Personal life
Challen Cates was born in the very scenic and beautiful Roanoke, Virginia. She grew up on a farm where she developed a passion for riding horses, wine tasting (her family has a winery), reading, and photography. “I was riding horses before I could walk.” Her father was a photographer, as well as a winemaker, which led to Challen doing print work and commercials as a child, finding yet another passion, however it took her awhile to realize that it could be more than fun, it could be her career.
This realization came after she had a large guest-starring role on the NBC TV show In the Heat of the Night, in 1991 while she was living in Atlanta, Georgia.
“I played a witness to a murder who lived in a run down trailer in rural Georgia. When I asked a friend to have a demo made for me the editor said ‘she’s good but too bad about her accent.’ Guess he thought it was real.”
Her pursuing of this career was not unwrought with trials, she found herself as the “second choice” to many of the roles she tried out for in the early years. The frustration led to her giving up acting after the birth of her first son. Her retirement was short-lived however because soon she found herself working more and more.
Career
In her career she has worked with several notable names such as; Betty White, Dick Van Dyke, Carol O’Conner, William Forsythe, John Slattery, Eva Longoria, Roseanne, Cybil Shepherd, Alan Rosenberg, Marie Osmond, Jane Lynch, Heather Locklear, Gloria Reuben, Robert Forster, Maureen McCormick, Jon Cryer, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jerry Springer, Rick Springfield, Barbara Hershey, Gary Sinise, Alex Rocco, Brendan Sexton III, Matthew Gray Gubler, James Brolin, and most recently on Nickelodeon’s new hit show Big Time Rush… Erik Estrada and Fabio.
Along with several award winning independent film credits, her recent film and T.V. credits include appearances in Desperate Housewives, Passions, The Dukes of Hazzard II, Footsteps, Spanky’s Hustle, Bull Run, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Murder 101, Monk and Lifetime’s Missing. Currently she plays the role of “Mrs. Knight,” mother to the hockey-playing, reluctant boy band member “Kendall” on Big Time Rush, one of Nickelodeon’s newest breakout hit T.V. shows. The show focuses on the tale of four hockey players from Minnesota who find themselves in Hollywood, CA recording an album as a new hot boy band.
Currently, Challen lives happily in Los Angeles, CA with her husband and two young children who, along with acting, are the loves of her life.
Filmography
| Television | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Show | Role | Episode |
| 1995 | Cybill | Nancy | Death and Execs |
| 2006 | Criminal Minds | Dr. Jesson | The Fisher King (1) |
| 2006 | CSI: NY | Stacie Avida | Cool Hunter |
| 2007 | Desperate Housewives | Samantha Lang | Dress Big |
| 2000-2001 | Diagnosis Murder | Abby Chadway | Deadly Mirage (1) |
| 2000-2001 | Diagnosis Murder | Lily Wilson | The Unluckiest Bachelor in L.A. |
| Getting Personal | Margie | Midnight Milo | |
| 1997 | High Tide | Rachel | Up And Away |
| 2004 | LAX | Amani's Lawyer | Abduction |
| 1995 | Maybe This Time | Gwyneth | Maybe This Time |
| 2003 | MISSING | Catherine O'Malley | Two Ep: Basic Training/M.I.A. |
| 2005 | Monk | Sheryl Thorn | Mr. Monk Goes to Vegas |
| 1995 | Partners | Denise | Why are the Blumenthals Living in My House? |
| 2007 | Passions | Dr. Jonas | 9 Episodes |
| 2000 | Pensacola: Wings of Gold | Miss Staples | Busted |
| 1996 | Roseanne | Cindy Kenner | Morning Becomes Obnoxious |
| 2009 | Sanctuary | Woman | Hero |
| 2009-???? | "Big Time Rush" | Mrs. Knight | Reg. Series |
External links
IMDb: Challen's Page Personal fan Site: Fan Site