Editing Danica McKellar

{{short description|American actress, mathematics writer, and education advocate (born 1975)}}
{{BLP sources|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name               = Danica McKellar
| birth_name         = <!-- Valid citation required for full name for BLP. (WP:BLPPRIVACY) --> 
| birth_date         = {{Birth date and age |1975|01|03}}
| birth_place        = [[La Jolla, California]], U.S.
| image              = 2018-us-nationalbookfestival-danica-mckellar.jpg
| caption            = McKellar at the 2018<br>[[National Book Festival]]
| alma_mater         = [[University of California, Los Angeles]] ([[Bachelor of Science|BS]])
| occupation         = Actress, mathematics writer, education advocate
| years_active       = 1985–present
| spouse             = {{Plainlist |
* {{Marriage|Michael "Mike" Verta|2009|2012|end=divorce}}
* {{Marriage|Scott Sveslosky|2014}}
}}
| children           = 1
}}

'''Danica McKellar''' (born January 3, 1975)<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 3, 2019 |title=UPI Almanac for Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019 |url=https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2019/01/03/UPI-Almanac-for-Thursday-Jan-3-2019/1811546209344/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103223323/https://www.upi.com/Top_News/2019/01/03/UPI-Almanac-for-Thursday-Jan-3-2019/1811546209344/ |archive-date=January 3, 2019 |access-date=September 3, 2019 |quote=actor Danica McKellar in 1975 (age 44) |work=[[United Press International]]}}</ref> is an American actress, mathematics writer, and education advocate. She is best known for playing Winnie Cooper in the television series ''[[The Wonder Years]].''

McKellar has appeared in various television films for the [[Hallmark Channel]]. She has also done voice acting, including [[List of Static Shock characters#Frieda Goren|Frieda Goren]] in ''[[Static Shock]],'' [[Miss Martian]] in ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]],'' and [[Killer Frost]] in ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]].'' In 2015, McKellar joined part of the main cast in the [[Netflix]] original series ''[[Project Mc2|Project Mc<sup>2</sup>]]''.

In addition to her acting work, McKellar later wrote seven non-fiction books, all dealing with [[mathematics]]: ''Math Doesn't Suck'', ''Kiss My Math'', ''Hot X: Algebra Exposed'', ''Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape'', which encourage middle-school and high-school girls to have confidence and succeed in mathematics, ''Goodnight, Numbers'', and ''Do Not Open This Math Book''.<ref name="nytimes.com">{{Cite news |date=September 28, 2008 |title=Children's Books |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html?_r=1 |access-date=August 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Math Books |url=http://www.danicamckellar.com/math-books/ |access-date=August 23, 2012 |website=DanicaMckellar.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Do Not Open This Math Book by Danica McKellar |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/258563/do-not-open-this-math-book-by-danica-mckellar-illustrated-by-maranda-maberry/9781101933985/ |access-date=November 2, 2018 |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com}}</ref>

== Early life and education ==
McKellar was born in [[La Jolla, California]].<ref name="TVGuide-bio">{{Cite web |title=Danica McKellar |url=http://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/danica-mckellar/189742/ |access-date=August 13, 2016 |publisher=[[TV Guide|TVGuide.com]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Pearl |date=2017-03-09 |title=7 La Jollans Who Made an Impact on the World |url=https://lajolla.com/article/7-la-jollans-that-made-an-impact-on-the-world/ |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=LaJolla.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2009-03-25 |title=Actress who played Winnie Cooper marries composer |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2009/03/25/actress-who-played-winnie-cooper-marries-composer/ |access-date=2025-01-08 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> She moved with her family to [[Los Angeles]] when she was eight. Her mother, Mahaila McKellar (née Tello), was a homemaker; her father, Christopher McKellar, is a [[real estate developer]]; her younger sister, [[Crystal McKellar|Crystal]], is a [[lawyer]] and former child actor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Danica McKellar Biography (1975–) |url=http://www.filmreference.com/film/38/Danica-McKellar.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303173749/http://www.filmreference.com/film/38/Danica-McKellar.html |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=July 19, 2013 |website=FilmReference.com}}</ref> She is of Scottish, French, German, Spanish, and Dutch descent on her father's side, and of Portuguese descent, by way of the [[Azores]] and the [[Madeira]] islands, on her mother's side.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions: ethnic background |url=http://www.danicamckellar.com/faq |website=Official website | archive-date=April 6, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130406040520/http://www.danicamckellar.com/faq/}}</ref>

In 1998, McKellar earned a [[Bachelor of Science]] degree in [[mathematics]] (''[[summa cum laude]]'') from [[University of California, Los Angeles|UCLA]], where she was a member of the [[Alpha Delta Pi]] sorority.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://alphadeltapi.org/page/accomplishedmembers/ |title=Accomplished Members |access-date=August 14, 2022 |website=alphadeltapi.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Frazier |first=Kendrick |year=2008 |title=Mickelson, McKellar tout science, math, and being smart |journal=Skeptical Inquirer |volume=32 |issue=6 |page=12}}</ref> As an undergraduate, she coauthored a scientific paper with Professor Lincoln Chayes and fellow student Brandy Winn titled "[[Percolation theory|Percolation]] and [[Gibbs state]]s multiplicity for [[ferromagnetic]] [[Ashkin–Teller model]]s on <math>\mathbb{Z}^2</math>."<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Chayes |first1=L. |last2=D. McKellar |last3=B. Winn |date=November 13, 1998 |title=Percolation and Gibbs states multiplicity for ferromagnetic Ashkin-Teller models on z<sup>2</sup> |journal=Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General |volume=31 |issue=45 |page=9055 |bibcode=1998JPhA...31.9055C |doi=10.1088/0305-4470/31/45/005 |issn=0305-4470}}</ref> Their results are termed the "Chayes–McKellar–Winn theorem".<ref>{{Cite web |title=USNews.com: America's Best Colleges 2006: College Flashback: Danica McKellar |url=https://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/student-center/flashback/flashback_090105_brief.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080314141931/http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/student-center/flashback/flashback_090105_brief.php |archive-date=March 14, 2008 |access-date=February 3, 2010 |website=[[U.S. News & World Report]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Tao |first=Terence |author-link=Terence Tao |title=Blog post by mathematician, and a former instructor of McKellar's, complimenting her book and explaining the theorem |date=August 20, 2007 |url=http://terrytao.wordpress.com/2007/08/20/math-doesnt-suck-and-the-chayes-mckellar-winn-theorem}}</ref> Later, when Chayes was asked to comment about the mathematical abilities of his student coauthors, he was quoted in ''[[The New York Times]]'', "I thought that the two were really, really first-rate."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |title=2005-07-19 |work=The New York Times |date=July 19, 2005 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/19/science/19math.html}}</ref> As a result of her past collaborative work on research papers, McKellar is currently assigned the [[Erdős number]] four, and the [[Erdős–Bacon number]] six.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 14, 2007 |title=There's not much separating her from Bacon, Erdős |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20070814/bl_cover14_side.art.htm}}</ref>

== Acting career ==
=== ''The Wonder Years'' and early acting career {{anchor|''The Wonder Years and Early Acting Career''}} ===
At age seven, McKellar enrolled in weekend acting classes for children at the [[Lee Strasberg Institute]] in Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Randle |first=Nancy |date=January 23, 1991 |title=Mirror Image: It's No Wonder Danica Mckellar Is A Winsome Winnie |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |issue=January 23, 1991 |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1991/01/23/mirror-image-29/ |access-date=May 1, 2015}}</ref> In her teens, she landed a prominent role in ''[[The Wonder Years]]'', an American television comedy-drama that ran for six seasons on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], from 1988 to 1993. She played Gwendolyn "Winnie" Cooper, the main love interest of Kevin Arnold (played by [[Fred Savage]]) on the show. Her first kiss was with Fred Savage in an episode of ''The Wonder Years''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 1, 2010 |title=Danica McKellar |work=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]] |url=http://www.maxim.com/slideshow/girls-of-maxim/17784 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316031606/http://www.maxim.com/slideshow/girls-of-maxim/17784 |access-date=March 16, 2013|archive-date=March 16, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Danica McKellar |work=[[Maxim (magazine)|Maxim]] |url=https://www.maxim.com/women-az/danica-mckellar-profile |access-date=March 16, 2013 |archive-date=December 10, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210171405/https://www.maxim.com/women-az/danica-mckellar-profile |url-status=dead }}</ref> She later said, "My first kiss was a pretty nerve-wracking experience! But we never kissed off screen, and pretty quickly our feelings turned into brother/sister, and stayed that way."<ref name="comedy" />

=== Later acting career ===
[[File:DanicaMcKellar-2007-10-01.jpg|thumb|140px|McKellar at a book signing, October 2007]]
McKellar has said that she found it "difficult" to move from being a child actress to an adult actress.<ref name="comedy">{{Cite web |title=Where are they now? – Winnie Cooper from The Wonder Years |url=http://www.paramountcomedy.com/comedy/watn/article.aspx?id=39 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070927051216/http://www.paramountcomedy.com/comedy/watn/article.aspx?id=39|access-date=September 27, 2007|archive-date = September 27, 2007}}</ref> Since leaving ''The Wonder Years'', McKellar has had several guest roles in television series (including one with former co-star [[Fred Savage]] on ''[[Working (TV series)|Working]]''), and has written and directed two short films. She appeared in two [[Lifetime (TV network)|Lifetime]] films in the ''[[Moment of Truth movies|Moment of Truth]]'' series, playing Kristin Guthrie in 1994's ''[[Moment of Truth: Cradle of Conspiracy|Cradle of Conspiracy]]'' and Annie Mills Carman in 1996's ''[[Justice for Annie: A Moment of Truth Movie|Justice for Annie]].'' She briefly returned to regular television with a recurring role in the 2002–03 season of ''[[The West Wing]],'' portraying Elsie Snuffin, the half-sister and assistant of Deputy White House Communications Director [[Will Bailey]].

McKellar was featured in the video for [[Debbie Gibson]]'s eighth single from the ''[[Electric Youth (album)|Electric Youth]]'' album, "[[No More Rhyme]]", which was released in 1989. She plays the cello in the beginning of the video.<ref>{{cite news | url = https://www.mrt.com/entertainment/music/article/Debbie-Gibson-s-Electric-Youth-album-is-30-13678986.php | title = Debbie Gibson's 'Electric Youth' album is 30 years old | first = Joey  | last =  Guerra   | work =  Midland Reporter-Telegram | location = Midland, Texas | date = March 11, 2019}}</ref>

McKellar appeared in [[lingerie]] in the July 2005 edition of ''[[Stuff (magazine)|Stuff]]'' magazine<ref>{{Cite web |title=Danica McKellar pictures and bio |url=http://www.stuffmagazine.com/cover_girls/girl.aspx?id=468 |website=[[Stuff (magazine)|Stuff]]|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080916222821/http://www.stuffmagazine.com/cover_girls/girl.aspx?id=468|archive-date = September 16, 2008}}</ref> after readers voted her the 1990s star they would most like to see in lingerie. McKellar explained that she agreed to the shoot in part to obtain "grittier roles".<ref name="comedy" />

In 2006, McKellar starred in a Lifetime film and web-based series titled ''Inspector Mom'' about a mother who solves mysteries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 12, 2006 |title=Winnie Cooper Goes Digital:McKellar to star in movies, webisodes for Lifetime |url=http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-danicamckellar-lifetimewebisodes,0,5927531.story |access-date=July 26, 2007 |website=Zap2it |archive-date=September 29, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929082352/http://www.zap2it.com/tv/news/zap-danicamckellar-lifetimewebisodes,0,5927531.story |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Cherkezian |first=Megan |date=November 17, 2006 |title=Wonder Years' Danica McKellar Fights Crime as "Inspector Mom" |work=[[TV Guide]] |url=http://www.tvguide.com/news/Wonder-Years-Danica-38331.aspx}}</ref>

On the August 1, 2007, edition of the ''[[Don and Mike Show]]'', a [[WJFK-FM]] radio program out of Washington, D.C., McKellar announced that the producers of ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]'' were planning to bring her back for a recurring role (she guest-starred on the show in late 2005 in "The Pineapple Incident" and again in early 2007 in "Third Wheel"). She also made an appearance on the show ''[[The Big Bang Theory]]'', in the episode "The Psychic Vortex".<ref>{{Cite news |last=VanDerWerff |first=Emily |date=January 11, 2010 |title=The Big Bang Theory: "The Psychic Vortex" |work=[[The A.V. Club]] |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-big-bang-theory-the-psychic-vortex-1798164132}}</ref>

In 2008, she starred in ''Heatstroke'', a [[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]] film about searching for alien life on Earth and in 2009 she was one of the stars commenting on the occurrences of the new millennium in [[VH1]]'s ''I Love the New Millennium'' and was the math correspondent for ''Brink'', a program by the [[Science Channel]] about technology. In 2013, she played Ellen Plainview in Lifetime's reimagining of the 1956 [[Alfred Hitchcock]] film ''[[The Wrong Man]].''

McKellar has also worked as a [[voice actress]], having provided the voice of [[Jubilee (comics)|Jubilee]] in the video game ''[[X-Men Legends]]'' (2004), and [[Invisible Woman]] in ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]'' (2006) and ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2]]'' (2009). She provided the voice of [[Miss Martian]] in the TV series ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]''.

In 2012, she starred in the Lifetime film ''Love at the Christmas Table'' with [[Dustin Milligan]].

In January 2013, she starred in the Syfy film ''[[Tasmanian Devils (film)|Tasmanian Devils]]'' with [[Apolo Ohno]].

On August 20, 2013, Canadian singer [[Avril Lavigne]] released the music video for her single "[[Rock N Roll (Avril Lavigne song)|Rock N Roll]]" from her [[Avril Lavigne (album)|self-titled fifth album]], which features McKellar as "Winnie Cooper".<ref>{{Cite web |title=96.5 TIC |url=http://965tic.cbslocal.com/2013/08/28/avril-lavigne-talks-rock-n-roll-music-video-kissing-winnie-cooper/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140130223101/http://965tic.cbslocal.com/2013/08/28/avril-lavigne-talks-rock-n-roll-music-video-kissing-winnie-cooper/ |archive-date=January 30, 2014 |access-date=November 2, 2018 |website=96.5 TIC}}</ref>

On March 4, 2014, she was announced to be competing on [[Dancing with the Stars (American season 18)|season 18]] of ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]''. She paired with [[Valentin Chmerkovskiy]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dancing With the Stars Cast Revealed! Cody Simpson, Nene Leakes and James Maslow Are Among the Names—See the Full List! |url=http://uk.eonline.com/news/517094/dancing-with-the-stars-cast-revealed-cody-simpson-nene-leakes-and-james-maslow-are-among-the-names-see-the-full-list |website=E! Online|date=March 4, 2014 }}</ref> McKellar and Chmerkovskiy were eliminated on Week 8, finishing in 6th place.

She had a guest appearance in the ''[[Impractical Jokers]]'' season four episode six titled "The Blunder Years". She made another guest appearance in the season seven episode ten titled "Speech Impediment".

In 2015, she starred in the [[Netflix]] original series ''[[Project Mc2|Project Mc<sup>2</sup>]]'' as The Quail.

She has starred in several [[Hallmark Channel]] films, including ''Crown for Christmas'', ''My Christmas Dream'', ''Campfire Kiss'', ''Love and Sunshine'', ''Christmas at Dollywood'', and ''You, Me & the Christmas Trees'' as well as the [[Hallmark Movies & Mysteries]] series ''[[Matchmaker Mysteries|The Matchmaker Mysteries]]''.

McKellar was a judge on the single season of Fox's ''[[Domino Masters]]''<ref name="DMA">{{cite web |last1=Andreeva |first1=Nellie |title='Domino Masters': Danica McKellar, Vernon Davis & Steven Price Set As Judges On Fox Reality Series |url=https://deadline.com/2021/05/domino-masters-danica-mckellar-vernon-davis-steven-price-judges-fox-reality-series-1234758040/ |website=Deadline |access-date=January 26, 2022 |date=May 17, 2021}}</ref> which premiered on March 9, 2022.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pedersen |first1=Erik |title=Fox Spring Premiere Dates: More 'Masked Singer'; '9-1-1' Return; 'Domino Masters' Debuts, More |url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/fox-spring-premiere-dates-masked-911-masterchef-junior-singer-welcome-to-flatch-domino-masters-1234920416/ |website=Deadline |access-date=January 26, 2022 |date=January 26, 2022}}</ref>

== Books ==
McKellar has authored several mathematics-related books primarily targeting adolescent readers interested in succeeding at the study of mathematics:
* {{Cite book |last1=McKellar |first1=Danica |title=Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail |last2=Mary Lynn Blasutta |date=2008 |publisher=[[Plume (publisher)|Plume]] |isbn=9780452289499 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss |date=2009 |publisher=Plume |isbn=9780452295407 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |url=https://archive.org/details/hotxalgebraexpos0000mcke_n6f4 |title=Hot X: Algebra Exposed |date=2010 |publisher=Plume |isbn=9780452297197 |location=New York |url-access=registration}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Girls Get Curves: Geometry Takes Shape |date=2012 |publisher=Hudson Street Press |isbn=9781594630941 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Ten Magic Butterflies |date=2018 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9781101933824 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Do Not Open This Math Book |date=2018 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9781101933985 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Bathtime Mathtime |date=2019 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9781101933961 |location=New York}}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=The Times Machine |date=2020 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9781101934029 |location=New York }}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Double Puppy Trouble |date=2022 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9781101933862 |location=New York }}
* {{Cite book |last=McKellar |first=Danica |title=Goodnight, Numbers |date=2022 |publisher=Random House Children's Books |isbn=9780593643556 |location=New York }}

Her first book, ''Math Doesn't Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail'', was a ''New York Times'' bestseller,<ref name="nytimes.com" /> and was favorably reviewed by Tara C. Smith, the founder of Iowa Citizens for Science and a professor of [[epidemiology]] at the [[University of Iowa]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Tara |date=July 24, 2007 |title=Aetiology:Danica McKellar's "Math Doesn't Suck" |url=http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/07/danica_mckelllars_math_doesnt.php |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405171000/http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/07/danica_mckelllars_math_doesnt.php |archive-date=April 5, 2008 |access-date=July 26, 2007 |website=Aetiology |publisher=[[ScienceBlogs]]}}</ref> The book also received a review from Anthony Jones, writing for the ''School Librarian'' journal, who described the book as "a trouble-shooting guide to help girls overcome their biggest maths challenges," noting what he described as "real-world examples of great mathematics in action."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Jones |first=Anthony Hamilton |date=2011 |title=McKellar, Danica: Maths Doesn't Suck |url=http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA252385687&v=2.1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w |journal=School Librarian |volume=59 |issue=1 |page=62 |issn=0036-6595 |access-date=July 4, 2013}}</ref> In an interview with Smith, McKellar said that she wrote the book "to show girls that math is accessible and relevant, and even a little glamorous" and to counteract "damaging social messages telling young girls that math and science aren't for them".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Tara |date=July 25, 2007 |title=Interview with math whiz, author, and actress Danica McKellar |url=http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/07/interview_with_math_whiz_autho.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016195125/http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/2007/07/25/interview-with-math-whiz-autho/ |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |access-date=July 26, 2007 |website=Aetiology |publisher=[[ScienceBlogs]]}}</ref>

McKellar's second book, ''Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss'',<ref>{{Cite book |last=Danica McKellar |url=https://archive.org/details/kissmymathshowin0000mcke |title=Kiss My Math: Showing Pre-Algebra Who's Boss |publisher=Hudson Street Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-59463-049-1 |url-access=registration}}</ref> was released on August 5, 2008. The book's target audience is girls in the 7th through 9th grades. Her third book, ''Hot X: Algebra Exposed!''<ref>{{Cite book |last=Danica McKellar |url=https://archive.org/details/hotxalgebraexpos0000mcke |title=Hot X: Algebra Exposed |publisher=Hudson Street Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-59463-070-5 |url-access=registration}}</ref> covers algebra topics, while the previous two titles were intended as "algebra-readiness books."<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 6, 2010 |title=Actress Danica McKellar Solves For 'X' |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129031017 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304091723/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129031017 |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |access-date=July 4, 2013 |website=National Public Radio}}</ref> ''Hot X'' was published on August 3, 2010. Her fourth book, ''Girls Get Curves – Geometry Takes Shape'',<ref name="book-curves">{{Cite book |last=Danica McKellar |url=http://us.penguingroup.com/Book?isbn=9781594630941&title=Girls_Get_Curves_Danica_McKellar |title=Girls Get Curves – Geometry Takes Shape |publisher=Hudson Street Press |year=2012 |isbn=978-1-59463-094-1 |access-date=August 15, 2012 |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202223228/http://www.us.penguingroup.com/Book?isbn=9781594630941&title=Girls_Get_Curves_Danica_McKellar |url-status=dead }}</ref> focuses on the subject of geometry, and attempts to make the subject more accessible.<ref>{{Cite interview |last=Lichtman |first=Flora |title=Actress Danica McKellar Helps "Girls Get Curves" |url=http://www.proquest.com/docview/1033783005 |access-date=July 5, 2013 |work=Science Friday |publisher=National Public Radio |place=Washington, D.C. |date=August 17, 2012}}</ref>

Three of McKellar's books were listed in ''The New York Times'' children's bestseller list.<ref name="Schuessler">{{Cite news |last=Schuessler |first=Jennifer |date=August 22, 2010 |title=Children's Chapter Books |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/2010-08-22/chapter-books/list.html |access-date=August 23, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=September 28, 2008 |title=Best Sellers: Children's Books |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/books/bestseller/bestchildren.html |access-date=May 10, 2009}}</ref> She received Mathical Honors for ''Goodnight, Numbers''.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Mathical Book Prizes 2021|url=https://www.mathicalbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Mathical_Booklist_Web_2021.pdf}}</ref>

==Published papers==
{{Cite journal |last1=Chayes |first1=L |last2=McKellar |first2=D |last3=Winn |first3=B |year=1998 |title=Percolation and Gibbs states multiplicity for ferromagnetic Ashkin–Teller models on <math>\mathbb{Z}^2</math> |url=https://danicamckellar.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/percolation.pdf |journal=[[Journal of Physics A|Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and General]] |volume=31 |issue=45 |pages=9055–9063 |bibcode=1998JPhA...31.9055C |doi=10.1088/0305-4470/31/45/005}}

==Awards and honors==
McKellar was named ''Person of the Week'' on ''[[World News with Charles Gibson]]'' for the week ending August 10, 2007. The news segment highlighted her book ''Math Doesn't Suck'' and her efforts to help girls develop an interest in mathematics, especially during the middle school years.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ABC News: Person of the Week: Danica McKellar |website = [[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|url=https://abcnews.go.com/WN/PersonOfWeek/story?id=3467211&page=1 |access-date=August 10, 2007}}</ref> In January 2014, she received the [[Joint Policy Board for Mathematics]] (JPBM) Communications Award. The citation credited her books, blog, and public appearances for encouraging "countless middle and high school students, especially girls, to be more interested in mathematics."<ref>{{Cite book |url=http://www.ams.org/profession/prizes-awards/prizebooklet-2014.pdf |title=Prizes And Awards |date=January 2014 |publisher=[[American Mathematical Society]] |page=35}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
McKellar married composer Mike Verta on March 22, 2009, in [[La Jolla, California]]; the couple had dated since 2001.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 22, 2009 |title=Danica McKellar is Married! |work=People |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20267146,00.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120529175327/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20267146,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 29, 2012}}</ref> They had their only child, a son, in 2010.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 17, 2010 |title=Danica McKellar is Pregnant! |work=People |url=https://people.com/parents/the-wonder-yearss-danica-mckellar-is-pregnant/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=June 6, 2012 |title=Danica McKellar Files for Divorce |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20601873,00.html |access-date=June 6, 2012 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]] |archive-date=June 8, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120608043407/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20601873,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>  McKellar filed for divorce from Verta in June 2012.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 2012 |title='Wonder Years' actress Danica McKellar files for divorce |work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]] |url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/13034071-421/wonder-years-actress-danica-mckellar-files-for-divorce.html |url-status=dead |access-date=June 9, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711023702/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/people/13034071-421/wonder-years-actress-danica-mckellar-files-for-divorce.html |archive-date=July 11, 2012}}</ref>

On July 16, 2014, she became engaged to her boyfriend Scott Sveslosky, a partner in the Los Angeles legal firm [[Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton]]. On November 15, 2014, they married in [[Kauai, Hawaii]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 20, 2014 |title=Danica McKellar Is Married! |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |url=http://www.people.com/article/danica-mckellar-marries-scott-sveslosky |access-date=November 20, 2014}}</ref>

McKellar is a [[Christian]] and regularly attends [[church service]]s.<ref name="Alcindor2022">{{cite web |last1=Alcindor |first1=Nicole |title='Wonder Years' star Danica McKellar says finding Christ has been 'a revolution in my life' |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/wonder-years-star-reflects-on-finding-christ-in-2022.html |website=[[The Christian Post]] |access-date=6 January 2023 |date=30 December 2022}}</ref> She cites [[Candace Cameron Bure]] as having been a major influence in her life after Bure gave her a copy of the [[Bible]].<ref name="Alcindor2022"/>

== Cultural references ==
McKellar's notoriety for Hallmark mystery films was spoofed in the 2019 film ''[[Knives Out]]'', complete with the parody title ''Deadly By Surprise''.<ref name="Jirak2019">{{Cite web |last=Jirak |first=Jamie |date=November 27, 2019 |title=Danica McKellar sent Rian Johnson the perfect Knives Out gift |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/danica-mckellar-sent-rian-johnson-perfect-knives-out-gift/ |access-date=January 16, 2021}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
=== Film ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
<!-- Please add television films in the "Television" section, per WP:FILMOGRAPHY. -->
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Sidekicks (1992 film)|Sidekicks]]''
| Lauren
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|2001
| ''[[Good Neighbor (2001 film)|Good Neighbor]]''
| Molly Wright
|
|-
| ''[[XCU: Extreme Close Up]]''
| Sarah
|
|-
| ''Speechless...''
| Dana Woodman
| Short film
|-
| rowspan="6"|2002
| ''Sex and the Teenage Mind''
| Debbie
|
|-
| ''Black Hole''
| Rachael
|
|-
| ''Reality School''
| Sexy Sally
| Short film
|-
| ''[[Jane White Is Sick & Twisted]]''
| Tiffany
|
|-
| ''[[The Year That Trembled]]''
| Pam Hatch
|
|-
| ''Hip, Edgy, Sexy, Cool''
| Sissie
|
|-
| rowspan="3"|2004
| ''[[Raising Genius]]''
| Lacy Baldwin
|
|-
| ''Intermission''
| Sleepwalker
| Short film
|-
| ''[[Quiet Kill]]''
| Pet Shop Girl
|
|-
| 2007
| ''[[Hack!]]''
| Emily
|
|-
| 2008
| ''Heatstroke''
| Caroline
|
|-
| 2009
| ''[[21 and a Wake-Up]]''
| Jenny Valentine
|
|-
| rowspan="2"|2010
| ''[[Scooby-Doo! Abracadabra-Doo]]''
| Madelyn Dinkley
| Voice, [[direct-to-video]]<ref name="btva">{{cite web |title=Danica McKellar (visual voices guide) |url=http://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Danica-McKellar/ |access-date=July 30, 2023 |publisher=Behind The Voice Actors}} A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.</ref>
|-
| ''[[Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam]]''
| Sally
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="2"|2012
| ''Flatland 2: Sphereland''
| Aero
| Direct-to-video
|-
| ''Mancation''
| Rebecca
|
|-
| 2014
| ''[[Where Hope Grows]]''
| Susan Malcolm
|
|-
|2017
| ''[[The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania!]]''
| Judy Jetson
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
|-
|2018
|''The Fiddling Horse''
|Leslie Heart
|
|-
| 2018
| ''[[Lego DC Super Hero Girls: Super-Villain High]]''
| rowspan="2" | [[Killer Frost|Frost]] 
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2018
| ''[[DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis]]''
| Voice, direct-to-video<ref name="btva" />
|}

=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1985–1987
| ''{{sortname|The|Twilight Zone|dab=1985 TV series}}''
| Nola (age 10), Deidre Dobbs
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1988–1993
| ''{{sortname|The|Wonder Years}}''
| Winnie Cooper
| Main role
|-
| 1989
| ''{{sortname|The|Super Mario Bros. Super Show!}}''
| Patty
| Voice, 2 episodes
|-
| 1990
| ''[[Camp Cucamonga]]''
| Lindsey Scott
| Television film ([[NBC]])
|-
| 1992
| ''[[Captain Planet and the Planeteers]]''
| Lisa
| Voice, episode: "A Formula for Hate"
|-
| rowspan="4"|1994
| ''[[Babylon 5]]''
| Aria Tensus
| Episode: "The War Prayer"
|-
| ''[[Moment of Truth: Cradle of Conspiracy]]''
| Kristin Guthrie
| Television film (NBC)
|-
| ''[[Walker, Texas Ranger]]''
| Laurie Maston
| Episode: "Stolen Lullaby"
|-
| ''[[Sirens (1993 TV series)|Sirens]]''
| Alison Trent
| Episode: "Victims"
|-
| 1996
| ''[[Justice for Annie: A Moment of Truth Movie]]''
| Annie Mills Carman
| Television film (NBC)
|-
| rowspan="2"|1998
| ''[[Love Boat: The Next Wave]]''
| Mary Dutton
| Episode: "How Long Has This Been Going On?"
|-
| ''[[Working (TV series)|Working]]''
| Jolie
| 2 episodes
|-
| 1999
| ''Random Play''
| Daughter
| Episode: "1.4"
|-
| 2000–2004
| ''[[Static Shock]]''
| Frieda Goren
| Voice, recurring role (15 episodes)<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="3"|2001
| ''{{sortname|The|Division}}''
| Wendy
| Episode: "Don't Ask"
|-
| ''[[Even Stevens]]''
| Sandrine
| Episode: "Sibling Rivalry"
|-
| ''[[The Weakest Link]]''
| Herself
| TV Child Stars Special Edition
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Justice League (TV series)|Justice League]]''
| [[Sapphire Stagg]]
| Voice, episode: "Metamorphosis"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2002–2003
| ''{{sortname|The|West Wing}}''
| Elsie Snuffin
| Recurring role (season 4)
|-
| rowspan="4"|2004
| ''[[King of the Hill]]''
| Misty
| Voice, 1 episode
|-
| ''[[Game Over (TV series)|Game Over]]''
| Elsa, Renee
| Voice, recurring role (season 1)<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Century City (TV series)|Century City]]''
| Sally
| Episode: "Without a Tracer"
|-
| ''[[Eve (U.S. TV series)|Eve]]''
| Claudia
| Episode: "Friend or Foe?"
|-
| rowspan="6"|2005
| ''[[NCIS (TV series)|NCIS]]''
| Erin Kendall
| Episode: "Witness"
|-
| ''[[Jack & Bobby]]''
| Keirsten
| Episode: "And Justice for All"
|-
| ''[[NYPD Blue]]''
| Rosemary
| Episode: "Moving Day"
|-
| ''[[Strong Medicine]]''
| Natalie Pascal
| Episode: "Feeling No Pain"
|-
| ''[[Path of Destruction (film)|Path of Destruction]]''
| Katherine Stern
| Television film ([[Syfy|Sci-Fi Channel]])
|-
| ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]''
| Trudy
| Episode: "[[The Pineapple Incident]]" 
|-
| rowspan="2"|2006
| ''Inspector Mom''
| Maddie Monroe
| Television film ([[Lifetime (TV channel)|Lifetime]])
|-
| ''[[Cyberchase]]''
| Wanda
| Voice, episode: "Designing Mr. Perfect"
|-
| 2006–2007
| ''Inspector Mom''
| Maddie Monroe
| Recurring role (Season 1)
|-
| rowspan="2"|2007
| ''[[Random! Cartoons]]''
| Katerina "Kat" Metropoulos
| Voice, episode: "Girls on the Go: The First Date"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[How I Met Your Mother]]''
| Trudy
| Episode: "[[Third Wheel (How I Met Your Mother)|Third Wheel]]"
|-
| 2010
| ''{{sortname|The|Big Bang Theory}}''
| Abby
| Episode: "The Psychic Vortex"
|-
| 2010–2013, <br> 2019–2022
| ''[[Young Justice (TV series)|Young Justice]]''
| [[Miss Martian]], Marie Logan, Tuppence Terror, [[Angel and the Ape|Angel O'Day]], Reach Commercial Singer
| Voice, main role<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2010–2013 
| ''[[Generator Rex]]''
| Claire
| Voice, 3 episodes<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2010 
| ''[[G.I. Joe: Renegades]]''
| Sister Leia
| Voice, episode: "Brothers of Light"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="2"|2012
| ''{{sortname|The|Nerdist: Tribute to Science|nolink=1}}''
| Herself
| Talk show
|-
| ''Love at the Christmas Table''
| Katherine "Kat" Patton
| Television film (Lifetime)
|-
| rowspan="4"|2013
| ''[[Tasmanian Devils (film)|Tasmanian Devils]]''
| Alex
| Television film (Syfy)
|-
| ''{{sortname|The|Secret Life of the American Teenager}}''
| Herself
| Episode: "Interference"
|-
| ''Nerdist: Course of the Force''
| Bounty Hunter
| Episode: "[[Michael Rooker]] & [[CM Punk]]: Lighstaber Hunt"
|-
| ''The Wrong Woman''
| Ellen Plainview
| Television film (Lifetime)
|-
| rowspan="3" |2014
| ''[[Transformers: Rescue Bots]]''
| Hayley
| Voice, 2 episodes<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[Dancing with the Stars (American TV series)|Dancing with the Stars]]''
| Herself
| Contestant on [[Dancing with the Stars (American season 18)|season 18]]; finished in sixth place
|-
| ''[[Phineas and Ferb]]''
| Becky
| Voice, episode: "Doof 101"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2015
| ''[[King of the Nerds]]''
| Herself
| Judge
|-
| 2015, <br> 2017–2018
| ''[[Impractical Jokers]]''
| Herself
|  3 episodes
|-
| rowspan="3"|2015
| ''Perfect Match'' (aka ''A Perfect Wedding'')
| Jessica Summers
| Television film ([[Hallmark Channel]])
|-
| ''[[Miss America 2016]]''
| Herself
| Judge
|-
| ''[[Crown for Christmas]]''
| Allie Evans
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| 2015–2017
| ''[[Project Mc2|Project Mc<sup>2</sup>]]''
| The Quail
| Main role (Seasons 1–2,4–5) <br> [[Netflix]] original series
|-
| 2015–2018
| ''[[DC Super Hero Girls]]''
| Frost
| Voice, recurring role (Seasons 1–5)<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="2"|2016
| ''My Christmas Dream''
| Christina
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''Wedding Bells''
| Molly
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| 2016–2018
| ''[[Shimmer and Shine]]''
| Layla, Generic Female Genie
| Voice, 3 episodes<ref name="btva" />
|-
| rowspan="3"|2017
| ''Mommy, I Didn't Do It''
| Ellen Plainview
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''Campfire Kiss''
| Dana
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''Coming Home for Christmas''
| Lizzie
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| rowspan="4" |2018
| ''[[Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''
| Taylor Martin
| Voice, episode: "Hypno! Part Deux!"<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''Very, Very, Valentine''
| Helen
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''Love in Design''
| Hannah
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''Christmas at Grand Valley''
| Kelly
| Television film ([[Hallmark Mystery|Hallmark Movies & Mysteries]])
|-
| rowspan="3"|2019
| ''Love and Sunshine''
| Ally Craig
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| ''The Matchmaker Mysteries: A Killer Engagement''
| Angie Dove
| Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
|-
| ''Christmas at Dollywood''
| Rachel
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| rowspan=2|2020
| ''Matchmaker Mysteries: A Fatal Romance''
| Angie Dove
| Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries) <br>
|-
| ''Christmas She Wrote''
| Kayleigh King
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| 2021
| ''Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill''
| Angie Dove
| Television film (Hallmark Movies & Mysteries)
|-
| 2021–2022
| ''[[Home Economics (TV series)|Home Economics]]''
| Allison
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2021
| ''You, Me & the Christmas Trees''
| Olivia Arden
| Television film (Hallmark Channel)
|-
| rowspan=4|2022 
| ''The Winter Palace''
| Emily Miller
| Television film ([[Great American Family]])
|-
| ''[[Domino Masters]]''
| Herself
| Judge<ref name="DMA"/>
|-
| ''[[The Wonder Years (2021 TV series)|The Wonder Years]]''
| Winnie Cooper
| Episode: "Love & War"
|-
| ''Christmas at the Drive-In''
| Sadie Walker
| Television film (Great American Family)
|-
| rowspan=2|2023 
| ''Swing into Romance''
| Christine Sims
| Television film (Great American Family)
|-
| ''A Royal Date for Christmas''
| Bella Sparks
| Television film (Great American Family)
|-
| 2024
| ''A Cinderella Christmas Ball''
|  Chelsea Jones
| Television film (Great American Family)
|}

===Music videos===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! style="width:50px;"| Year
! style="width:250px;"| Title
! style="width:150px;"| Role
! style="width:150px;"| Artist
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 1989
| "[[No More Rhyme]]"
| Girl Playing Cello
| [[Debbie Gibson]]
|-
| style="text-align:center;"| 2013
| "[[Rock n Roll (Avril Lavigne song)|Rock n Roll]]"
| Winnie Cooper
| [[Avril Lavigne]]
|}

=== Video games ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Title
! scope="col" | Role
|-
| rowspan="2"|2004
| ''[[X-Men Legends]]''
| [[Jubilee (character)|Jubilee]]<ref name="btva" />
|-
| ''[[EverQuest II]]''
| Lolla Cotgrove / Pona
|-
|2006
| ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance]]''
| rowspan="2" |[[Invisible Woman]]<ref name="btva" />
|-
| 2009
| ''[[Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2]]''
|-
| 2013
| ''[[Young Justice: Legacy]]''
| Miss Martian, [[Barbara Gordon|Batgirl]]<ref name="btva" />
|}

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{Commons}}
<!-- per [[WP:ELMINOFFICIAL]], choose one official website only -->
* {{Official website}}
* {{IMDb name}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20170912105114/http://danicaworld.com/ Danica McKellar's blog]}}
* [https://mckellarmath.com/ Website for ''McKellar Math'']
* [http://mathdoesntsuck.com/ Website of ''Math Doesn't Suck'']
* [http://kissmymath.com/ Website for ''Kiss My Math'']
* [https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5201825 Interview with McKellar about her theorem] at [[NPR]]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060422031647/http://www.stanford.edu/group/IRWG/NewsAndEvents/Conferences.html February 2006 Proof and Prejudice: Women in Mathematics Conference], at which McKellar was a speaker
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120318215632/http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2007/Sep/hour2_092107.html Science Friday for September 21, 2007] with McKellar among the guests
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20091013143157/http://www.publicschoolinsights.org/visionaries/DanicaMcKellar Public School Insights Interview with McKellar about girls and math]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:McKellar, Danica}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American actresses]]
[[Category:21st-century American mathematicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American screenwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American women writers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women mathematicians]]
[[Category:Actresses from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Actresses from San Diego]]
[[Category:American child actresses]]
[[Category:American Christians]]
[[Category:American film actresses]]
[[Category:American people of Dutch descent]]
[[Category:American people of French descent]]
[[Category:American people of German descent]]
[[Category:American people of Portuguese descent]]
[[Category:American people of Scottish descent]]
[[Category:American people of Spanish descent]]
[[Category:American television actresses]]
[[Category:Television writers from California]]
[[Category:American video game actresses]]
[[Category:American voice actresses]]
[[Category:American women film directors]]
[[Category:American women television writers]]
[[Category:American education activists]]
[[Category:Film directors from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Harvard-Westlake School alumni]]
[[Category:Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute alumni]]
[[Category:Mathematics writers]]
[[Category:People from La Jolla, San Diego]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]