Desperate Housewives (2011-2012), Suits (2011), CSI: Miami (2009), The Mentalist (2008), ER (1994-1995), and Seinfeld (1992)…just to name a few. Andrea Parker has appeared on some of the biggest shows out there. Where is she today?
Known for playing icy villains throughout the ‘90s and into the 2000s, Andrea Parker’s latest acting credit is Pretty Little Liars, which wrapped up in 2017. So, what has the now 57-year-old been up to over the past nine years, and how did she break into Hollywood? This fall also marks 30 years since The Pretender premiered on NBC in September 1996.
Andrea Parker’s Early Life: From San Francisco Ballet Dancer to Hollywood Actress
Born and raised in Southern California, Andrea Parker trained as a classical ballerina and danced with the San Francisco Ballet for three years from age 15. She started ballet as a child and was training seriously by age 8.
Due to her 5’10” height, she shifted to commercial dance, with some of her earliest gigs including a dancer/nurse in Rented Lips (1988) and a go-go dancer on Married… with Children (1989).
She soon pivoted entirely to acting studies and quickly launched a full-time television career with a small speaking role on Seinfeld (1992). She played a nurse in the now-iconic episode “The Contest.”
Andrea Parker’s TV Shows: From Seinfeld and The Pretender to Desperate Housewives
Seinfeld served as the launchpad for Parker. She quickly landed prominent roles, including Lieutenant Caitlin Pike on JAG and a recurring stint on ER. On JAG, she was the original female lead in the 1995 pilot before being replaced by Tracey Needham.
Then came one of the most memorable performances of Parker’s career. She played the fierce antagonist Miss Parker on NBC’s hit series The Pretender [95% on Rotten Tomatoes], appearing in a whopping 86 episodes between 1996 and 2000. In 2001, she also starred in the two TV movies that came from the series on TNT. Though the story never returned to TV, the creators continued it in the 2013 book The Pretender: Rebirth.
And there was more to come…Parker found herself making guest appearances on popular shows like Kitchen Confidential (2005), The Mentalist (2008), My Name is Earl (2009), and CSI: Miami (2009).
Around this time (2002-2006), she also played one of the main characters on ABC’s Less Than Perfect. Parker played Lydia Weston, a shallow, ambitious frenemy of the show’s lead character, Claude.
Fun Fact: Parker won a 2005 Women’s Image Network Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for Less Than Perfect and earned a 1999 Satellite Award nomination for The Pretender.
Parker kept working into the 2010s, including an 11-episode run as Jane Carlson on Desperate Housewives (2011-2012) and appearances on Suits (2011), Common Law (2012), Devious Maids (2013), Jennifer Falls (2014) and Red Band Society (2014-2015).
Pretty Little Liars: Andrea Parker’s Twin Roles as Jessica DiLaurentis and Mary Drake
While The Pretender made her famous in the ‘90s, Pretty Little Liars represents thepinnacle of Andrea Parker’s later-career fame and dramatic range.
Entering the hit ABC Family (now Freeform) mystery series in 2011, Parker delivered a masterclass in tension by playing two entirely different characters: the suburban matriarch Jessica DiLaurentis and her vengeful twin sister Mary Drake. Parker first appeared as Jessica in 2011 and was promoted to series regular for the show’s seventh and final season.
Parker became a central pillar of the series’ ultimate mythology, providing the dark gravity that anchored the final seasons.
When TVLine caught up with her in 2016 about playing the villain, Parker said, “Come on, we all know how much I love to be bad.”
RELATED: Whatever Happened to Kristy Swanson, the Original Movie Buffy Actress?
What Is Andrea Parker Doing Now? Life After Pretty Little Liars
Since the series finale of Pretty Little Liars, Parker hasn’t had any on-screen roles. For the most part, she’s taken the past nine years off and kept a low profile alongside her film producer husband, Michael Birnbaum.
Parker has also been involved in philanthropy and activism, including support for the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, Project Angel Food and the National Hospice Palliative Care Organization.
She hasn’t posted to her Instagram page in a few years, but her bio still nods to her years of villainous roles: “Cat lover. Tea drinker. Sometimes I play a bitch on TV.”
Yes, she’s been quiet. But she’s never officially retired, so we shouldn’t rule out seeing Andrea Parker bring more interesting characters to life in the future. For more nostalgic catch-ups, browse our TV Features.
RELATED: The Pretender Ended on a Bomb Cliffhanger and Fans Are Still Waiting for Answers 26 Years Later
Where to Watch The Pretender: At the time of writing, The Pretender isn’t streaming for free or on a subscription service in the US, but seasons can be bought digitally through Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home, according to JustWatch.
The Pretender |
|---|
Aspecially gifted man, with the ability to instantly master any skill, escapes from a secret testing facility and travels the country taking on different jobs and helping strangers while hiding from his kidnappers. |
 |
|---|
| Creator: Steven Long Mitchell, Craig W. Van Sickle |
| Cast: Michael T. Weiss, Andrea Parker, Patrick Bauchau, Jon Gries |
| Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi |
| Number of Seasons: 4 |
| Streaming Service: Amazon |
