Merritt Wever
Merritt Wever is an Emmy Award-winning actress recognized for her role as nurse Zoey Barkow in the acclaimed Showtime series "Nurse Jackie," which aired from 2009 to 2015. Born on January 7, 1980, in New York City, Wever's artistic journey began early; she participated in the Metropolitan Opera children's choir and later attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the arts. After graduating high school in 1998, she earned a degree from Sarah Lawrence College in 2002 and began building her career through various film and television roles.
Wever gained prominence for her work in "Nurse Jackie," where her character was notable for her enthusiasm and charm, leading to critical acclaim and an Emmy Award win in 2013 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Throughout her career, she has appeared in significant films such as "Into the Wild" and "Birdman," as well as popular television series like "The Walking Dead" and "Unbelievable." In 2023, she continued to expand her portfolio with roles in the film "Memory" and the Hulu miniseries "Tiny Beautiful Things," for which she received another Emmy nomination. Wever's versatility as an actress has established her as a respected figure in both comedic and dramatic roles.
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Subject Terms
Merritt Wever
Actor
- Born: January 7, 1980
- Place of Birth: New York, New York
Contribution: Merritt Wever is an Emmy Award–winning actor best known for her role as nurse Zoey Barkow in the Showtime medical dramedy Nurse Jackie (2009–15).
Background
Merritt Wever was born in New York City on January 7, 1980. As a child, she sang in the children’s choir of New York’s Metropolitan Opera. She later attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, a prestigious public arts school in Manhattan. Wever began acting while still in high school, obtaining small film and television roles. She graduated from high school in 1998 and attended Sarah Lawrence College, earning her bachelor’s degree in 2002.
Career
While a student at Sarah Lawrence, Wever appeared in various films, including the independent film The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998) and the dark comedy Series 7: The Contenders (2001). Following her graduation, she performed in several Off-Broadway productions, including Brooke Berman’s Smashing and Kate Moira Ryan’s Cavedweller. She made guest appearances in television shows such as The Wire, NCIS, and Law & Order and also acted in a steady stream of independent films, including Bringing Rain (2003), A Hole in One (2004), and 12 and Holding (2005).
Later, Wever appeared in more prominent features, such as the legal drama Michael Clayton (2007), starring George Clooney, and the Sean Penn–directed biographical film Into the Wild (2007). From 2006 to 2007, she played a recurring role in the dramedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, created by veteran television writer Aaron Sorkin. However, the show was canceled after its first season because of low ratings.
After appearing in small roles in several films, Wever returned to television in 2009 with a role in the Showtime medical dramedy Nurse Jackie. Starring Edie Falco, the show focuses on nurse Jackie Peyton and her work and relationships in the emergency room at the fictional All Saints Hospital in New York. Wever played Zoey Barkow, a young rookie nurse whose enthusiasm for learning the ropes of the emergency room continually exasperates Jackie. The character was well received by viewers and quickly became known for her kindness and penchant for wearing cutesy scrubs.
Critics reviewed Nurse Jackie positively upon its premiere, and the show was subsequently picked up for additional seasons. The series was nominated for numerous awards in recognition of its ensemble cast as well as its strong individual performances. For her role in the series, Wever was nominated for the Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series in 2012, and went on to win the award in 2013.
In addition to shooting episodes of Nurse Jackie, Wever continued to work on other projects, appearing in the independent films Greenberg and Tiny Furniture (written and directed by Lena Dunham) in 2010. She also guest starred in an episode of the legal drama The Good Wife and in 2013 had a recurring guest role in the Fox sitcom New Girl, playing Elizabeth, the college girlfriend of Schmidt (Max Greenfield), one of the sitcom’s leads.
While still filming for Nurse Jackie, Wever landed a role in the Academy Award–winning film Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014). Though her role in Nurse Jackie ended with the completion of the series in 2015, she appeared in the film Meadowland and began a recurring role on the long-running AMC series The Walking Dead that same year. After playing Denise Cloyd in the dramatic horror series until 2016, she took on the part of Mary Agnes in the Netflix Western miniseries Godless in 2017. In recognition of her performance as Agnes, she won the 2018 Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. Following this success, she appeared in the films Irreplaceable You, Charlie Says, and Welcome to Marwen in 2018 and Marriage Story in 2019. Also in 2019, she starred in the Netflix miniseries Unbelievable. Wever starred in the dark comedy Run in 2022, but the show was canceled after one season. In 2023, Wever had a role in the film Memory, alongside Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. During the same year, she appeared in seven episodes of the Hulu comedy-drama miniseries Tiny Beautiful Things. Wever played Frankie Pierce, the lead character's dead mother. She was nominated for an Emmy for her performance. It was announced in 2024 that Wever had joined the cast of Gilded Age for its third season. Created by Downton Abbey's Julian Fellowes, Gilded Age takes place in the 1800s. Wever played Monica O'Brien, who does not get along with her sister, Bertha, played by Carrie Coon.
Impact
Wever established herself first as a solid supporting actor in various independent films and then as a skilled comic actor in the popular series Nurse Jackie. Her performance as Zoey earned her significant critical praise as well as opportunities to play a number of high-profile comedic and dramatic roles.
Personal Life
Merritt Wever lives in New York.
Bibliography
Inman, Jessica. "Meritt Wever, Leslie Uggams Join 'Gilded Age' Season 3 Cast." UPI, 12 Aug. 2024, www.upi.com/Entertainment‗News/TV/2024/08/12/gilded-age-Merritt-Wever-Leslie-Uggams/9581723487075/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.
Lyons, Margaret. “Merritt Wever Heading Back to New Girl.” Vulture. New York Media, 25 July 2013. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Maerz, Melissa. “Merritt Wever Brings Undoctored Flair to Nurse Jackie.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, 29 Mar. 2011. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Manning-Schaffel, Vivian. "Meritt Wever Learns the Hard Way--And She's Okay with That." Shondaland, 14 Apr. 2023, www.shondaland.com/inspire/a43570358/merritt-wever-tiny-beautiful-things/. Accessed 17 Sept. 2024.
Wever, Merritt. “A Conversation with Nurse Jackie’s Merritt Wever.” Interview by Julie Miller. Movieline. PMC, 19 Mar. 2010. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Wever, Merritt. “Merritt Wever: Nurse Zoey May Have Secrets of Her Own.” Interview by Jackie Strause. New York Post. NYP Holdings, 6 Aug. 2009. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.
Wever, Merritt. “Nurse Jackie Star Says Lots of Changes Are Coming for Nurse Zoe!” Interview by Jarett Wieselman. New York Post. NYP Holdings, 4 Mar. 2010. Web. 15 Aug. 2013.