First Lady

The First Lady, known simply as Abbey, has been married to Josiah Bartlet for over thirty years. She is the only person that can get in his face and give him the reality check he often needs. With a medical degree from Harvard University, Abbey is licensed in both thoracic surgery and internal medicine. On top of that, and mothering her three grown daughters, she is also an adjunct Professor of Thoracic Surgery at Harvard Medical School and on the staffs of both Boston Mercy Hospital and Columbia Presbyterian. She is spiritual (and has been known to use the Ouija board), but not as devoutly religious as her husband.

The multi-talented, versatile Stockard Channing returns once again to the hit drama, "The West Wing" in her Emmy Award-winning role as First Lady Abigail Bartlet.
With two Emmy Awards plus nine nominations, an Oscar nomination, two SAG Awards, and two SAG Award nominations, Stockard Channing is one of America's most well respected, hardest working actresses of our time. In 2002, she received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her performance as Abigail Bartlet. She joined the cast in a regular role last season after having previously recurred as the First Lady and was nominated yet again this year for her performance.

Channing earned her Oscar nomination and one of her Golden Globe nominations when she reprised her Tony-nominated performance in the film version of "Six Degrees of Separation." For the film "Smoke" she received a SAG Award nomination. She won a People's Choice Award for her role in "Grease." Her additional film credits include "Isn't She Great?," "Practical Magic," "Twilight," "The First Wives Club," "Moll Flanders," "To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar," "Heartburn," "The Cheap Detective," and "Without a Trace." Earlier this year, she was seen in "The Business of Strangers." In 2003, she was seen in the feature films, "Le Divorce" with co-stars Glenn Close, Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts, and Sam Waterston and "Anything Else" alongside Woody Allen, Danny DeVito and Jason Biggs. She will next appear in Stephen Fry's "Bright Young Things" sometime this year.

Channing's stage credits include "House of Blue Leaves" (Tony nomination), "Four Baboons Adoring the Sun," "The Little Foxes," "Hapgood," "Woman in Mind," "The Rink," "The Golden Age," "The Lion in Winter," "They're Playing Our Song" and the original production of "Love Letters." She won a Tony Award for her work in "Joe Egg," as well as Drama Desk Award nomination.

Channing received both an Emmy Award and a SAG Award for her portrayal of the mother of a gay hate-crime victim in "The Matthew Shepard Story." She also appeared in the cable movie, "The Truth About Jane." Her Emmy nominations include: Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for "The West Wing;" Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for "The Baby Dance;" Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special for "An Unexpected Family," " Perfect Witness" and "Echoes in the Darkness;" and Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for "Road to Avonlea."

Channing, who was born in New York City, attended Radcliffe College and graduated from Harvard University with a bachelor of arts degree in history and literature.

This information is from NBC.com