Sarah Anne Wayne Callies is an American actress who played Sara Tancredi in the Fox television
series Prison Break and Lori Grimes in AMC's The Walking Dead.
Early life Callies was born in La Grange, Illinois, the
daughter of Valerie Wayne, a professor of English, and David E. Callies, a law professor.
Callies moved to Honolulu, Hawaii with her family when she was one.
Her parents are professors at the University of Hawaii, Manoa.
Throughout her youth, she expressed an interest in acting through participating in various
school plays at the independent Punahou School.
After graduating from high school, she entered Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire.
In conjunction with her studies, she continued her involvement in theatre.
She continued her education at Denver's National Theater Conservatory, where she obtained her
Master of Fine Arts degree in 2002.
Career
Callies' first role on television was as Kate O'Malley, a recurring part on the short-lived
CBS show Queens Supreme.
Her first starring role was as Detective Jane Porter on The WB's Tarzan.
After making various guest appearances on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Dragnet,
and NUMB3RS, Callies gained a starring role on Fox's Prison Break as Sara Tancredi.
Her role lasted from 2005 through 2009.
According to Prison Break's executive producer Matt Olmstead, although he, the writers, the
network, and Callies herself all wanted her to stay on the show the character was written
out related to contract disputes.
She stated through a spokesperson to TV Guide in Fall 2007:
"As hard as we all tried, the Prison Break powers that be and I were unable to find a
way to meet both the needs of the story and the needs of my family.
We parted wishing each other well.
I had a wonderful time working with the creative team and have a world of respect for all of
them; they took great care of Sara.
I'm also enormously grateful to the fans.
They've been so gracious and supportive, and I hope they continue to enjoy the show."
However, in March 2008, Olmstead stated that the character of Sara is still alive and would
return in Season 4 of Prison Break.
Though the character Sara Tancredi appeared to have a violent death, Olmstead stated "...we
realized that there was actually a way she could still be alive."
When asked by Kirstin of E! whether the fans' overwhelming response to her death had factored
in, Executive Producer Matt Olmstead admitted it had indeed influenced the decision.
Callies has also starred in two feature films - Universal Pictures' Whisper and an independent
film, The Celestine Prophecy.
In April 2010, she appeared on the Fox Television drama House M.D.
as a patient of the week, whose open marriage fascinates House and the team.
She portrayed Lori Grimes in the AMC horror/drama series The Walking Dead, based on the comic
book series of the same name, until season three.
Callies played one of the female lead roles in the upcoming Canadian thriller Faces in
the Crowd.
In August 2010, Callies' first screenplay, an adaptation of Campbell Geeslin's children's
book Elena's Serenade, was optioned by producer Cameron Lamb and Canadian production company
The Film Farm.
Callies starred in the Nigerian movie Black Gold.
Personal life On July 21, 2002, Callies married Josh Winterhalt,
whom she met at Dartmouth College.
Winterhalt is a martial arts teacher.
On January 23, 2007, her publicist announced that the couple were expecting their first
child.
In July 2007, Callies gave birth to a girl, Keala Winterhalt.
She is close friends with Prison Break co-star Wentworth Miller, saying "I have the great
privilege of working opposite someone who is also a great friend.
That's something that makes my work easier, it makes my time on set more fun and I think
it makes the work better".
She was voted one of Maxim's "The Hottest Women of Fall TV '08."
Filmography Film
Television Video games
Awards and nominations References
External links Sarah Wayne Callies at the Internet Movie
Database Sarah Wayne Callies talks to theTVaddict.com