Who is Monica Potter? Everything You Need to Know

Quick Facts

Also Known As: Monica Gregg Potter, Monica Gregg Brokaw

Age: 51 Years, 51 Year Old Females

Family:

Spouse/Ex-: Daniel Christopher Allison (m. 2005), Tom Potter (m. 1990–1998)

father: Paul Brokaw

mother: Nancy Brokaw

children: Daniel Potter, Liam Potter, Molly Brigid Allison

Actresses American Women

Height: 5'7" (170 cm), 5'7" Females

U.S. State: Ohio

Ancestry: Irish American

City: Cleveland, Ohio

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Childhood & Early Life

Monica was born on June 30, 1971 in Cleveland, Ohio and wasraised in Arab, Alabama. She was raised by a Catholic family and has Irish-American ancestry.

Her father, Paul,is the inventor of the first flame-resistant car wax.Butbeing a salaried inventor, he never cashed in on the invention's profits. Her mother, Nancy, was a secretary.

Though she was not born with a silver spoon, Monica grew up in a happy family, along with three sisters –Brigette, Kerry and Jessica. She attended Villa Angela-St. Joseph High School and gained her graduation from Euclid High School.

As a child, she was interested in acting and participated in the Cleveland Play House.

Her father sent Monica's photograph to a local modeling agency, which then hired her immediately.

When she was 18, she moved to Miami, Florida and landed a job in a children's show which was shot in Peru. She gave birth to her first child a year later, when she was 19.

When she was 24, Monica moved to Hollywood with her child.Shewas also pregnant with her second child at that time.

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Career

Monica stepped into the world of showbiz with a role in the 1994 soap opera, ‘The Young and the Restless’. Soon, she landed a role in the 1996 film, ‘Bulletproof’.

But her initial roles did not cement her place in Hollywood. For years, she was a struggling actress in B-films and also did some low-paid jobs. She had her first Hollywood breakthrough in 1997 when she got a chance to act along with Nicolas Cage in the movie, ‘Con Air’.

She soon got opportunitiesto act in box office hits like ‘Patch Adams’ and ‘Along Came a Spider’. She then portrayedAmanda Piercein the Mark Waters directed flick, ‘Head over Heels’.

Monica also won critical acclaim for her performance in the 1998 film, ‘Without Limits’ which was based on the life of American runner, Steve Prefontaine. In the 1998 flick‘A Cool, Dry Place’, she played an irresponsible mother, a role which was quite opposite to what she really is in real life.

In 2003, she was presented with an opportunity to play a role in the Michael Clancy’s comedy flick ‘Eulogy’, but was later replaced by Famke Janssen. She then appearedas Alison Gordon in the 2004 adventure thriller, ‘Saw’.

After playing such diverse roles on the big screen, she turned her attention towards television. In 2004, she played a role in the series, ‘Boston Legal’,for which she, along with other cast members, was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

After she departed from the show during the second season in 2009, Monica became a cast member of a new TNT series titled ‘Trust Me’ which was taken off air after the first season, owing to low ratings.

In 2010, she was seen as Kristina Braverman in the super hit television drama, ‘Parenthood’. She has been a part of the show since its first airing in 2010, and has been critically applauded for her performance. The show even earned her a Golden Globe best supporting actress nomination.

In 2016, Monica, along with her family members, renovated her childhood home for the reality show, ‘Welcome Back Potter’. The house,which was abandoned by her family thirty years ago, was in Cleveland.

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Monica is very much active in philanthropic activities. She has collaborated with the cornflakes brand Kellogg’s for National Breakfast Week which provides children with a nutritious breakfast. Her entrepreneurial skills are displayed through her line of natural beauty products, Monica Potter Home.

The company operates its sales through mrspotter.com. The company will soon open its first stand-alone store in Garrettsville, Ohio. Apart from selling its products, the company aims to create job opportunities in the area.

Major Works

The Young and the Restless – Monica portrayed a fictional character named Sharon Newman in this American television drama. The show was first aired on March 26, 1973, but Monica started playing her part from 1994.

Parenthood – Counted among the most notable works of Monica, this series showcased her as Kristina Braverman in all its seasons. The series revolves around Kristina, who despite many hurdles raises her children, with one of them being autistic. The show announced its last season on May 11, 2014.

Wisdom of the Crowd –Monica is currently seen in this television drama which is written by Humphrey and directed by Adam Davidson. The series was first aired on October 1, 2017.

Awards & Achievements

Critics’ Choice Television Award (2013) –Monica won the award under the category, BestDrama Supporting Actress for‘Parenthood’.

Personal Life

In 1990, Monica married Tom Potter and the couple eventually welcomed two sons, Daniel and Liam Potter. Monica divorced Tom in the year 1998.

Monica lost her father in 2002.He passed away due to a cardiovascular disease.

In 2005, she exchanged rings with a medical surgeon named Daniel Allison.

Monica and Daniel welcomed their first bundle of joy, their daughter Molly.

Monica Potter Biography