Crista Flanagan is an American actress, best known for her work as a cast member on the Fox sketch comedy series MADtv from 2005 to 2009, various roles in films made by Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, and her recurring role as Lois Sadler on the AMC series Mad Men.

Crista Flanagan
Born (1976-02-24) February 24, 1976 (age 48)
EducationUniversity of Evansville (BFA)
University of California, Irvine (MFA)
Occupation(s)Actress, comedian
Years active2003–present

Early life

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Flanagan, a native of Mount Vernon, Illinois, is the daughter of Bonnie Jerdon and David Flanagan.[1] She received a bachelor of science in theatre from the University of Evansville and a master of fine arts from the University of California, Irvine, where she sharpened her theatrical skills in plays including Fool for Love, The Time of Our Life, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Marriage of Figaro, and Oklahoma!. Her extensive background in theater led to the development of Flanagan's one-person show titled But wait…I have Impressions!

Career

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MADtv

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Flanagan officially joined the cast of MADtv in 2005 as a featured performer, for the 10th season, then became a repertory cast member at the beginning of the following season. Her frequent impersonations were of Alex Hooser, Ellen Pompeo, Heidi Klum, Patricia Arquette (as Allison DuBois from Medium), Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks, and Miley Cyrus (as herself and as Hannah Montana from the Disney Channel show of the same name).

Crista had a long-standing gag with fellow cast member Bobby Lee, where their behind-the-scenes characters had a love/hate relationship. This relationship can be seen in the "Secret Santa" skit, where Bobby proposes to Crista, to which she replies, "I cannot marry someone I have a restraining order against." This can also be seen in the "Celebrity Triathlon" skit, where Crista slams the door after Bobby asks for her help, and she makes reference to not helping him dig up a dead body, but reluctantly agrees to help him train.

Characters

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Character Sketch Season of first appearance Catch phrase Notes
Christie "QVC: Quacker Factory"
Denise "Jazzed for Crafts"
Luann Lockhart "Luann Lockhart, Stand-up Comedian" Season 10, 2005 "I recently broke up with my boyfriend, but that's okay because he hit me.!
I went to a party and he said, 'Yuck, I thought I smelled you here.'"
(to the audience) "Will you talk to me?'"
Nippy "Clownin' and Krumpin'"
Sally "Sesame Street"
Peggy Partane "Peggy Partane, the Rollerskating Champ" "Dangit!"
Wendy Walker "Three-minute Meal" "Just stop that ticking!"
"Okay, let's get this three-minute meal going!"
"Will you stop that clock while I look for my finger?!"

Impressions

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After MADtv

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After MADtv, Flanagan's most notable television role was the recurring role of Lois Sadler on the drama series Mad Men, on which she appeared for the first three seasons from 2007 to 2009. She has also appeared on Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Practice, and ER, and had a recurring role on You've Got a Friend (TV program). She partnered up with the team behind Ask a Ninja to create a video podcast called Hope is Emo. Flanagan played the role of Hermione Granger in the 2007 film, Epic Movie. She later appeared as Ugly Betty/Oracle in the "sequel" Meet the Spartans, and in Disaster Movie played Juney, a parody of Juno, and Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus. She also appeared in Seltzer and Friedberg's 2010 project, Vampires Suck, as Eden Sullen. With the release of Best Night Ever in 2013, she became the most recurring actress in Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer films. She posed nude in the August 2010 issue of Playboy.[2] She appeared in an episode of Big Time Rush as an evil producer named Kennedy.

Crista plays the title character in Hope Is Emo, an Internet comedy podcast that satirizes the life of a struggling emo girl named Hope. The series was created by Crista and the Ask a Ninja' team at Beatbox Giant Productions.

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 Outpost Sonia Video short
2007 Epic Movie Hermione Granger
2008 Meet the Spartans Oracle / Ugly Betty Look-A-Like
2008 Other Plans Beth Short film
2008 Disaster Movie Juney / Hannah Montana
2010 Vampires Suck Eden
2012 Buried Treasure Waitress Short film
2013 Happy and You Know It Alexis
2013 Best Night Ever Janet
2018 Doubting Thomas Lucy

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2003 ER Pam Episode: "Finders Keepers"
The Practice Marcia Episode: "Les Is More"
2005 Curb Your Enthusiasm Mrs. Seiderman's Nurse Episode: "The Larry David Sandwich"
2005–2009, 2016 MADtv Various Series regular (82 episodes)
2007–2009 Mad Men Lois Sadler Recurring role (9 episodes)
2009 The New Adventures of Old Christine Andrea Episode: "Honey, I Ran Over the Kid"
2009–2010 Hank Dawn Episodes: "Yard Sale", "Hanksgiving", "Hank's Got a Friend"
2010 Brothers & Sisters Stacy Hodges Episode: "The Pasadena Primary"
Big Time Rush Kennedy Episode: "Big Time Live"
2011 Cougar Town Destiny Episode: "Damaged by Love"
2012 Beautiful People Lisa TV film
2013 Last Man Standing Miss Clevenger Episode: "The Fight"
2 Broke Girls Catherine Episode: "And the Kitty Kitty Spank Spank"
Key & Peele Margot Episode: "3.8"
You're Whole Donna Episode: "Lemonade/Fishing/Cupcakes"
Garden Apartments Crista TV film
The Sticks Rita
2013–2014 Hello Ladies Marion Recurring role (4 episodes)
2013–2014 Trophy Wife Ms. Wickersham Episodes: "Russ Bradley Morrison", "The Punisher"
2014 Mom Beth Episode: "Chicken Nuggets and a Triple Homicide"
Dr. Brown Gemma TV film
2015 Marry Me Libby Berman Episodes: "Test Me", "Friend Me"
Grey's Anatomy Andrea Episode: "With or Without You"
Workaholics Woman's Studies Professor Episode: "Dorm Daze"
Clipped Rhonda Doyle Recurring role (8 episodes)
Club 5150 Angela 4 episodes
2016 Love Loud Nasal Girl Episode: "The Date"
The Grinder Professor Danforth Episode: "From the Ashes"
2017 Disjointed Woman Episode: "Olivia's S***balls"
2018 Grace and Frankie Katie Episode: "The Home"
G.P.A Jen Holland 4 episodes
The News Tank Kirsten Flannery 5 episodes
2019 I'm Sorry Michelle Episode: "Little House in the Prairie"
The Resident Nurse Sharon Colby Episode: "If Not Now, When ?"
2020 Dirty John Dr. Katherine Difrancesca Episode: "Perception is Reality"

References

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  1. ^ SOUTHERN, KRISTEN CATES THE (February 5, 2005). "MOUNT VERNON NATIVE JOINS 'MADTV' CAST".
  2. ^ Starpulse, "'Mad Men's' Crista Flanagan Gets Naked For Playboy" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine, July 15, 2010
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