{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2023}} {{short description|American actress}} {{For|the American entrepreneur|Alexandra Wilkis Wilson}} {{BLP sources|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexandra Wilson | image = | birth_name = Alexandra Muriel Wilson | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1984–present }}
'''Alexandra Muriel Wilson''' is an American actress. She is best known for playing the original Josie Watts on the soap opera ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' (1988–1991). She also starred in the television series ''[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]]'' (1991-1992) and the film ''[[Small Soldiers]]'' (1998).{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
==Biography==
===Early life===
Alexandra Wilson attended [[Chantilly High School]] in [[Fairfax County, Virginia]], and was involved in performing and cheerleading. Wilson then studied theater and history at [[Broward Community College]] in the [[Miami]] area, but left after a year to avoid the drug scene.<ref name=wonderland>{{cite web|url=http://naturesjoyny.com/wp-content/uploads/051211MSMO3.jpg|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213023324/http://naturesjoyny.com/wp-content/uploads/051211MSMO3.jpg|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 13, 2014|title=Alex in Wonderland |first=Stella|last=Bednarz|work=[[Soap Opera Digest]]}}</ref>
Wilson's grandmother was one of the first [[The Rockettes|Rockettes]].<ref name=news>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1901&dat=19881106&id=zBcqAAAAIBAJ&sjid=k9MEAAAAIBAJ&pg=4229,4227424|title=New York brings actress to another world|first=Nancy|last=Reichardt|work=[[The News-Journal]]|date=November 6, 1988}}</ref> Her mother (Elaine Wilson), an award-winning drama teacher at Chantilly High School, sparked her interest in acting, as early as age five. Wilson recounted her mother's influence: "She put me in some of her productions, and she taught me in high school. I was never sure I could do it, but I knew I had to be an actor."<ref name=kirtland>{{cite web|title=The View from Kirtland Hill |url=http://w3.one.net/~abacab/hf/text/bits.htm |website=[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]] fan page |publisher=Excerpt from [[Soap Opera Digest]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/19991011024047/http://w3.one.net/~abacab/hf/text/bits.htm |archivedate=October 11, 1999 }}</ref><ref name=palo>{{cite web |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=946&dat=19920103&id=w0wOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-H4DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5136,92886 |title=Alexandra Wilson finds her 'Homefront' |first=Lisa |last=Otoupal | date=January 3, 1992 |work=Palo Verde Valley Times}}</ref>
After graduating from high school, Wilson held drama seminars for her mother's students.<ref name=wonderland/> Later, Elaine Wilson would co-found and serve as President of The Alliance Theatre in [[Centreville, Virginia]].<ref name=theatre>{{cite web|url=http://www.thealliancetheatre.org/board-of-directors.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20141211164859/http://www.thealliancetheatre.org/board-of-directors.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 11, 2014|title=The Alliance Theatre Board of Directors}}</ref>
===Career=== In 1980, with her parents' encouragement, Wilson moved to [[New York City]] to fully pursue a performing career.<ref name=news/> She initially lived with her ex-[[The Rockettes|Rockette]] grandmother and paid for acting, dancing, and singing classes by waitressing for customers like [[Paul Newman]], [[Mick Jagger]], and [[Matthew Broderick]]. While auditioning for musicals, Wilson discovered that she preferred television and films over theater, as she admittedly struggled with dancing, though she could sing and act.<ref name=wonderland/><ref name=kirtland/>
Wilson's early television roles were minor parts in the primetime series ''[[The New Mike Hammer]]'' (1984) and ''[[Spenser: For Hire]]'' (1986). By 1988, her film credits included ''[[Diner (1982 film)|Diner]]'', ''Silent Madness'', ''[[The Secret of My Success (1987 film)|The Secret of My Success]]'', and ''The Distance Between''.<ref name=news/><ref name=star>{{cite web|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19880604&id=yvdNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=RosDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5615,794590|title='Another World' addition used to playing television|first=Nancy|last=Reichardt|work=[[The Free Lance-Star]]|date=June 4, 1988}}</ref> From the age of 19, she has supplemented her income by appearing in a number of commercials, most notably for [[Pizza Hut]], [[Tide (brand)|Tide]], [[Coca-Cola|Coke]], and later, [[Claritin]].<ref name=kirtland/>
Wilson's breakthrough came when she was cast as a regular in television daytime dramas. She made her soap opera debut as Sage Holland, a recurring character in ''[[As the World Turns]]''. Wilson then progressed to starring in ''[[Loving (TV series)|Loving]]'' (1987) as the troubled teenager April Hathaway. Six months into her contract, however, she was written out of the show, which led her to audition for ''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]''. When Wilson won the part of city-turned-farm girl Josie Watts, she welcomed the change, stating, "There's more potential with Josie than there was with April. She has more 'life' to her."<ref name=news/> Starting June 1988, Wilson starred in ''Another World'' for three years.<ref name=josie>{{cite web|title=Josie Watts|url=http://www.anotherworldhomepage.com/josie.html|website=[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]] Homepage}}</ref> In 1994, she would turn down an offer to portray [[Kelly Cramer]] on ''[[One Life to Live]]''.<ref name=AWimdb>{{cite web|title=Alexandra Wilson (I)|url=https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0932971/?ref_=m_ttfcd_cl18 |website=[[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]}}</ref>
In 1991, Wilson moved to [[Los Angeles]] and transitioned to primetime television as a principal cast member of the post-[[World War II]] drama ''[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]]''. Her appearance as Sarah Brewer Metcalf in Season One, opposite [[Kyle Chandler]], allowed her to play a grown-up character for the first time. It also showcased her longtime fascination with history, particularly the World War II dynamics of both the battlefront and civilian life, and the importance of women in factories.<ref name=homefront>{{cite web|url=http://homefront.yuku.com/topic/998/1991-Interviews|title=Alexandra Wilson: On the Homefront|first=Lisa|last=Backus|date=Fall 1991}}</ref> Despite winning the [[18th People's Choice Awards|1992 People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Dramatic Series]], ''Homefront'' had an abbreviated run and was not renewed for a third season.<ref name=HOMEimdb>{{cite web|title=Homefront (1991-1993)|url= https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0101121/|website=[[Internet Movie Database|IMDb]]}}</ref> Subsequently, Wilson would receive main billing in other short-lived drama series: the [[Aaron Spelling]]-produced ''[[The Round Table (TV series)|The Round Table]]'' (1992) and ''[[University Hospital (TV series)|University Hospital]]'' (1995), and the medical science fiction program ''[[Mercy Point]]'' (1998-1999).{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
After ''[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]]'', in the early 1990s, Wilson briefly returned to high school roles as the love interest of [[Billy Cranston]] ([[David Yost]]) in ''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' and the girlfriend of [[List of Beverly Hills, 90210 characters|Brandon Walsh]] ([[Jason Priestley]]) in ''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]''. The latter reunited her with former ''[[Loving (TV series)|Loving]]''/''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' co-star [[Luke Perry]].<ref name=wonderland/><ref name=AWimdb/> Throughout the 1990s, Wilson had several episodic guest spots on television, including ''[[One West Waikiki]]'', ''[[Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1996 TV series)|Mr. & Mrs. Smith]]'', ''High Tide'' (starring [[Rick Springfield]]), ''[[The Tony Danza Show (1997 TV series)|The Tony Danza Show]]'', and ''[[V.I.P. (American TV series)|V.I.P.]]'' (with [[Pamela Anderson Lee]] and [[Jay Leno]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
In 1998, Wilson had a role in the movie ''[[Small Soldiers]]'', directed by [[Joe Dante]]. From 1996 to 1999, Wilson was additionally involved in a string of made-for-television movies: ''If Looks Could Kill'' (alongside [[Antonio Sabato Jr.]]), ''[[The Second Civil War]]'' (with [[Beau Bridges]] and [[James Earl Jones]], and also directed by Dante), ''[[The Christmas Wish (film)|The Christmas Wish]]'' (opposite [[Neil Patrick Harris]] and [[Debbie Reynolds]]), and ''In My Sister's Shadow'' (co-starring [[Janet Leigh]]).{{citation needed|date=November 2016}}
Wilson's performances in the early 2000s included guest appearances in the television shows ''[[Any Day Now (TV series)|Any Day Now]]'', ''[[First Monday]]'', and [[Larry David]]'s ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]''. She has since starred in independent features, namely the 2002 neo-noir ''Ocean Park'' (in the dual role of twins Jo and Davia), [[Bradford Tatum]]'s crime thriller ''[[Salt (2006 film)|Salt]]'' (2006), and the [[Kickstarter]]-funded ''[[Life Inside Out]]'' in 2013.<ref name=AWimdb/>
===Personal life=== A dog owner, she once adopted a [[Spuds MacKenzie]] look-alike from the [[ASPCA]].<ref name=kirtland/> She is a history buff, and [[World War II]] is her favorite subject.<ref name=homefront/>
''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' co-star [[Allison Hossack]] was Wilson's roommate in the early 1990s in [[New York City]].<ref name=homefront/> She later shared a two-bedroom [[Hollywood Hills]] apartment with [[Sharon Lawrence]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Gliatto|first1=Tom|title=Once in Love with Andy|url=http://www.people.com/people/mobile/article/0,,20104148,00.html|website=[[People (magazine)|People]]|date=October 17, 1994}}</ref> Wilson is also good friends with ''[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]]'' co-star [[Jessica Steen]] and has stayed in touch with ''Another World'''s Matt Crane after leaving the show.<ref name=homefront/>
== Filmography ==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Movie ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1998 |''[[Small Soldiers]]'' |Ms. Kegel | |- |2006 |''[[Salt (2006 film)|Salt]]'' |Phoebe | |- |2009 |''Ocean Park'' |Jolette Delacroix / Davia Delacroix | |- |2013 |''[[Life Inside Out]]'' |Vicky | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- |1984 |''[[Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer (1984 TV series)|Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer]]'' |Sally |"Too Young to Die" |- |1986 |''[[Spenser: For Hire]]'' |Chrissy Pierce |"At the River's Edge" |- |1987 |''[[As the World Turns]]'' |Sage Holland |Recurring role |- |1987–1989 |''[[Loving (TV series)|Loving]]'' |April Hathaway |TV series |- |1988–1991 |''[[Another World (TV series)|Another World]]'' |Josephine Anne 'Josie' Watts |Main role<ref>{{cite web|title=Alexandra Wilson|url=http://www.tv.com/m/people/alexandra-wilson/|website=[[TV.com]]|access-date=July 15, 2015|archive-date=July 15, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715221241/http://www.tv.com/m/people/alexandra-wilson/|url-status=dead}}</ref> |- |1991–92 |''[[Homefront (U.S. TV series)|Homefront]]'' |Sarah Brewer |Main role (season 1)<Br>'''Won''' – [[18th People's Choice Awards]] for Favorite New Dramatic Series |- |1992 |''[[Beverly Hills, 90210]]'' |Brooke Alexander |"Sex, Lies and Volleyball/Photo Fini", "Shooting Star/American in Paris", "Castles in the Sand" |- |1992 |''{{sortname|The|Round Table|The Round Table (TV series)}}'' |Kaitlin Cavanaugh |6 episodes (2 unaired)<ref>{{cite book|last1=Brooks|first1=Tim|last2=Marsh|first2=Earle F.|title=Round Table, The|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8KztFy6QYwC&dq=kaitlin+cavanaugh+round+table&pg=PA1176|website=The Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows, 1946-Present|date=June 24, 2009|publisher=Random House Publishing |isbn=9780307483201}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=The Round Table |url=http://epguides.com/RoundTable/ |website=[[epguides]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150715114255/http://epguides.com/RoundTable/ |archivedate=July 15, 2015 }}</ref> |- |1993 |''[[Mighty Morphin Power Rangers]]'' |Marge |"Peace, Love and Woe" |- |1995 |''[[University Hospital (TV series)|University Hospital]]'' |Sam McCormick |Main role |- |1995 |''[[One West Waikiki]]'' | |"Unhappily Ever After" |- |1996 |''If Looks Could Kill'' | |TV film |- |1996 |''[[Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1996 TV series)|Mr. & Mrs. Smith]]'' |Elena Rossini |"The Grape Escape" |- |1997 |''[[High Tide (TV series)|High Tide]]'' |Liddy Parker |"Two Barretts and a Baby" |- |1997 |''{{sortname|The|Second Civil War}}'' |Caroline Dawes |TV film |- |1998 |''{{sortname|The|Tony Danza Show|The Tony Danza Show (1997 TV series)}}'' |Allison Paxton |"Vision Quest" |- |1998 |''{{sortname|The|Christmas Wish}}'' |Julia |TV film |- |1998–99 |''[[Mercy Point]]'' |Dr. Dru Breslauer |Main role |- |1999 |''[[In My Sister's Shadow]]'' |Laurie Connor |TV film |- |1999 |''[[V.I.P. (American TV series)|V.I.P.]]'' |Sharon Carter |"Valma and Louise" |- |2001 |''[[Any Day Now (TV series)|Any Day Now]]'' | |"It's Not Just a Word: Part 1" |- |2002 |''[[First Monday]]'' |Mary Willis |"Strip Search" |- |2002 |''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' |Mary |"Mary, Joseph and Larry" |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|932971}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Alexandra}} [[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American soap opera actresses]] [[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]] [[Category:21st-century American women]]