Katherine Kelly Lang
ON SOAP OPERA DIGEST AND WEEKLY ONLINE
SOAP STAR STATS
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B)
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Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B)
— CBS
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Vital Statistics
- Birthday:
- July 25
- Birthplace:
- Hollywood, CA
- Marital Status:
- Skott Snider (1989-95); Alex D'Andrea (1997-present)
- Children:
- Jeremy (b. September, 1990) and Julian (b. October, 1992 from her first marriage, and daughter Zoe (b. May, 1997) with D'Andrea
The 411
A horse enthusiast since childhood, the California-born Katherine Kelly Lang seemed more destined to become a professional equestrienne or veterinarian than an accomplished actress. But fate intervened when the blond-haired beauty (you know, the kind The Beach Boys sang about) graduated from Beverly Hills High School and was hired as an extra for the feature film Skatetown, U.S.A. The producers plucked Lang out of the background and cast her instead as the girlfriend of the leading man.
A few episodic TV guest-starring turns, movie roles and music-video appearances later, Lang was cast in 1987 as Brooke on B&B, which was then a glitzy, new daytime drama from the creators of YOUNG AND RESTLESS. Brooke, an ambitious but compassionate young chemist determined to rise above her blue-collar roots, quickly became the heroine to watch. Though her choices have been both dubious and distinctive through the years (marrying three men from the same family, taking over a fashion dynasty and giving birth to her son-in-law's baby), she remains one of daytime's most memorable roles.
During down time from B&B and motherhood, Lang likes to keep active with tennis, jogging, dance classes (ballet and jazz), wind surfing, mountain biking and horseback riding. She not only owns several horses, but also competes in cross-country endurance races. Because of B&B's global popularity, Lang is also in demand for modeling and commercial gigs throughout Europe.
Residing in the L.A. area (not far from co-star John McCook, Eric) with her family, Lang has received several Soap Opera Digest nominations, for Outstanding Lead Actress (2003), Outstanding Heroine (2001, 1991), Hottest Soap Couple (with Ronn Moss, Ridge, 1995) and Hottest Female Star (1993).
Et Cetera
—Lang was born Katherine Kelly Wegeman.
—Her parents are Judith Lang, a movie and TV actress, and the late Keith Wegeman, an Olympic long-jump skier who portrayed the Jolly Green Giant in the memorable TV commercials during the 1960s and '70s.
— Lang's close pals (including cast and crew at B&B) call her Kelly.
— Lang is one of B&B's four original cast members (along with Susan Flannery, Stephanie; McCook and Moss).
—At the invitation of the Sheik of Qatar, Lang and her horse placed third in the International Desert Marathon in 1996.
Other Roles
Other Soap Roles
YOUNG AND RESTLESS (Gretchen, 1981)
Guest-Starring TV Roles
LONESOME DOVE: THE OUTLAW YEARS (Enona, 1996)
MAGNUM, P.I. (Lani, 1987)
1ST & TEN (1986, 1985)
THE FALL GUY (1986)
CRAZY LIKE A FOX (1985)
LEGMEN (Helen, 1984)
HAPPY DAYS (Kim, 1984)
RIPTIDE (1984)
MASQUERADE (Donna, 1983)
THE POWERS OF MATTHEW STAR (Terri, 1983)
TV Movie Roles
SUBLIMINAL SEDUCTION (Deb, 1996)
MR. BOOGEDY (Widow Marian, 1986)
THE LAST PRECINCT (1986)
DESPERATE LIVES (Mary, 1982)
Film Roles
Till the End of the Night (Diana, 1994)
Made in USA (Kelly, 1987)
Delta Fever (Jillian, 1987)
Jocks (Julie, 1987)
The Night Stalker (Denise, 1987)
Evilspeak (Suzie, 1981)
Skatetown, U.S.A. (Allison, 1979)
Memorable Quotes
THE LANG AND SHORT OF IT
"I think it would be hard to still be here if I didn't have my family. If I didn't have kids, I think I would be more anxious to move on."—Soap Opera Digest, 6/22/93
"I don't know how to put Brooke into words. She's very passionate and smart in business. She gets hung up on that love thing and that's why she makes her mistakes. Overall, I think she's a good person, but sometimes she'll act before she thinks."—Digest, 3/7/00
"For some reason, reaching the 10-year mark seemed hard for me. Once I was past that, the time has gone by quickly."—On her long B&B tenure, Digest, 3/11/03
YOU SHOULD HEAR WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT YOU! "To really know Katherine, you must not look at Brooke. One is the antithesis of the other. Brooke's beauty needs skilled makeup artists — every hair must be cajoled and starched into submission. Katherine's beauty is simple — it needs no help. It starts deep on the inside, somewhere near her wonderful lightheartedness, and it works its way past skin-level to leave its impression in each of our smiles." —Ronn Moss (Ridge), Digest, 11/25/97
"I thought she was a total bitch when I first met her, but she was pregnant and her hormones were blazing. I went up to her and said, ‘We have the same agent.' Then she snapped back,'No, we don't!' So I didn't like her at all. Then, when we started working together, I found out how sweet and funny she really is. Now she's one of my all-time favorite people I've ever met." —Winsor Harmon (Thorne), Digest, 2/28/06
"Why Katherine can't get nominated, I do not know." —Susan Flannery (Stephanie) on her co-star being overlooked year after year at Emmy time, Digest, 6/6/06
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