Wendie Malick (born December 13, 1950) is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles in various television comedies. She starred as Judith Tupper Stone in the HBO sitcom Dream On, and as Nina Van Horn in the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me!, for which she was nominated for two Primetime Emmys and a Golden Globe Award. She also starred as Victoria Chase in the TV Land comedy series Hot in Cleveland. She is also known for her recurring role as Gayle Buchannon on Baywatch as well as Ronee Lawrence on the final season of Frasier. Malick also played many character roles in films, including Scrooged, The American President, Racing Stripes, and Confessions of a Shopaholic, has made over 50 guest appearances on television shows, primarily on comedies, starred in a number of made for television movies, and works as a voice actress, playing Eda Clawthorne on the Disney Channel animated series The Owl House. Early life Malick was born on December 13, 1950 in Buffalo, New York, the daughter of Gigi, a former model, and Kenneth Malick (1920–2021), who worked in sales. Her paternal grandfather, Ayad Malick was an Egyptian from a Coptic Christian family who met her grandmother Sarah Belle Float, a Pentecostal missionary in 1913. Her other ancestry is French, German, and English. She graduated from Williamsville South High School in 1968. Malick is an alumna of the William Esper Studio for the performing arts in Manhattan, New York City. Career Early career After graduating from Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, in 1972, Malick began fashion modeling for the Wilhelmina modeling agency. She left to work for Republican Congressman Jack Kemp. She soon left Washington, D.C., to pursue a career in stage and screen. She began working as an actress in 1982 in the film A Little Sex. In same year, Malick auditioned for the role of Diane Chambers in the NBC sitcom Cheers, but lost the part. She later was cast as a regular in ABC medical drama series Trauma Center. The series was cancelled after a single season. In 1986, Malick guest starred as Cecile's henchwoman in the 5,559th episode of Another World. In the late 1980s, Malick began her career in television comedies. She had a recurring role on Kate & Allie as Allie's ex-husband's new wife and played a supporting role in the 1988 film Scrooged as Bill Murray's