Debra Christofferson

Character actress Debra Christofferson says that she grew up wanting to create the magic that she saw on screen in "Star Wars" in the late 1970s, and through her work in dozens of television and big-screen productions, she has fulfilled her dream, memorably on HBO's "Carnivàle." Christofferson derailed her plans to become a New York stage actress after seeing George Lucas's legendary sci-fi trilogy. She headed to Los Angeles, where, after working as a legal secretary, she began getting guest spots on such mid-1980s prime-time dramas as "Knots Landing." Christofferson carried on with brief TV appearances until her portrayal of the sexually harassing Geri Turner on the police procedural "NYPD Blue." Her performance was so strong that she was kept on for six episodes, and she soon left her day job to pursue acting full-time. Once Christofferson got the exposure she needed in Hollywood, doors quickly began to open for her, with parts on dozens of primetime dramas and soon in films, including the tense mother-daughter feature "White Oleander." It was in 2003 that Daniel Knauf cast Christofferson as bearded lady Lila in his harrowing Dust Bowl-era drama "Carnivàle" on HBO. Though the show ran for only two seasons, it was Christofferson's biggest role yet, and it continues to have a strong cult following. After "Carnivàle" ended, Christofferson continued working on TV, memorably on the drug-dealer comedy "Weeds," and as Kay Vickers on the psychic-themed procedural show "The Mentalist."