Who is Mackenzie Phillips?

American actress and singer Laura Mackenzie Phillips was born in Alexandria, Virginia USA, on 10 November 1959, meaning that Scorpio’s her zodiac sign. She’s appeared in 55 TV series and movies, but is perhaps still known best for playing Carol in the 1973 comedy movie “American Graffiti”, which George Lucas wrote and directed, and which starred Paul Le Mat, Ron Howard and Richard Dreyfuss. It follows a group of teenagers who’ve just matriculated from a local high school, and are now spending their last night together; the movie won nine of its 27 award nominations, including five Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Candy Clark) and Best Director, amongst others.

Education and early life

Mackenzie was raised in Alexandria by her mother Susan Stuart Adams, who was a housewife, and father John Edmund Andrew Phillips, the late American singer-songwriter and guitarist who was a member of the folk rock vocal group The Mamas & Papas. Mackenzie’s brother is Jeffrey Phillips, and half-siblings Chynna Phillips, who’s today a famous singer and actress, Bijou Lilly Phillips Mastersons who’s a model, actress and singer, and Tameriane Phillips.

Mackenzie grew up being interested in music, and was 12 when she and her friends founded a band; she was noticed by a casting agent while they were performing, and was cast to appear in her first movie, playing Doris in the 1973 drama “Go Ask Alice”. Mackenzie made her debut TV series appearance in the following year, playing Chessie Wallace in the episode “Roadblock” of the drama “Movin’ On”.

She studied at Highland Hall Waldorf School while simultaneously working on her acting career; Mackenzie matriculated in 1978 and then chose not to enroll at college.

Roles in movies

In 1975, Mackenzie played Robin Williams in the drama “Miles to Go Before I Sleep”, and the remainder of the decade saw her appear in the 1975 comedy “Three to Get Ready”, and in 1979 the drama “Fast Friends” and the war comedy “More American Graffiti”.

She played one of the main characters J. J. in the 1982 romantic crime drama “Love Child”, written and directed by Larry Peerce, and which also starred Amy Madigan and Beau Bridges. It tells the true story of Terry Jean Moore, who was sentenced to seven years behind bars for stealing $5 – the movie was nominated for only a single award. Mackenzie then played Deyna in the 1986 drama “Kate’s Secret”, and her following film role came in 1998, when cast to play Connie in the drama “True Friends”.

In 2002, she portrayed Mary Burge in the biographical family drama “Double Teamed”, directed by Duwayne Dunham, and which starred Poppi Monroe, Annie McElwain and Teal Redmann; it follows two sisters who’ve become professional basketball players. Mackenzie appeared in only two other films in the 2000s: the 2005 fantasy mystery “The Jacket” and the 2009 drama “Radio Needles”.

The year 2013 saw her star as Jamie in the crime drama “She Made Them Do It”, directed by Grant Harvey, and which also starred Jenna Dewan and Sarah Jo Pender. It tells the true story of Sarah Pender who was found guilty of planning two murders, and the film was nominated for a Canadian Cinema Editors Award for Best Editing in Television Movie or Mini-Series.

Mackenzie’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2015 family drama “Girl on the Edge”, the 2016 drama “Sacred Journeys”, and the 2018 drama “North Blvd”.

Roles in TV series

The ‘70s saw Mackenzie appear in an episode or two of various series, such as the crime mystery “Baretta”, the comedy “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”, and the romantic biographical comedy “Eleanor and Franklin”.

From 1975 through 1983, she played Julie Cooper Horvath in 130 episodes of the comedy “One Day at a Time”, created by Whitney Blake and Norman Lear, and which starred Bonnie Franklin, Pat Harrington Jr. and Valerie Brertinelli. It follows the life of a divorced mother, and the series won seven of its 25 award nominations. Mackenzie appeared in only one other TV series in the ‘80s, playing Carol Needom in the 1985 episode “Murder in the Afternoon” of the crime mystery “Murder, She Wrote”.

The mid-1990s saw her appear in single episodes of the romantic drama “Beverly Hills, 90210”, the romantic drama “Melrose Place”, and the romantic comedy “Caroline in the City”, then from 1999 through 2001, Mackenzie starred as Molly Phillips in the popular family adventure mystery “So Weird”. It was created by Tom J. Astle, also starred Cara DeLizia and Patrick Levis, and follows a pre-teen girl who keeps witnessing supernatural occurrences, but nobody believes her; the series was nominated for seven awards. Some of Mackenzie’s other TV series appearances in the 2000s were in an episode of the crime mystery “The Division”, another crime mystery “Without a Trace”, and the family comedy “7th Heaven”.

Most recently, from 2017 through 2020, she played Pam in nine episodes of the hit comedy “One Day at a Time”, in which Todd Grinnell, Justina Machado and Isabella Gomez starred, and which was created by Mike Royce and Gloria Calderon Kellett. It follows a large Cuban-American family living under the same roof, and the series won 15 of its 66 award nominations.

Other credits

Mackenzie sang the song “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” in the 1976 episode “Happy New Year” of the comedy series “One Day at a Time”, and the song “Junk Food Junkie” in the 1977 episode “John Byner” of the musical comedy “The Jacksons”.

She received special thanks for the 2004 historical science fiction documentary movie “Empire of Dreams: The Story of the ‘Star Wars’ Trilogy”.

Some of Mackenzie’s most recent talk-show appearances have been in “Stars in the House”, “America Recovers” and “Entertainment Tonight”.

Awards and nominations

Mackenzie won a Meritorious Achievement Award at the 2012 LA Femme International Film Festival.

She was also nominated for a 2005 TV Land Award for Favorite Singing Siblings, for her and Valerie Bertinelli’s performance in “One Day at a Time”, and a 2017 Behind the Voice Actors Award for Best Vocal Ensemble in a New TV series, for her and her colleagues’ performance in “Milo Murphy’s Law”.

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Drug addiction and scandals

Mackenzie revealed in her 2009 memoir “High on Arrival” that she was 11 when she began taking cocaine, and that her father took it with her, as well as injected her with it. She was fired from the series “One Day at a Time” in 1980 aged 20, because of her drug and alcohol abuse, having nearly killed herself twice by overdosing. She returned to the series after having completed a rehab program, but soon began using cocaine again, and was permanently fired in 1983; she continued using cocaine until the first half of the ‘90s, but has since been clean.

Mackenzie also revealed that she was raped by her father in 1979, the night before she was to marry her first husband, and that she was then in a sexual relationship with her father for a while, describing it as ‘sort of Stockholm syndrome’; the two stopped having sex after Mackenzie became pregnant, and her father paid for her abortion.

Love life and marriages

Mackenzie’s been married thrice, and has revealed that she’s bisexual. Her first husband was British rock ‘n’ roll band manager Jeffrey Sessies, who’s probably only known for being a son of the late British businessman and raconteur Arden Frederick ‘Freddie’ Sessier; Mackenzie and Jeffrey married in 1979, but divorced two years later.

She and her second husband, British rock ‘n’ roll guitarist Michael Barakan aka Shane Fontayne exchanged vows in 1986, divorced in 2000,and have a son Shane Barakan, born in 1987.

From 2005 through 2007, Mackenzie was married to her third husband Keith Levenson.

She’s yet to speak of other people who she’s perhaps been with, Mackenzie’s unattached as of April 2023, has been married thrice, and has a son with her second husband Michael Barakan.

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Interesting facts and hobbies

Mackenzie’s appeared in a number of talk-shows, most notably in the third season of the show “Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew” in January 2010, to speak about her rehabilitation, as well as to urge people to stop using drugs.

Mackenzie’s followed by more than 50,000 people on Instagram, and has uploaded over 260 pictures and videos onto the network, most of which show her spending time with her dog and friends.

She’s a philanthropist and has worked with several charity organizations, mostly enjoying helping the youth, and abandoned animals.

Mackenzie loves to read books in her spare time; her favorite genre’s psychology, and her favorite book is “Emotional Intelligence” by Daniel Goleman.

Her favorite actresses are Katharine Hepburn and Ingrid Bergman, and some of Mackenzie’s favorite movies include “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”, “The African Queen” and “Bringing Up Baby”.

Height, eyes and wealth

Mackenzie’s age is 63. She has brown eyes and hair, is 5ft 7ins (1.71m) tal, ,and weighs around 135lbs (62kgs).

Mackenzie’s net worth’s been estimated at over $1 million, as of April 2023.

Who is Wood Harris?

American actor Sherwin David ‘Wood’ Harris was born in Chicago, Illinois USA, on 17 October 1969, making Libra his zodiac sign. He’s appeared in over 60 TV series and movies, but is probably still known best for playing Julius Campbell, one of the main characters in the 2000 biographical sports movie “Remember the Titans”, directed by Boaz Yakin, and which also starred Denzel Washington and Will Patton. It tells the true story of an African-American football coach, and the movie won eight of its 26 award nominations.

Wood’s still today active in the film industry, and has just recently finished shooting for the upcoming movie “Shooting Stars”.

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Education and early life

Wood was raised in Chicago alongside his older brother Steve Harris, who’s today also a successful actor, by their father John Harris who was a bus driver, and mother Mattie who was a seamstress; Wood respects his family’s privacy, and thus hasn’t shared any other details about them.

It was his neighborhood friends who nicknamed him ‘Wood’, because ‘Sherwin’ was too difficult for them to pronounce. Wood was mostly into sports while attending St Joseph High School, excelling in basketball; he was on the school’s basketball team, and it was believed that he would pursue a career as a professional player.

He became interested in acting not long before he matriculated in 1988, and thus enrolled at Northern Illinois University, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre arts in 1992. Wood continued his education at New York University, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in 1994.

Roles in movies

Wood made his debut film appearance in the 1994 crime sports drama “Above the Rim”, written and directed by Jeff Pollack, and which starred Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur and Leon. It follows the life of a teenager who wants to become a professional basketball player, and the film was nominated for an MTV Movie Award for Best Movie Song. Some of Wood’s following roles were in the 1997 romantic comedy “As Good as It Gets”, which won two Oscars for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Helen Hunt) and Best Actor in Leading Role (Jack Nicholson), the 1998 comedy “Celebrity”, and the 1998 action thriller “The Siege”.

In 2002, Wood played the lead character Ace in the crime action “Paid in Full”, directed by Charles Stone III, and which also starred Mekhi Phifer and Chi McBride. It follows a young man who’s become a drug dealer in Harlem, New York City and the movie was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature. Wood could then have been seen appearing in the 2004 crime drama “Joy Road”, the 2006 mystery comedy “Southland Tales” and the 2009 romantic drama “Lost Easily Horizons”.

He played Tony ‘Little Duke’ Burton in the critically acclaimed 2015 sports action “Creed”, written and directed by Ryan Coogler, and which starred Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson. It follows World Heavyweight Champion Rocky Balboa as he’s coaching Adonis Johnson, and the movie won 45 of its 111 award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (Sylvester Stallone).

Wood’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2021 crime thriller “Ransum Games”, the 2021 adventure comedy “Space Jam: A New Legacy” and the 2023 sports drama “Creed III”.

Roles in TV series

Wood’s debut TV series role was playing Hector in the 1996 episode “Moby Greg” of the crime mystery “NYPD Blue”, and the remainder of the decade saw him appear in an episode of the crime thriller “Oz”, the comedy “Cosby” and the crime drama “New York Undercover”.

From 2002 through 2008, he starred as Avon Barksdale in the popular crime thriller “The Wire”, which David Simon created, and which also starred Dominic West and Lance Reddick. The series shows the lives of drug dealers from Baltimore, and it won 16 of its 72 award nominations. Wood appeared in several other series in the 2000s, including in an episode of the crime mystery “Numb3rs”, the mystery “House” and the comedy “Played by Fame”.

In 2017, he played the main character Barry Fouray in all the eight episodes of the musical “The Breaks”, created by Dan Charnas and Seith Mann, and which also starred Afton Williamson and Tristan Mack Wilds; the series follows three best friends who want to become famous rappers.

Wood’s three most recent roles in TV series have been in four episodes of the 2021 biographical crime drama “BMF”, two episodes of the 2021 comedy “The Last O. G.” and six episodes of the 2022 biographical sports drama “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”.

Other credits

Wood produced the 2009 action crime comedy movie “Next Day Air”, the 2009 musical film “Just Another Day” and the 2017 reality series “Akil the Fugitive Hunter”.

Some of his most recent talk-show appearances have been in “Jemele Hill Is Unbothered”, “The Official Winning Time Podcast”, and “Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay”.

Awards and nominations

Wood won two Black Reel Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor, Drama Series in 2017 and 2022, for “The New Edition Story” and “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”, respectively.

He was also nominated for a 2001 Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and a 2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Drama, both for his performance in “Remember the Titans”, and a 2014 Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor, for “The Watsons Go to Birmingham”.

Love life and marriage

Wood avoids speaking about his love life in public, but it’s known that he’s been married to Rebekah since 2001; she isn’t involved in the entertainment industry, and prefers to stay away from media.

Wood and Rebekah have two children together, however, wanting them to be able to lead normal lives, they haven’t disclosed their children’s names and birthdays; it’s believed that they have a son and a daughter who are today both over 20 years old, but this is yet to be confirmed.

There are no other women whom Wood’s been with, that the public knows about; he’s married to Rebekah as of April 2023, and they have two children together.

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Interesting facts and hobbies

Wood’s been interested in music since he was a teenager, and has stated that he’s going to try and launch a career as a rapper.

Over 300,000 people are following him on Instagram today, and he’s posted more than 1,000 pictures and videos onto the social media network, while most of these are comedy content.

Wood works out at the gym two to three times every week, and occasionally plays basketball with his friends.

His brother Steve’s appeared in 66 TV series and movies, and was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1999 and 2000, for his performance in the crime mystery series “The Practice”.

Wood’s favorite actor is Danny DeVito, and some of his favorite movies include “Get Shorty”, “Matilda” and “Twins”.

Height, eyes and wealth

Wood’s age is 53. He has brown eyes and short black hair, is 6ft 2ins (1.88m) tall and weighs around 190lbs (85kgs).

Wood’s net worth’s been estimated at over $2 million, as of April 2023.

Who is Michael Learned?

American actress Michael Learned was born in Washington D.C. USA, on 9 April 1939, making Aries her zodiac sign. She’s appeared in over 70 TV series and movies, and is probably still known best for playing of the main characters Olivia Walton in 168 episodes of the romantic family series “The Waltons”, which also starred Mary Beth McDonough and Jon Walmsley, and was created by Earl Hamner Jr. It follows the members of the Walton family living in the Virginian mountains in the 1930s and 1940s, the series aired from 1972 through 1981 and won 33 of its 86 award nominations.

Michael’s still today active in the film industry, and has recently finished shooting for the 2022 biographical crime mini-series “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”, which won six of its 21 award nominations.

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Education and early life

Michael and her five younger sisters were raised on a farm in Connecticut by their father Bruce Learned who was a diplomat, and mother Elizabeth Duane ‘Betti’ (nee Hooper) who was a housewife; Michael’s sisters’ names are Philippa, Dorit, Sabra, Susan and Greti.

She was 11 when she moved to Austria, after her father began working for the US State Department there; Michael eventually moved to Hertfordshire, England where she studied at Arts Education School, Tring, and it was around this time that she discovered theatre and became passionate about acting.

She eventually returned to the US and enrolled at local high school, from which she matriculated in 1958; Michael then began pursuing a career as an actress, rather than a college degree.

Roles in TV series

Michael made her debut TV series appearance in a 1961 episode of the drama “Encounter”, then from 1961 through 1966, she played Cariola and various other characters in the drama “Festival”.

In 1973 and 1974, Michael portrayed Sister Janet in the drama “Insight”, which starred Ellwood Kieser, Pat McGeehan and Efrem Imbalist Jr, and follows a group of people as they’re searching for love, freedom and meaning; the series won nine of its 16 award nominations. The remainder of the ‘70s saw Michael appear in an episode or two of the crime action “Police Story” and the biographical historical drama “The Lives of Benjamin Franklin”.

In 1981 and 1982, she played the lead character Mary Benjamin in all the 25 episodes of the drama “Nurse”, created by Sue Grafton, and which also starred Robert Reed and Hattie Winston. It follows supervising nurse Mary Benjamin whose husband’s recently passed away, while she’s now returned to work at Grant Memorial Hospital; the series won two of its three award nominations. Michael appeared in a couple of other series in the ‘80s, such as the comedy “St. Elsewhere”, the romantic comedy “American Playhouse” and the drama “Hothouse”.

What marked the ‘90s for her was perhaps voicing Abigail Adams in all the six episodes of the historical war documentary “The American Revolution”, which starred William Daniels, Charles Durning and Kelsey Grammer, and follows the American Colonies’ rebellion against England.

Michael had only a couple of TV series roles in the 2000s, appearing in several episodes of the romantic drama “One Life to Live”, the comedy “Scrubs” and the crime mystery “Cold Case”.

She appeared in 23 episodes of the soap opera “General Hospital” in 2010, and in 2011 in 14 episodes of another soap opera, the long-running “The Young and the Restless”; Michael’s since appeared in only one TV series: the above mentioned “Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”.

Roles in movies

Michael’s debut film appearance was in the 1964 romantic comedy “Twelfth Night”, while her following three roles were in the 1974 drama “Hurricane”, the 1974 comedy “It Couldn’t Happen to a Nicer Guy”, and the 1976 drama “Widow”.

In 1978, she played the main character Eleanor ‘Teach’ Tennant in the biographical sports drama “Little Mo”, directed by Daniel Haller, and which also starred Anne Baxter and Glynnis O’Connor; it follows the life of professional tennis player Maureen Connolly, who was the first woman to win all Grand Slams in a single year.

The year 1980 saw Michael appear in five movies, including the drama “Off the Minnesota Strip”, the family drama “The Waltons: A Decade of the Waltons” and the drama “Touched by Love”. What marked the ‘80s for her was probably playing Skipper in the1987 drama “Mercy or Murder?”, written and directed by Steve Gethers, and which starred Robert Young, Frances Reid and Eddie Albert. It follows the case of Roswell Gilbert who killed his wife Emily after 51 years of marriage, because she had begged him to do so as she was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease; Roswell was tried and convicted of murder.

Some of Michael’s most notable performances in the ‘90s were perhaps in the 1991 drama “Keeping Secrets”, the 1993 biographical action “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story”, and the 1998 drama “A Father for Brittany”.

She starred as Sheridan in the 2005 drama “Loggerheads”, written and directed by Tim Kirkman, and which also starred Kip Pardue and Tess Harper; the movie follows three estranged families from North Carolina, and won three of its four award nominations. Some of Michael’s following roles were in the 2005 thriller “Lethal Eviction”, the 2007 short horror thriller “The Killer” and the 2009 family drama “An American Girl: Chrissa Stands Strong”.

She’s since appeared in only a couple of movies, with her three most recent roles having been in the 2014 short comedy “The Parcel”, the 2017 comedy “Life Interrupted”, and the 2019 short drama “Second Acts”.

Other credits

Michael sang various songs in six episodes of the series “The Waltons” from 1973 through 1978.

She received special thanks for the 1991 documentary movie “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse”.

Some of Michael’s most recent talk-show appearances have been in “Entertainment Tonight”, “Why I’ll Never Make It” and “Slasher Scotty”.

Awards and nominations

Michael’s won 11 of her 22 award nominations, including for Primetime Emmy wins for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 1973, 1974 and 1976 for “The Waltons”, and in 1982 for “Nurse”.

Some of her other wins include a 2019 Hollywood Women’s Film Festival Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Short, a 2019 Las Vegas International Film & Screenplay Festival Lifetime Achievement Award and a 2019 Carole Film Festival, Venice Italy Award for Best Actress, all for her performance in “Second Acts”.

Love life and husbands

Michael’s married four times. She exchanged vows with her first husband, the late American-Canadian actor Peter Donat in 1956, at the age of 17; she gave birth to their three sons Lucas, Christopher and Caleb, but Michael and Peter’s marriage was dissolved in 1972.

Her second husband was American non-celebrity man Glen Chadwick; they married in 1974 but divorced three years later.

Michael married her third husband, American screenwriter and actor William Parker in 1979, and their divorce was finalized in 1988.

Also in 1988, Michael married her fourth husband, American attorney John Doherty, and they’ve been together ever since.

She’s yet to speak of other men whom she’s perhaps dated, Michael’s married to her fourth husband John Doherty as of April 2023, and has three children with her first husband Peter Donat.

Interesting facts and hobbies

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Michael is a reformed alcoholic, but has been sober since 1977.

She honed her acting skills with the San Francisco ACT Company, while she and her first husband Peter also appeared in a number of theatre plays with them.

Michael and American actress Sherry Miller are lookalikes.

She once asked her father why he gave her a male name, and all that he said was that she would’ve been Caleb if she was born male.

Michael’s last name is pronounced Lear-ned, rather than as in ‘learned something’.

Her favorite actor is Jon Voight, while some of her favorite movies include “Surviving the Wild”, “Roe v. Wade” and “Woodlawn”.

Height, eyes and wealth

Michael’s age is 84. She has blonde hair and blue eyes, is 5ft 7ins (1.7m) tall and weighs around 145lbs (65kgs).

Michael’s net worth’s been estimated at over $4 million, as of April 2023.