Celebrity Profile - Camryn Manheim

A self described "Amazon", Camryn Manheim stands at 5'10" and weights over 200 pounds. Without being self denigrating, she has turned these physical attributes into a career asset. Born in Caldwell, New Jersey on 3/8/1961as Debra Manheim, she is the daughter of educators.

Camryn received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre in 1984 from the University of California at Santa Cruz, California and her Masters of Fine Arts Degree in drama in 1987 from New York University.

Camryn used her voluptuous beauty as inspiration when she penned her Off Broadway hit "Wake Up I'm Fat". This production has earned her numerous roles in the media, including the role of lawyer Ellenor Frutt on the ABC series The Practice, for which she won a Best Supporting Actress Emmy award in 1998 and a Golden Globe Award in 1999. As she raised her award high in the air she proclaimed, "This is for all the fat girls!".A talented plus size woman, she has been able to achieve stardom without taking on caricature type roles.

After college Camryn moved to New York City to pursue her graduate studies and begin her acting career. She lost 87 pounds when she found that she was often overlooked for parts because of her size. Once she graduated and turned to an acting career full time, she gained the weight back after being unable to find steady employment.

Credits:
1987 - Made New York stage debut in Hydriotaphia
1990 - Made screen debut in small bit part of The Bonfire of the Vanities
1991 - Guest appearances on Law and Order
1993 - Starred in one-person Off Broadway Show - Wake Up, I'm Fat
1994 - Co-starred in The Road to Wellville
1995 - Made for TV movie Deadly Whispers
1997 - Regular supporting role of attorney Ellenor Futt on The Practice
1997 - Performed in small role in movie Romy and Michele's High School Reunion.
1998 - Signed a book deal for Wake Up I'm Fat and will earn a reportedly $500,000.
2000 - Played Snow White in TV mini series The 10th Kingdom
2001 - Appeared in A Girl Thing, opposite Kate Caphshaw, Mia Farrow and Stockard Channing
2002 - Cast in The Laramie Project, the true story of life in an American town after the murder of Matthew Shephard
2003 - Cast in the movie Scary Movie 3
2005 - Cast in An Unfinished Life with Robert Redford and Jennifer Lopez
2005 - Emmy nomination for portrayal of Gladys Presley in the miniseries Elvis

by, Jan Hecox., contributing editor