2021 character.
Maggie plays opposite Tim Blake Nelson, Bobby Cannavale, and John Turturro in his 2020 film "The Jesus Rolls." Maggie played an infectious disease doctor (filmed one month before the 2020 COVID19 lockdown) on "Bull" (CBS) and Patti LuPone's neighbor on Ryan Murphy's "Pose" on FX.
Maggie also played supporting roles in the following indie films with up-and-coming stars Jack Kilmer in Jono Seneff's "Dig", Andy Ahrens in Joey Fingers' "Gold Digger", and Maren Lord in Kevin Alexander's comedy "Boys and Toys", while also starring in Aidan Weaver's "She Follows Close Behind."
On TV, Maggie played the recurring role of Belinda Oliver, U.S. Arms Negotiator on "The Americans" final season, with roles on NBC's "The Blacklist", ABC's "Deception", and CBS' "Limitless".
The lo-fi goth classic series by Terence Krey, "Graves", starring Christine Nyland, is a favorite as her very Goth mom, as are the comical series "SameSame" as Lauren Augarten's mom, and "Awkwardly", by Nikki Coble, in which Maggie recurs as the flustered Margo in episodes 12 and 13; plus she directed episodes 4 and 17.
Some of her most notable TV roles have been Shannon O'Hara McKechnie on the soap opera "As The World Turns" (8 years), Mary Contardi on "Seinfeld", Maggie Biederhof on HBO's "Mildred Pierce", Blossom's mom in the flashbacks on "Blossom", many roles on the various "Law & Order" shows (Classic, Criminal Intent, SVU), including the recurring tough lawyer Felicia Chatham on "SVU", and as Warp Field Theorist Dr. Serova on "Star Trek, TNG".
Margaret was born in Salinas, CA, but was bred in the NYC area after she earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts from the University of California at Santa Cruz and was awarded her M.F.A. from Cornell University where she played Nurse Ratched and Kate to Jimmy Smits' Chief Bromden and Petruchio. She then toured the U.S. in John Houseman's The Acting Company, playing many classical and Shakespearean heroines.
Margaret won the DramaLogue award for her role as Kate opposite Kevin Conway's Garfinkle in the L.A. premiere of the play "Other People's Money" and was awarded the NJ Theatre Critics award as Best Supporting Actress for "Dinner With Friends."
Off-Broadway highlights include the World-premiere of Samuel Beckett's "Catastrophe" directed by the late Alan Schneider and playing Vivien Leigh and Joan Plowright in Austin Pendelton's "Orson's Shadow" directed by David Cromer. Also, a 3-theatre tour as Masha in "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" (Cleveland Play House, GEVA, and the Cape Playhouse). Her most recent Off-Broadway play (February 2020) was as Bess Myerson in Barra Grant's autobiographical play "Miss America's Ugly Daughter." At The 2019 Adirondack Theatre Festival, Margaret played genetics professor & stem-cell researcher, Dr. Guzman, in Arun Lakra's award-winning play "Sequence" directed by Marshall Pailet, as well as appearing in Aly Miller's new dramedy "Bolt From The Blue" for the New York Theatre Festival, directed by Paul Castro Jr.