# Cynthia Watros
**Cynthia Watros** (born 1968 in Lake Orion, Michigan; full birth name Cynthia Michele Watros) is an American actress who won the 1998 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for playing Annie Dutton on the CBS soap opera *Guiding Light*, and who is best known for television roles as Kellie Newmark on *The Drew Carey Show*, Erin Fitzpatrick on the Fox sitcom *Titus*, and Libby on ABC's *Lost*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/) • [2](https://abc.com/cast/a640091c-1812-4331-b7ef-61813c1af863). Since 2019 she has played Nina Reeves on *General Hospital*[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1968, Lake Orion, Michigan[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/) |
| Signature role | Annie Dutton Banks on *Guiding Light*, 1994–98; 1998 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968) |
| Prime-time roles | Kellie Newmark on *The Drew Carey Show*; Erin Fitzpatrick on *Titus* (Fox, 2000–2002); Libby on *Lost*[2](https://abc.com/cast/a640091c-1812-4331-b7ef-61813c1af863) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/) |
| *Lost* tenure | Appeared in 26 episodes from 2005 to 2010 as Libby, opposite Jorge Garcia's Hurley[6](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2025/10/10/general-hospitals-cynthia-watros-on-lost-one-of-the-hardest-jobs) |
| Return to daytime | Kelly Andrews on *The Young and the Restless* (2013–14); Nina Reeves on *General Hospital* from 2019, with Daytime Emmy nominations in 2022 and 2024[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/) |
| Education | Boston University conservatory program, B.F.A. in acting (1993); also attended Macomb Community College in Michigan[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/) |
| Family | Married restaurateur Curtis "Curt" Gilliland in 1996; twin daughters Emma Rose Marie and Sadie Anna Marie born 2001[8](https://www.webmd.com/bio/cynthia-watros) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/) |
## Early life and illness
Watros was born in Lake Orion, Michigan, the daughter of Bruce Watros, an electrical engineer, and Nancy Salvador, a legal secretary[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968). After her parents divorced, she was raised in near poverty by a mother holding down two jobs[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/).
In high school she was diagnosed with immune thrombocytopenia purpura, an autoimmune disease of the blood that causes bleeding through the skin[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/). She spent nearly three years in and out of hospitals, undergoing chemotherapy and eventually a splenectomy; IMDb's biography describes the condition as appearing to be in remission[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/).
After graduating from high school she attended Macomb Community College, then earned a [Bachelor of Fine Arts](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-fine-arts) in acting from [Boston University](https://www.edgepedia.org/boston-university) in 1993. An early stage role as Agnes Gooch in a production of *Auntie Mame* marked her turn toward acting[5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/) • [4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968).
## Guiding Light and the Emmy
After studying theater at Boston University, Watros moved to New York City and in 1994 joined *Guiding Light*, the soap she had loved growing up, in the role of Annie Dutton[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/). Her character's arc from good girl to devious schemer brought national attention: in 1998 she won the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and was nominated for a Soap Opera Digest Award as Outstanding Villainess[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/). She left the show and moved to Los Angeles that same year, and also played a temporary Vicky Hudson on *Another World* in 1998[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/) • [9](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-cynthia-watros-interview/). She had earlier appeared on Fox's *New York Undercover* as a reporter in 1994[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968).
## Prime-time career
**Sitcom work.** Watros was a series regular on *The Drew Carey Show* as Kellie Newmark and played Erin Fitzpatrick, the girlfriend of the title character, on Fox's *Titus* from 2000 to 2002[2](https://abc.com/cast/a640091c-1812-4331-b7ef-61813c1af863) • [5](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/). During the second season of *Titus* she was pregnant with her twins, although her character was not written as pregnant; the production disguised the pregnancy with props, waist-up framing, dark clothing, and a wheelchair plot line[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/).
**Lost.** From 2005 to 2010 Watros appeared in 26 episodes of ABC's *Lost* as Libby, a survivor of the crash who becomes close to Hurley ([Jorge Garcia](https://www.edgepedia.org/jorge-garcia))[6](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2025/10/10/general-hospitals-cynthia-watros-on-lost-one-of-the-hardest-jobs). In a 2025 interview she called it one of the hardest jobs she had done, citing remote Hawaiian locations, changeable weather, and scenes requiring her to be covered in mud[6](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2025/10/10/general-hospitals-cynthia-watros-on-lost-one-of-the-hardest-jobs). The ensemble cast earned the 2006 [Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series](https://www.edgepedia.org/screen-actors-guild-award-for-outstanding-performance-by-an-ensemble-in-a-drama)[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/).
**Guest roles.** Between and after her series work she accumulated recurring and guest parts across prime time, including Sam Carr on *[House](https://www.edgepedia.org/house-tv-series)* (seasons 6 and 7), Robin Milano on *The Closer*, Tracy Miller on *Desperate Housewives*, and appearances on *Criminal Minds*, *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation*, *Grey's Anatomy*, *Gossip Girl*, *Hawaii Five-0*, and *Warehouse 13*[10](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=1131). She later was a series regular as [Elizabeth Wilson](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-wilson) on MTV's *Finding Carter*[2](https://abc.com/cast/a640091c-1812-4331-b7ef-61813c1af863). In 2008 she traveled with a USO show to several bases in Iraq, including COP Callahan[7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/).
## Return to daytime
Watros returned to soap operas as Kelly Andrews on *The Young and the Restless* from 2013 to 2014[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/). In 2019 she took over the role of Nina Reeves on *General Hospital*, and received Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2022 and 2024[3](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/) • [11](https://apnews.com/article/ebba73bcb43c97a9e35b355fa21aa9f6). The 2024 nomination placed her among the lead actress nominees alongside [Finola Hughes](https://www.edgepedia.org/finola-hughes) of *General Hospital*, Tamara Braun of *Days of Our Lives*, and others[11](https://apnews.com/article/ebba73bcb43c97a9e35b355fa21aa9f6).
## Personal life
Watros married Curtis "Curt" Gilliland, a Los Angeles restaurateur and author, in 1996; the couple divorced in 2020[4](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968) • [8](https://www.webmd.com/bio/cynthia-watros) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/). Their twin daughters, Emma Rose Marie and Sadie Anna Marie Gilliland, were born in 2001 in Los Angeles[8](https://www.webmd.com/bio/cynthia-watros). She resides in Los Angeles[8](https://www.webmd.com/bio/cynthia-watros).
## References
1. [Cynthia Watros – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0914475/bio/)
2. [Cynthia Watros – Actor Biography, General Hospital, ABC](https://abc.com/cast/a640091c-1812-4331-b7ef-61813c1af863)
3. [Cynthia Watros News, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/actors/cynthia-watros/)
4. [Watros, Cynthia 1968–, Encyclopedia.com](https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/watros-cynthia-1968)
5. [Cynthia Watros – Actress, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/cynthia-watros/)
6. [General Hospital's Cynthia Watros on Lost: "One of The Hardest Jobs", Daytime Confidential](https://daytimeconfidential.com/2025/10/10/general-hospitals-cynthia-watros-on-lost-one-of-the-hardest-jobs)
7. [Cynthia Watros Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/cynthia-watros/bio/3000386549/)
8. [Cynthia Watros, WebMD](https://www.webmd.com/bio/cynthia-watros)
9. [ICYMI: Cynthia Watros Interview, Soap Opera Digest](https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/icymi-cynthia-watros-interview/)
10. [Cynthia Watros, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=1131)
11. [Dick Van Dyke earns historic Daytime Emmy nomination at age 98, AP News](https://apnews.com/article/ebba73bcb43c97a9e35b355fa21aa9f6)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 1970s to 1990s › Surnames U to We*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license