A native of Orlando, Florida, Ms. Bearse was raised in Winter Park, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia. Introduced to acting through school and community theater programs, she eventually moved to New York to pursue a professional acting career.
Ms. Bearse was known to millions of television viewers as Amanda Cousins from the daytime drama "All My Children." She has also appeared in the television film "First Affair" and the ABC series "Hotel."
Her feature film credits include "Protocol," with Goldie Hawn, and "Fright Night," with Chris Sarandon and Roddy McDowall. She also appeared with Vanna White in the telefilm "Goddess of Love" for NBC.
On stage, she has performed in off-Broadway productions of "St. Joan," "Wilderness" and "This Property Is Condemned." Ms. Bearse studied acting with Sanford Meisner in New York and directing at the American Film Institute and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
Ms. Bearse is the first member of the cast to direct episodes of "Married." She has also directed other television shows including "The Crew" and "Simon."
Ms. Bearse and her daughter, Zoe, reside in Los Angeles and spend their time together swimming and playing with a menagerie of pets.