Katherine McNamara

Katherine McNamara, born on November 22, 1995, is an American actress. She gained recognition for her role as Clary Fray in the supernatural drama television series Shadowhunters from 2016 to 2019, for which she received accolades including a Teen Choice Award and a People's Choice Award. In 2022, she took on the lead role in the western action series Walker: Independence, portraying Abby Walker, a performance that garnered her a nomination for Best Actress in an Action Series at the Critics Choice Super Awards.


McNamara also appeared as Mia Smoak in the superhero series Arrow and starred as Julie Lawry in the post-apocalyptic miniseries The Stand. Among her notable film credits are Lily Bowman in the 2011 romantic comedy New Year's Eve, Rosa in the 2015 drama A Sort of Homecoming, Sonya in the dystopian science fiction film series Maze Runner, and Amy in the 2021 thriller Trust.

McNamara hails from Kansas City, Missouri, and is the only child of Ursula and Evan McNamara, a former member of the U.S. military. Her upbringing primarily took place in Lee's Summit, Missouri. In 2011, she relocated to Los Angeles, California.
During her formative years, McNamara demonstrated advanced capabilities in specific academic areas, leading to a combination of traditional schooling and homeschooling.


Remarkably, she attained her high school diploma at the remarkable age of 14. Subsequently, at just 17 years old, McNamara graduated summa cum laude from Drexel University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, completing a significant portion of her coursework through online platforms. Additionally, in July 2017, she disclosed her enrollment in an online master's degree program in literature at Johns Hopkins University.

McNamara embarked on her acting journey on stage in her hometown of Kansas City. She then ventured into motion picture productions filmed in the area, such as Matchmaker Mary in 2008 and the short film "Get Off My Porch". In 2010, she graced the Broadway stage in the revival of A Little Night Music alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury. Her television career began with guest appearances in series like Law & Order: SVU, 30 Rock, and Drop Dead Diva. McNamara's early film roles include New Year's Eve and the Disney Channel original movie Girl vs. Monster, where she portrayed Myra Santelli. She also appeared in independent films Contest and A Sort of Homecoming.


McNamara's television presence expanded with recurring roles in Disney XD's Kickin' It and Disney Channel's Jessie. Additionally, she guest-starred in Nickelodeon's The Thundermans. She secured a role in the MTV series Happyland as Harper Munroe. McNamara's stint on The Fosters as Kat in its third season further showcased her versatility.


In May 2015, McNamara landed the lead role of Clary Fray in Shadowhunters, an adaptation of Cassandra Clare's The Mortal Instruments series. She also appeared in The Maze Runner film sequels as Sonya. Later, she joined the seventh season of Arrow as Mia Smoak, eventually becoming a series regular for its final season and being considered for a spin-off.
In October 2019, McNamara portrayed Julie Lawry in the CBS All Access limited series adaptation of Stephen King's The Stand. She also ventured into film projects, joining Charlie Day's Fool's Paradise and participating in Untitled Horror Movie during the COVID-19 pandemic.


McNamara's recent endeavors include starring in the Amazon Prime film Sugar and taking on the lead role in the pilot for Walker: Independence. Additionally, she joined the cast of the film Jade and embarked on a Shadowhunters rewatch podcast titled Return to the Shadows with co-star Dominic Sherwood.


Throughout her career, McNamara has demonstrated her musical talents by contributing songs to movies and television series in which she has appeared. Notably, she wrote and performed "Chatter" for Contest, even appearing in a music video for the song. Another original composition, "My Heart Can Fly", was featured in the film Little Savages. Additionally, McNamara sang "Wait for You", featured as the end credits song in A Sort of Homecoming, and "Stay True", the end credits song for R.L. Stine's Monsterville: Cabinet of Souls. Her song "Ember" was also showcased in an episode of Shadowhunters.


In December 2019, McNamara lent her voice to singer Sally Jessup in the animated Christmas special episode of the DreamWorks series Spirit Riding Free, titled "Spirit of Christmas". She also provided vocals for several songs featured in the special.
Expanding her musical repertoire, McNamara released "What Do We Got to Lose" on digital music platforms in November 2020, followed by "Making a Monster Out of Me" in December 2020. On Valentine's Day 2021, she released "Love Me Like That". These songs, recorded several years prior, reflect McNamara's dedication to building a diverse music portfolio alongside her acting career.

McNamara has been actively involved in various philanthropic endeavors, particularly in anti-bullying efforts, drawing from her own experiences of childhood bullying. She has also dedicated her time to working with the Lollipop Theater Network, offering support to children facing serious illnesses while confined to hospitals.


In 2017, McNamara contributed to the United Nations Girl Up program by recording the song "Glass Slipper" as part of a charity campaign. She further supported the cause by creating a t-shirt featuring lyrics from the song. Additionally, she participated in the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend in 2018 and 2019, aiding in fundraising efforts for the Kansas City Children's Mercy Hospital.


Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, McNamara demonstrated her commitment to global relief efforts by releasing the song "Just Like James," originally recorded in 2014. Proceeds from the song's sales were directed to the World Health Organization (WHO) for COVID-19 relief, with Google generously matching funds from sales during the initial 30 days.
Furthermore, in May 2020, McNamara took part in a live-reading adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice with Acting for a Cause, showcasing her ongoing dedication to charitable initiatives and community involvement.

References

1.  Julie Miller (September 15, 2016). "Meet the Breakout Bunch". Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
2. ^ Lambert, Brent (November 5, 2018). "Cover Story Kat McNamara". Bello Mag. West Hollywood, California: BELLO Media Group. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
3. a b c Michael Ausiello (September 21, 2018). "Arrow Season 7: Shadowhunters' Katherine McNamara Joins Cast". TVLine. Archived from the original on September 22, 2018. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
4. a b c Matt Mitovich (February 11, 2019). "Inside Arrow's Blackstar Reveal: How Can It Be True? Why That Last Name? Any Chance for a Family Reunion?". TVLine. Retrieved February 12, 2019.
5. a b c Steve Walker (December 2, 2010). "Lee's Summit Teen Reflects on Broadway Debut". KCUR-FM. Archived from the original on February 4, 2016. Retrieved March 4, 2016.
6. a b Robert Trussell (October 19, 2013). "Lee's Summit native Katherine McNamara's star is on the rise". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on June 22, 2017. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
7. ^ Rob Owen (January 11, 2016). "Kansas City's Katherine McNamara takes the lead in new sci-fi TV series Shadowhunters". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
8. ^ Katherine McNamara (March 18, 2015). "Embrace your brains — ladies, don't be afraid to show your smarts". HelloGiggles. Archived from the original on July 22, 2016.
9. ^ Sari Cohen (June 4, 2018). "Hollywood Darling – Katherine McNamara". Inlovemag.com. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
10. ^ Katherine McNamara on Earning Her Masters and Talks Shadow Hunters Love Triangle. KTLA 5. July 5, 2017. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via YouTube.
11. ^ "Kansas City's Katherine McNamara takes the lead in new sci-fi TV series 'Shadowhunters'". The Kansas City Star. January 11, 2016. Archived from the original on January 13, 2016.
12. ^ "A Christmas Story, The Musical at Kansas City Rep". Playbill.
13. ^ "Filmography". KCfilmoffice.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
14. ^ "SenoReality Announces a New Short Film, Get Off My Porch, and Sends New Nailbiter Photos". Dread Central. December 16, 2009.