Quick Facts
Born:
1953-06-16
Birthplace:
Sumatra, Indonesia
Credits:
81 Total Roles
Valerie Mahaffey
Acting
The MovieWise Take
Refining cinematic analysis...
Biography
Valerie Mahaffey (June 16, 1953 – May 30, 2025) was an American actress and producer. She began her career starring in the NBC daytime soap opera The Doctors (1979–81), for which she received a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.
In 1992, Mahaffey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the CBS drama series Northern Exposure. She later won fame through her portrayal of extroverted and friendly but ultimately insane women on the television shows Wings, Desperate Housewives, Devious Maids and Big Sky. Mahaffey also appeared in a number of movies, including Senior Trip (1995), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Jack and Jill (2011), Sully (2016), and most notably French Exit (2020), for which she received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Valerie Mahaffey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
In 1992, Mahaffey won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the CBS drama series Northern Exposure. She later won fame through her portrayal of extroverted and friendly but ultimately insane women on the television shows Wings, Desperate Housewives, Devious Maids and Big Sky. Mahaffey also appeared in a number of movies, including Senior Trip (1995), Jungle 2 Jungle (1997), Jack and Jill (2011), Sully (2016), and most notably French Exit (2020), for which she received critical acclaim and an Independent Spirit Award nomination.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Valerie Mahaffey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
Grey's Anatomy
Donna Kaufman
Sully
Diane Higgins
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Brooke Thornburg
Young Sheldon
Victoria MacElroy
Seinfeld
Patrice
Jack and Jill
Bitsy Simmons
Desperate Housewives
Alma Hodge
The Man in the High Castle
Susan
Full Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | The 8th Day MOVIE | Landon Mooney |
| 2021 | French Exit MOVIE | Mme Reynard |
| 2020 | Big Sky TV | Helen Pergman |
| 2019 | Dead to Me TV | Lorna Harding |
| 2018 | The Witch Files MOVIE | Claire's Mom |
| 2017 | Young Sheldon TV | Victoria MacElroy |
| 2016 | No Pay, Nudity MOVIE | Lisa Zweibal |
| 2016 | Sully MOVIE | Diane Higgins |
| 2015 | Impastor TV | Susie Kerry |
| 2015 | The Man in the High Castle TV | Susan |