Kimberly J. Brown

Kimberly Jean Brown[1] (born November 16, 1984)[2] is an American actress. She is best known for her leading role as teen witch Marnie Piper in the Halloweentown film series (1998–2004), co-starring alongside Debbie Reynolds.

"Kimberly Brown" redirects here. For other uses, see Kimberly Brown (disambiguation).

Kimberly J. Brown
Brown in 2023
Born
Kimberly Jean Brown

(1984-11-16) November 16, 1984
Gaithersburg, Maryland, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1989–present
Notable workGuiding Light
Halloweentown
PartnerDaniel Kountz
WebsiteOfficial Website

Brown first gained recognition for her portrayal of Marah Lewis in the CBS soap opera Guiding Light (1993–1998, 2006), which earned her a nomination for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series. She garnered further critical acclaim for her performance as Ava Walker in the comedy-drama film Tumbleweeds (1999), for which she won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. Brown also starred as Annie Wheaton in the ABC horror miniseries Rose Red (2002), which was written by Stephen King. She went on to appear in the comedy film Bringing Down the House (2003), the horror film Big Bad Wolf (2006), and the comedy film Friendship! (2010).

Early life and career

Born in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Brown began her career at age five.[3] By the time she was 11, she had already enjoyed success as a child model with Ford Models, performed in multiple Broadway shows and earned an Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Marah Lewis on Guiding Light.[4][5] She also found work as a voice actress, lending her voice to commercials, A Bug's Life and the English dub of Vampire Princess Miyu.

At the age of 13, Brown was cast in her most notable film, the Disney Channel Original Movie Halloweentown, in which she played 13-year-old Marnie Piper, a young witch who is determined to learn magic from her grandmother Aggie, portrayed by Debbie Reynolds.[6][7] In September 2016, Brown recalled her audition for the film when she had to react to the conversation where it was revealed the character Marnie is a witch.[8] Brown read for the role twice before being cast.[9] Halloweentown aired on October 17, 1998, and was well received by audiences, leading Disney Channel to produce three sequels; Brown reprised her role as Marnie in two of them.[10] She was replaced by Sara Paxton in the fourth installment, Return to Halloweentown,[11] a decision over which Brown expressed confusion and disappointment.[12] Fans of the franchise were unhappy with Paxton's portrayal of the character and some major entertainment outlets were critical. BuzzFeed said that the first three films were the best thing about Halloween while the fourth film was best left ignored, while MTV said fans should act as if the fourth film had never happened.[13][14] Outside of Halloweentown, Brown also starred in another Disney Channel original movie, the 2000 film Quints.[15] In 1999, Brown co-starred with Janet McTeer in Tumbleweeds. The film received positive reviews.[16][17]

In May 2021, it was announced she had joined the cast of General Hospital.[18]

Other ventures

Brown and a friend run the Etsy shop CraftilyCreative, which sells a variety of items, including Halloweentown-themed merchandise.[19][20]

In 2016, Brown published a Halloween-themed children's book, Poppin's Pumpkin Patch Parade, with co-author Diane Yslas.[21]

Personal life

In a 2010 interview, Brown said that she was close to graduating from college, though she did not disclose what her major was or the school at which she was studying.[22] She later revealed in 2018 that she had received a Bachelor of Science degree in Business.[23]

In 2016, she reconnected with Halloweentown II co-star Daniel Kountz for a Halloweentown-themed project for Brown's YouTube channel, and they soon began dating.[24] In June 2022, Brown announced their engagement.[25][26]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1994 Princess Caraboo English imposter of Princess Caraboo Uncredited
1998 A Bug's Life Female Ants (voice)
1999 Tumbleweeds Ava Walker
2001 The Little Polar Bear Lona English dub
2003 Bringing Down the House Sarah Sanderson
2005 Be Cool Tiffany
2006 Big Bad Wolf Sam Marche
2010 Friendship! Dorothee

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1990 The Baby-Sitters Club Amanda Delaney Episode: "The Baby-Sitters Remember"
1993–1998, 2006 Guiding Light Marah Lewis Recurring role
1997 Vampire Princess Miyu Miyu Yamano Voice role (English dub), 7 episodes
1997 Ellen Foster Dora Television film
1998 Unhappily Ever After Helena, Girl #1 3 episodes
1998 Halloweentown Marnie Piper Disney Channel Original Movie
1998–1999 Two of a Kind Nicole 2 episodes
1999 Touched by an Angel Amy Lumpkin Episode: "The Last Day of the Rest of Your Life"
2000 Quints Jamie Grover Disney Channel Original Movie
2001 Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge Marnie Piper Disney Channel Original Movie
2002 My Sister's Keeper Young Christine Chapman Hallmark Channel Original Movie[27]
2002 Rose Red Annie Wheaton Miniseries
2003 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Jessica Morse / Margory Maddox Episode: "Perfect"
2004 Halloweentown High Marnie Piper Disney Channel Original Movie
2013 Low Winter Sun Shana Taylor 5 episodes
2018 Mondays Older Kelly Episode: "That Time When I Met My Future Self"
2019 Crossword Mysteries: Proposing Murder Angela Television film
2021 General Hospital Chloe Jennings Recurring Role
2023 The Ghost and Molly McGee Blair (voice) Episode: "The Unhaunting of Brighton Video"

References
  1. Wisenthal, Paul (April 28, 1996). "Broadway Is Bursting With Energy And Youth". New York Times. ProQuest 430539648. Kimberly Jean Brown, 11, of Show Boat is the only actor known to have appeared in three major Broadway shows by the age of 9. She appeared in Four Baboons Adoring the Sun at 7 and later joined the cast of Les Miserables and then Show Boat. Today, at her ripe old age, she also appears regularly on the soap opera Guiding Light, a role for which she has been nominated for an Emmy.
  2. Staff (November 19, 2022). "Happy Birthday". The Atlanta Constitution. ProQuest 2736585878. Former MLB All-Star pitcher Dwight Gooden is 58. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 58. [...] Actor Lisa Bonet is 55. Actor Tammy Lauren is 54. Actor Martha Plimpton is 52. Actor Michael Irby is 50. Actor Missi Pyle is 50. Olympic gold medal figure skater Oksana Baiul is 45. Actor Maggie Gyllenhaal is 45. Former NBA player Amare Stoudemire is 40. Actor Kimberly J. Brown is 38. See also:
    • Associated Press (November 16, 2002). "Almanac". Telegraph-Herald. p. A6. ProQuest 368237117. Today's Birthdays: [...] Baseball player Dwight Gooden is 38. Jazz singer Diana Krall is 38. Actress Lisa Bonet is 35. Actress Tammy Lauren is 34. Rhythm-and-blues singer Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) is 33. Actress Martha Plimpton is 32. Olympic gold medal figure skater Oksana Baiul is 25. Actress Maggie Gyllenhaal is 25. Pop singer Trevor Penick is 23. Actress Kimberly J. Brown is 18.
  3. Riggs, Thomas, ed. (2010). Contemporary Theatre, Film and Television. Volume 103. Detroit, Mich. : Gale. p. 38. ISBN 1-4144-4615-2.
  4. "Kimberly J. Brown: Bio". Kimberly J. Brown. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  5. "Kimberly J. Brown – About Me". kimberlyjbrown.com. Archived from the original on August 30, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  6. McPhee, Paige (October 30, 2017). "We Finally Found Out Why 'Halloweentown' Recast Marnie And We Are NOT Pleased". Narcity. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  7. "Halloweentown". Rotten Tomatoes. September 17, 1998. Retrieved January 25, 2016.
  8. NFRISONE (September 26, 2016). "Q&A: Kimberly J. Brown ('Halloweentown')". Baltimore Media Blog. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  9. 'Halloweentown' GalaxyCon Q&A Panel 2020 (7m35s Timestamp) on YouTube
  10. Aquino, Tara; Scarano, Ross (December 6, 2012). "The 25 Best Disney Channel Original Movies". Complex. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012.
  11. Kimberly J. Brown (July 16, 2013). Kimberly J. Brown Answers Fans QuestionsVideo. YouTube.
  12. Devoe, Noelle (October 13, 2016). "Kimberly J. Brown Talks Being Recast in "Halloweentown": "I Was Disappointed For The Fans"". Seventeen. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  13. Grant, Stacey (September 23, 2015). "Kimberly J. Brown Has A Very Big Announcement For All 'Halloweentown' Fans". MTV News. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  14. Heaney, Katie (October 8, 2013). "19 Reasons You Need To Rewatch The "Halloweentown" Series Right Now". BuzzFeed. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  15. Cox, Stephen; Marhanka, Kevin (2008). The Incredible Don Knotts. Cumberland House. p. 180. ISBN 9781581826586.
  16. Holden, Stephen (November 24, 1999). "'Tumbleweeds': On the Road With Mom the Sexpot". The New York Times. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  17. Lovell, Glenn (January 28, 1999). "Tumbleweeds". Variety. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2013.
  18. SOD (May 5, 2021). "Exclusive: GL Alum Kimberly J. Brown Joins GH". Soap Opera Digest. United States: American Media, Inc. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  19. "Craftily Creative by CraftilyCreative". Etsy. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  20. "Kimberly J. Brown (@OfficialKJB) - Twitter". twitter.com. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  21. kimberly (August 16, 2016). ""Poppins Pumpkin Patch Parade" Book Available for Order Now!". Kimberly J. Brown. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  22. Adam (September 29, 2010). "Halloweentown: An Interview with Kimberly J. Brown". oct31st.org. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  23. Brown, Kimberly J. (June 15, 2018). "It's that time of year for graduations, which made me reminisce about my own from college (w/ a BS in Business) oh so many years ago. Nothing compares to the excitement (and relief) of getting that diploma! Congrats to all the grads of 2018 #fbf #flashbackfriday #graduate". Twitter. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  24. Carras, Christi (October 30, 2020). "22 years ago, 'Halloweentown' became a spooky classic. Its stars still feel the love". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 12, 2021.
  25. Wynne, Kelly (June 30, 2022). "Kimberly J. Brown Is Engaged to Her Former Halloweentown Costar Daniel Kountz: 'Love You Forever'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  26. officialkjb (June 30, 2022). "Have I introduced you guys to my Fiancee? #isaidyes". Instagram. Retrieved November 4, 2022.
  27. "My Sister's Keeper". Hallmark US. Archived from the original on April 3, 2018. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
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