Cady McClain
Cady McClain Biography
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About Cady McClain
Cady McClain, born Katie Jo McClain on October 13, 1969, in Burbank, California, grew up in Southern California, moving through Laguna Niguel, Newport Beach, Irvine, and Los Angeles. Raised in a supportive family, little is known about her parents or early life, though she has one sister, Molly McClain. Her passion for performing arts emerged early, leading to a career that spans acting, singing, writing, and directing. She is of American ethnicity and has no documented aliases, consistently using her given name professionally.
McClain began acting at age nine with a Band-Aid commercial in 1978, followed by roles in McDonaldâs, Barbie, and Maybelline ads. Her early television work included a recurring role on St. Elsewhere (1983â85) and a guest appearance on Cheers at 16, playing Coachâs niece Joyce. She also appeared in Lou Grant, Spenser: For Hire, and the Emmy-winning TV movie Who Will Love My Children (1983) alongside Ann-Margret. At 17, she moved to New York, performing in the pre-Broadway workshop Happy Birthday and Other Humiliations, which opened doors to theater roles like Adriana in The Comedy of Errors (Hudson Theatre Guild), Hero in Much Ado About Nothing (Lincoln Center), and Cory in Barefoot in the Park.
She is best known for her soap opera roles, winning three Daytime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Juvenile Female for Dixie Cooney on All My Children (1990), Outstanding Supporting Actress for Rosanna Cabot on As the World Turns (2004), and Outstanding Guest Performer for Jennifer Horton on Days of Our Lives (2021). She made history as the first woman to win Emmys for three different characters across three networks. Her other soap roles include Kelly Andrews on The Young and the Restless (2014â15) and Pamela Curtis on Beyond the Gates (2025). She earned eight Emmy nominations, along with Soap Opera Digest Awards for Best Heroine (1991) and Best Couple with Michael E. Knight.
Her film credits include My Favorite Year (1982) with Peter OâToole, Pennies From Heaven (1981), and independent films like Simple Justice (1989), Alma Mater (2008), Retreat (2004), Soldierâs Heart (2008), which won Best Narrative Feature at the GI Film Festival, and Home Movie (2008), which earned a Sitges Film Festival award for Best Direction. McClain also produced and directed, notably the documentary Seeing Is Believing: Women Direct (2017), Angie: Lost Girls (2020), and the short film Butterflies, which won awards at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival. She directed Venice the Series (2017â18, two Emmy nominations), Paint Made Flesh (2018), and Just a Yellow Cab in New York City (2025) at the Chain Theatre Winter One-Act Festival.
Her social media presence includes TikTok, where she shares acting and lifestyle content, Instagram (@cadymcclain, over 12,700 followers), and YouTube, where she posts vlogs and creative work. Her 2006 ABC blog, Confessions of a Mad Soap Star, garnered over 2 million hits.
Standing at 5 feet 2 inches, McClainâs physical appearance is not heavily detailed in sources, and no specific information about her measurements, including breast size, is available. She has no documented tattoos, piercings, or cosmetic surgeries (e.g., breasts, lips, buttocks, nose), maintaining a natural look consistent with her professional image. Fans admire her expressive performances, warm presence, and versatility, often praising her emotional depth in soap operas and her creative energy in directing and writing. Her petite stature and engaging demeanor are frequently noted as part of her appeal.
McClainâs uniqueness lies in her multifaceted careerâacting, directing, producing, and writingâcombined with her advocacy for women in media. She served on the board of The Chimaera Project, supporting female filmmakers, and developed Dreaming Into Art, a workshop to help artists overcome creative blocks. Her education at NYU, SVA, and The New School included studies in literature, fine art, and creative arts therapy, informing her artistic approach. She is also a painter, poet, and musician, releasing poetry books Conversations with the Invisible and Licked (2008), the album Blue Glitter Fish (2006), and a live album, Club Passim (2010). Her audiobook narration of The Girls by Emma Cline won an Earphones Audiophile Award.
She was married to actor Jon Lindstrom from 2014 to 2024, after dating since 2008 and getting engaged in 2012. They have no children, and she is currently single. No major controversies are associated with McClain, though she faced scrutiny for a 2009 interview where she critiqued daytime television, stating she might not return to soaps. She later clarified her commitment to the genre.
Her net worth is estimated at $3 million as of 2021, derived from acting, directing, producing, and writing. She earns through film and television projects, brand collaborations, and her creative workshops. As of June 2025, McClain continues to act, appearing as Pamela Curtis on Beyond the Gates, and directs theater, including The Park and Just a Yellow Cab in New York City. She remains active on social media, engages in charity work with organizations like RARE and the Enterprise Foundation, and serves as Artistic Director of Axial Theatre, where she mentors emerging artists.
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