Kristen Johnston (born September 20, 1967) is an American stage, film and television actress. She may be most famous for her role in the television series 3rd Rock from the Sun. She also starred as Wilma Flintstone in the sequel to the first movie adaption of The Flintstones. Johnston is also known for her tall 6'1" frame.
Johnston was born in Washington, DC and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she graduated from Whitefish Bay High School, although she spent much of her teens as an exchange student in Sweden and South America. She earned a B.F.A. degree in drama at New York University.
Johnson made her professional stage debut with New York's Atlantic Theater Company founded by playwright David Mamet. During her association with the company she appeared in such productions as As You Like It, Girl's Talk, Stage Door, Author's Voice, Portrait of a Woman, and Rosemary for Remembrance.
In addition, she performed with the Naked Angels Theatre Company in The Stand-In and Hot Keys, and with New York Stage and Film in Kim's Sister with David Strathairn and Jane Adams.
For her performance in The Lights at Lincoln Center Theatre, Johnston was nominated for a Drama Desk Award as Best Supporting Actress. The show brought her to the attention of a Carsey-Werner television executive. After numerous auditions for 3rd Rock from the Sun, she won the role of "Sally Solomon", the alien security officer posing as a sexy, female human in Ohio. She appeared in the series from 1996 through 2001 with John Lithgow, Jane Curtin, French Stewart and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Johnston was nominated for three consecutive years for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sally, winning in 1997 and 1999.
Johnston made her feature film debut in The Debt, winner of Best Short at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival. In 1995, she played Kate in Backfire. Other television credits include guest-starring roles on the series Chicago Hope, Hearts Afire, and The Five Mrs. Buchanans. She was also the narrator in Microscopic Milton on the Disney Channel.
In 1998, she was a spokesmodel for Clairol as well as appearing on the Bad Religion's No Substance album cover .
In the fall of 2005, Johnston joined the cast of NBC's ER.
