It's been an extraordinary few years for Camryn Manheim, who plays defense attorney Ellenor Frutt on ABC's Emmy Award winning drama "The Practice". In 1998 she won an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and in 1999 she won a Golden Globe for her work in the same role. She was named one of the "Most Intriguing People of the Year" by no less an arbiter of popular taste than People Magazine, one of the "Most Fascinating Women of the Year" by Ladies Home Journal, and one of Glamour Magazine's "Women of the Year".

Camryn is now taking on a new challenge. This summer she will team up with Marlee Matlin and Showtime, producing and starring in "Sound and Fury". She is also thrilled to announce that she will produce and star in a feature film that is currently in development, called "The Extra". Last year, Camryn made her producing debut in the ABC movie of the week, "Kiss My Act!".

But she will never forget her roots in the New York Theater. After getting her master's degree from the prestigious Acting Program at New York University, Camryn spent the next eight years performing in some of the best and worst off-Broadway Theaters. She is proud to have worked at such renowned theaters as the New York Shakespeare Festival, Lincoln Center, Yale Repertory, New York Theater Workshop, The Atlantic Theater, Classic Stage Company, Second Stage and Home for Contemporary Theater. In 1995 she won an OBIE Award for her portrayal of Gemma in Craig Lucas' "Missing Persons", and in 1996 Camryn wrote and starred in her one-woman show, "Wake Up, I'm Fat!" Which played to sold out audiences at The Public Theater.

Following her one-woman show, Camryn landed parts in "The Road to Wellville", "Jeffrey", "Eraser", "Romy and Michelle's High School Reunion", and received a National Board of Review Award for her portrayal of a homicidal loner in the controversial and talked about movie, "Happiness", written and directed by Todd Solondz.

Camryn will be appearing in the film "Blackout", to be released in 2003. The film stars Ashley Judd and Samuel L. Jackson. Most recently she did a cameo in the HBO film "The Laramie Project". A movie based on the townspeople of Laramie, Wyoming after Matthew Shepard was killed. Other recent projects include Mike Nichol's, "What Planet Are You From" with Gary Shandling and Annette Bening, NBC's mini series, "The Tenth Kingdom", where she appeared as Snow White, The ABC/Disney movie of the week, "The Loretta Claiborne Story", and The Showtime miniseries, "A Girl Thing".

Born in Caldwell, N.J. and raised in the Mid-West and Southern California, Manheim is the daughter of outspoken, politically aware parents who passed their activism on to all of their children. Camryn is a tireless worker for the rights of the disabled, particularly the deaf. She is a board member of the American Civil Liberties Union, and she is a vocal and public supporter of the size acceptance movement. Her own journey to self-acceptance is documented in her New York Times, best-selling book, Wake Up, I'm Fat! Published in 1999 by Broadway Books.

LIST OF AWARDS/HONORS:

1995 Village Voice Obie Award for Off-Broadway performance in Missing Persons

1998, E! Golden Hanger Award for female fashion breakthrough

1998/99 Best supporting actress nomination, Viewers for Quality Television

1998/99 Emmy Award for Best supporting actress

1999, Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress

1999 Television Critics Association award nomination for individual achievement in a drama

1999 Lucy Award, Women in Film, for innovation in television

1999 Golden Satellite, International Press Academy, for best performance by an actress in a series drama

2000 Genii Award, American Women in Radio and Television for best television;

Named one of the Most Intriguing People of the Year by People Magazine,

One of the Most Fascinating Women of the Year by Ladies Home Journal

One of Glamour Magazines Women of the Year.

Named to "10 Best Dressed" lists People, 1999

Blackwell's "Best Dressed Women" list, 1999.

PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Birth Date: March 8th
Born: Caldwell, NJ
UC Santa Cruz: BFA, 1984
New York University: MFA, 1987