Patricia Heaton

While attending Ohio State University, she became a sister of Delta Gamma sorority. She later graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in drama. In 1980, Heaton moved to New York City to study with drama teacher William Esper.[7] Heaton made her first Broadway appearance in the chorus of Don't Get God Started (1987), after which fellow students and she created Stage Three, an off-Broadway acting troupe.[8]

Heaton auditioned for the role of Elaine Benes on Seinfeld in 1989.[9] When Stage Three brought one of its productions to Los Angeles, Heaton caught the eye of a casting director for the ABC drama series Thirtysomething. She was cast as an oncologist, leading to six appearances on the series from 1989 to 1991.[10] Other guest appearances include Alien Nation (1989) and Matlock (1990) and supporting role in the made-for-television movie Shattered Dreams (1990).

Heaton at her Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony on May 22, 2012

In 1992, Heaton made her big screen debut appearing in a supporting role in the comedy-drama film Memoirs of an Invisible Man directed by John Carpenter. Later that year, she appeared in the box-office hit family comedy film Beethoven. From 1992 to 1993, Heaton starred as a lead character in the ABC sitcom Room for Two.[11] The series was canceled after two seasons. In 1994, she starred in another short-lived sitcom, Someone Like Me, it lasted on NBC only six episodes. Later that year, Heaton appeared in the comedy-drama film, The New Age.[12] In 1995, she starred opposite Delta Burke in the CBS sitcom Women of the House, a spin-off of Designing Women.[13] The series also was canceled after one season.

In 1996, Heaton landed the role of Debra Barone in the CBS sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond opposite Ray Romano. The series received positive reviews and has been on top ten television rankings and won Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series two times. She was nominated in each of the series' last seven seasons for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series, winning in 2000 and 2001. With her win in 2000, she became the first of the cast members on the show to win an Emmy. She has also collected two Viewers for Quality Television Awards for Best Actress in a Quality Comedy Series and a Screen Actors Guild trophy for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and five Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series nominations for her work on the series.[14][15] The series ended in 2005 after nine seasons.

While starring on Everybody Loves Raymond, Heaton played the leading roles in a number of made-for-television movies. In 1997 she starred alongside Meredith Baxter and Della Reese in the drama film Miracle in the Woods.[16] In 2001, she starred in the Christmas drama A Town Without Christmas.[17] In 2004, she starred in the comedy-drama The Goodbye Girl, a remake of the 1977 film of the same name. For her performance, Heaton received Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie.[18] In 2005, she starred and produced the romantic comedy-drama film, The Engagement Ring.[19]

In 2003, Heaton appeared in a series of television and radio commercials as spokesperson for the various incarnations of the grocery chain Albertsons, such as Acme, Jewel and Shaw's. Heaton also was featured on the cover of the company's 2003 and 2004 annual reports. In 2007, Albertsons created the Crazy About Food slogan/campaign and Heaton's association with the company ended. She has also appeared in advertisements for Pantene hair-care products.[20] Heaton was the producer for the 2005 documentary The Bituminous Coal Queens of Pennsylvania, which was directed by her husband, David Hunt. She was also one of the producers of the William Wilberforce drama Amazing Grace (2006).

In 2006, Heaton played United States Ambassador Barbara Bodine in the controversial miniseries The Path to 9/11 about the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York City and the events leading up to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Also that year, she starred and produced the untitled ABC comedy pilot about a widowed mother who joins the P.T.A. where she befriends two women she initially dislikes.[21] In January 2007, Heaton returned to the stage to co-star with Tony Shalhoub in the off-Broadway play The Scene at Second Stage Theatre in New York City.[22] For this performance, Heaton was nominated in the Outstanding Lead Actress category for the 22nd Lucille Lortel Awards.[23] From 2007 to 2008, she starred with Kelsey Grammer in the Fox comedy series, Back to You. The show about a squabbling anchors of a news program was canceled in May 2008. For her performance, she was nominated for the Satellite Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy at the 10th Satellite Awards.[24] In 2008, she starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie Front of the Class, based on the real story of a mother, Ellen Cohen, raising a son, Brad Cohen, who has Tourette syndrome.[25]

In 2009, Heaton began starring as Frankie Heck in the ABC comedy series, The Middle. The series received positive reviews from critics and lasted nine seasons with 215 produced episodes.[26] She received Critics' Choice Television Award nomination for Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy Series in 2011.[27] In 2011, Heaton was ranked at number 24 on the TV Guide Network special, Funniest Women on TV.[28] She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May 22, 2012.[29] Her production company is FourBoys Entertainment.[30] She starred and produced the 2014 comedy film, Moms' Night Out. The film was released by Sony Pictures Releasing on May 9, 2014 receiving mostly negative reviews from critics.[31]

In October 2015, Heaton began hosting Patricia Heaton Parties, a cooking show on Food Network. The program showcases party-friendly foods and home-entertaining tips. The series won a Daytime Emmy Award in 2016 for Outstanding Culinary Program.[32] The show ended after two seasons. She also did voice over work in the animated films The Star (2017) and Smallfoot (2018).

In 2019, Heaton returned to television with starring and producing the CBS comedy series, Carol's Second Act.[33][34] The series received average reviews from critics, but her performance was praised.[35][36] Carol's Second Act was canceled after single season in 2020. Heaton wrote a book called Your Second Act: Inspiring Stories of Transformation with a release date of July 21, 2020.[37] The following year, it was announced that Heaton began producing her new sitcom for Fox.[38] Two years later it was announced that Heaton will star as the host of an upscale lifestyle show, sent to prison for embezzlement and tax evasion. She gets out after two years, forgotten and broke, and moves to Tennessee to live with her estranged sister.[39]

In 2022, Heaton starred opposite Brian Cox in the drama film, Mending the Line directed by Joshua Caldwell.[40][41] It received positive reviews from film critics.[42] It received limited release on June 9, 2023. She starred in the drama film The Unbreakable Boy for Lionsgate.[43] In 2023, she was cast in the leading role in the psychological horror-thriller film, The Beldham.[44]

Heaton (left) with Melissa Hart at a Feminists for Life event in 2005

Heaton is a consistent life ethicist and is vocally supportive of groups and causes opposing abortion, euthanasia, and the death penalty.[5] Heaton's advocacy became particularly visible during the debate regarding the Terri Schiavo case.[57] In addition, Heaton is honorary chair of Feminists for Life, an organization which opposes abortion and embryonic stem cell research and supports other anti-abortion causes on the basis of feminism.[5]

On February 29, 2012, Heaton criticized Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke, who advocated in favor of a contraceptive mandate for health insurance plans; Heaton said on Twitter, "I don't care if anyone uses birth control - just don't charge me for it", and wrote a series of tweets mocking Fluke's activism, as well as retweeting similar remarks from her followers. After incurring criticism, Heaton apologized and deleted most of the posts.[58]

In August 2006, Heaton's name was in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times that condemned Hamas and Hezbollah and supported Israel in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.[59]

In October 2006, Heaton appeared in a commercial opposing a Missouri state constitutional amendment concerning embryonic stem cell research, which subsequently passed. The advertisement was a response to the election of Democratic Senate hopeful Claire McCaskill and aired at the same time as Michael J. Fox's advertisement supporting the amendment.[5] Appearing with Heaton were actor Jim Caviezel, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jeff Suppan, Seattle Mariner Mike Sweeney, and St. Louis Rams/Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner.[60] Following a public outcry, Heaton later said she regretted doing the ad and sent an apology to Fox, saying she was unaware of his ad. Fox accepted her apology and later stated, "If we can have a healthy dialogue about issues that people see differently, that's marvelous."[5]