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Kali Michele Rocha (born December 5, 1971) is an American actress. She is portraying the mother of four Rooney children and school psychologist in the Disney Channel Original comedy series, Liv and Maddie.
Biography
Early life
Rocha was born in Memphis, Tennessee and grew up in Providence, Rhode Island, graduating from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 1993.
Career
Rocha is best known to comedic audiences as the Atlantic American flight attendant who had a humorous fight with Ben Stiller's character at the airport in the 2000 hit comedy Meet the Parents (a role she reprised in the sequel Meet the Fockers. She also recurred memorably on Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Anya's vengeance demon pal, Halfrek, as well as William the Bloody's love affection, Cecily. The two characters are considered the same person. Rocha played Stonewall Jackson's wife, Anna in Ron Maxwell's Gods and Generals, an epic drama about the first two years of the American Civil War. Other films include The Crucible, White Oleander, The Object of My Affection, and Ready? OK!.
In 2000, Rocha created the role of Cybil in Nicky Silver's off-Broadway comedy The Altruists, starring alongside Eddie Cahill, Veanne Cox, and Sam Robards.
She has appeared on the Will and Grace episode "Strangers With Candice", as a straight woman who flirted with Will. In spring 2006, Rocha played the principal in the short-lived NBC sitcom Teachers. Kali guest-starred in on the February 20, 2007, episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Cindy Marino, an aggressive TV reporter. Also, she appeared on an episode of Bones as a victim's mother. Notably, Rocha plays the character of a fourth-year resident surgeon, Dr. Sydney Heron, at Seattle Grace Hospital in the hit ABC TV series Grey's Anatomy. She was the first of the Buffyverse alums to appear in the Grey's Anatomy/Private Practice universe, including Seth Green, J. August Richards, Amy Acker, Alexis Denisof, Nicholas Brendon, and a few others.
In 2009, Rocha appeared with fellow Buffy the Vampire Slayer alum Emma Caulfield in the film TiMER.
Rocha starred in the first and only season of Sherri starring Sherri Shepherd from "The View" which was loosely based on Shepherd's life. Rocha played Summer, Sherri's boss and eventual friend. It aired on the Lifetime Network.
Personal life
In January 2008, Rocha announced that she was pregnant. She gave birth to her first child on August 4, 2008, and her second on January 25, 2011.
Credits
Filmography
Year | Title | Role |
---|---|---|
1996 | The Crucible | Mercy Lewis |
1997 | Liberty! The American Revolution | Eliza Wilkinson |
1998 | The Love Letter (TV movie) | Flossy Whitcomb |
1998 | The Object of My Affection | Melissa Marx |
2000 | Autumn in New York | Shannon |
2000 | Meet the Parents | Atlantic American Flight Attendant |
2001 | When Billie Beat Bobby (TV movie) | Connie |
2001 | The Weber Show (TV series) | Sophie |
2001 | Becker (TV series) | Kayla |
2002 | Family Law (TV series) | Kelly Gilbert |
2002 | White Oleander | Susan Valeris |
2000-2002 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series) | Halfrek / Cecily Addams |
2002 | Hack (TV series) | Joyce |
2003 | Platonically Incorrect (TV movie) | |
2003 | Gods and Generals | Anna Morrison Jackson |
2003 | Crossing Jordan (TV series) | Felix Tate |
2003 | Will & Grace (TV series) | Stephanie |
2004 | Stuck (short) | Sasha |
2004 | Meet the Fockers | Flight Attendant |
2005 | Confessions of an Action Star | Beth |
2005 | Family Plan (TV movie) | Stacy |
2005 | Without a Trace (TV series) | Liz Murray |
2005 | 29th and Gay | HIV Nurse |
2005 | Bam Bam and Celeste | Angela |
2005 | Seagull | Kali |
2006 | Falling for Grace | Carla |
2006 | Teachers. (TV series) | Principal Emma Wiggins |
2006 | Ira & Abby | Tracy |
2006 | Standoff (TV series) | Leanne Benson |
2007 | The Call (TV movie) | Wendy 'the Wolf' Wolfram |
2007 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (TV series) | Cindy Marino |
2007 | Dead Write | Samantha |
2007 | Boston Legal (TV series) | Allison Lovejoy |
2007 | Ripple Effect | Alex |
2006-2007 | Grey's Anatomy (TV series) | Dr. Sydney Heron |
2008 | Notes from the Underbelly (TV series) | Paige Bartlett |
2008 | Over Her Dead Body | Angel |
2008 | Ready? OK! | Halle Hinton |
2008 | John's Hand (short) | Terry |
2009 | Monk (TV series) | Maria Scheter |
2009 | TiMER | Matchmaker Patty |
2009 | Stolen | Coral |
2009 | Sherri (TV series) | Summer Dickie |
2010 | Video Night (video short) | Kali |
2010 | Buried | 911 Operator (voice) |
2010 | $#*! My Dad Says (TV series) | Roberta |
2011 | Serenity House (short) | Marnie |
2011 | Mr. Stache (short) | Narrator |
2011 | Drop Dead Diva (TV series) | Dr. Audrey Foley |
2011 | The Exes (TV series) | Deanna |
2012 | Black Briefs (video) | Kali (segment "Video Night") |
2012 | Modern Family (TV series) | Party Planner |
2012 | Brake | 911 Operator |
2012 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (TV series) | Ms. Fowler |
2012 | Puppy Love (TV movie) | Gail |
2013 | The Loft | Mimi Landry |
2013 | Bits and Pieces (unaired pilot) | Jodi |
2013 | Space Station 76 | Donna |
2013-present | Liv and Maddie | Karen Rooney |
Trivia
- She enjoys filming with cast everyday she says it's so much fun.
- She likes watching BBC's "Downton Abbey", just like her character, Karen.
- She is a very experienced actress and has been in a lot of TV shows and movies.
Gallery
To view the Kali Rocha gallery, click here.
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