# Cheryl Shepard

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{{short description|American actress based in Germany}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Cheryl Shepard
| birth_date    = {{Birth date|df=yes|1966|02|05}}
| birth_place   = [New York City](/source/New_York_City), United States
| image         = Cheryl Shepard (2).jpg
| caption       = Shepard in 2017
| occupation    = [Actress](/source/Actress)
}}

'''Heidi Cheryl Shepard''' (born 5 February 1966 in [New York City](/source/New_York_City)) is an American actress based in [Germany](/source/Germany).  She gained fame through her role in German [television series](/source/Television_program) ''[Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast](/source/Hinter_Gittern_%E2%80%93_Der_Frauenknast)'' ("Behind Bars - the Women's Prison") between 1997 and 2000. From 2003 to 2015, she appeared in [hospital drama](/source/Medical_drama) ''[In aller Freundschaft](/source/In_aller_Freundschaft)'' ("In All Friendliness").

== Life and career ==
Shepard's family moved to [Switzerland](/source/Switzerland) when she was four years old, where she grew up in [Basel](/source/Basel), [Bern](/source/Bern) and [Zürich](/source/Z%C3%BCrich). She attended [drama school](/source/drama_school) in Zürich, graduating in 1986. She gained stage experience at the [Staatstheater Stuttgart](/source/Staatstheater_Stuttgart) and the [Nationaltheater Mannheim](/source/Nationaltheater_Mannheim).<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mdr.de/in-aller-freundschaft/rollen-darsteller/artikel52784.html|title=In aller freundschaft: Rollen & Darsteller: Cheryl Shepard|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150818095857/http://www.mdr.de/in-aller-freundschaft/rollen-darsteller/artikel52784.html|archive-date=18 August 2015|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 1990, she moved to the [Lake Constance](/source/Lake_Constance) area, where she oriented herself more towards film and television. She moved to [Leipzig](/source/Leipzig) in 2007, where she still lives.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.superillu.de/leute/Cheryl_Shepard_761833.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130212043934/http://www.superillu.de/leute/Cheryl_Shepard_761833.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-02-12|title=Cheryl Shepard: Das Gefühl Ostsee {{!}} SUPERillu besuchte die TV-Ärztin an der Ostsee|work=SUPERillu.de|access-date=2017-05-23|language=de}}</ref>

In 1997, she played her first major role in a television series, appearing in 80 [episode](/source/episode)s of ''Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast'', playing Susanne Teubner, a character who killed her husband in a [crime of passion](/source/crime_of_passion). From 2003 to 2015, she played [plastic surgeon](/source/Plastic_surgery) and [urologist](/source/Urology) Dr Elena Eichhorn in ''In aller Freundschaft''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.t-online.de/unterhaltung/tv/id_70448506/-in-aller-freundschaft-star-cheryl-shepard-kann-gut-kellnern-.html|title='In aller Freundschaft'-Star Cheryl Shepard 'kann gut kellnern'|work=www.t-online.de|access-date=2017-05-23}}</ref> Following that, she struggled to find new roles and filed for [bankruptcy](/source/bankruptcy). On 31 July 2015, she opened a [café](/source/Coffeehouse), ''Cheryl's Café'', in Leipzig,<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bunte.de/tv-show/tv-serie-dieser-aller-freundschaft-star-ist-pleite-124474.html|title=TV-Serie: Dieser "In aller Freundschaft"-Star ist pleite!|work=BUNTE.de|access-date=2017-05-23|language=de}}</ref> but she had already closed the business by April 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bild.de/regional/leipzig/cheryl-shepard/ex-iaf-star-schmeisst-hin-45075440.bild.html|title=Neues Café schon dicht! {{!}} Ex-IaF-Star Cheryl Shepard schmeißt hin|work=BILD.de|access-date=2017-05-23|language=de}}</ref> Between May 2016 and April 2017, she played a leading role in the 13th season of [telenovela](/source/telenovela) ''[Rote Rosen](/source/Rote_Rosen)'' ("Red Roses").

She supports causes advocating cultural awareness and is an active member of the charity ''Hand in Hand International e.V. – Verein für Begegnung und Zusammenarbeit''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hih-international.de/mitglieder/shepard_cheryl.htm|title=HAND IN HAND International e.V. - Cheryl Shepard|last=Schnell|first=Shaul Grünstein & Jan-Patrick|website=www.hih-international.de|access-date=2017-05-23}}</ref>

Shepard has been married to German actor Nikolaus Okonkwo since 2006. They have a biological son and two adopted children. She also has two adult daughters from her first marriage.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.bild.de/regional/leipzig/cheryl-shepard/wie-sie-zu-fuenf-kindern-kam-43028050.bild.html|title=Familienzuwachs beim Ex-IaF-Star Cheryl Shepard|work=BILD.de|access-date=2017-05-23|language=de}}</ref>

== Selected filmography ==
* 1990: [Mit Leib und Seele](/source/Mit_Leib_und_Seele_(TV_series)) (TV series, episode 2x05)
* 1997: [Freunde fürs Leben](/source/Freunde_f%C3%BCrs_Leben) (TV series)
* 1997: Der Mordsfilm (TV series, 3 episodes)
* 1997–2000: [Hinter Gittern – Der Frauenknast](/source/Hinter_Gittern_%E2%80%93_Der_Frauenknast) (TV series, 80 episodes)
* 2001: {{ill|Ein Vater zum Verlieben|de}} (TV film)
* 2002: [Nesthocker – Familie zu verschenken](/source/Nesthocker_%E2%80%93_Familie_zu_verschenken) (TV series, episodes 3x04–3x05)
* 2002: [Sternenfänger](/source/Sternenf%C3%A4nger) (TV series, 26 episodes)
* 2003: {{Ill|In Search of an Impotent Man|de|Suche impotenten Mann fürs Leben}}
* 2003–2015: [In aller Freundschaft](/source/In_aller_Freundschaft) (TV series, 483 episodes)
* 2008: Der Arzt vom Wörthersee (TV series, episodes 1x03–1x04)
* 2010: [Stuttgart Homicide](/source/Stuttgart_Homicide) (TV series, episode 1x06)
* 2011: {{Interlanguage link multi|In aller Freundschaft: Was wirklich zählt|de|3=Was wirklich zählt|lt=In aller Freundschaft: Was wirklich zählt}} (feature film)
* 2015: {{Ill|Bluewater: Nightmare in Paradise|de|Blauwasserleben}} (TV film)
* 2016–2017: [Rote Rosen](/source/Rote_Rosen) (telenovela, 199 episodes)

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shepard, Cheryl}}
Category:American actresses
Category:American expatriate actresses in Germany
Category:1966 births
Category:Living people
Category:21st-century American women

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cheryl Shepard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Shepard) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheryl_Shepard?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.