# Kat Foster
**Kat Foster** (born 1978 in [Oakland, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/oakland-california)) is an American actress, writer, and director known for playing Steph Woodcock on the Fox sitcom *'Til Death*, starring opposite [Jean-Claude Van Damme](https://www.edgepedia.org/jean-claude-van-damme) in Amazon's *Jean Claude Van Johnson*, and recurring roles in *Barry*, *CSI: Vegas*, *The Rookie*, and *Gaslit*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) • [2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/) She is a classically trained actor who began her career on stage in New York before moving into television and independent film.[3](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/39992/podtalk-kat-foster-confidential-an-actor-director-her-craft)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978, Oakland, California[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/) |
| Training | NYU Tisch School of the Arts; Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/) • [3](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/39992/podtalk-kat-foster-confidential-an-actor-director-her-craft) |
| Breakthrough role | Steph Woodcock on Fox's *'Til Death*, 2006–2008, 39 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) |
| Series regular | Vanessa in Amazon's *Jean Claude Van Johnson* (2016–2017, 6 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) |
| 2022 recurring roles | Casey Fox in *The Rookie*, Nora Cross in *CSI: Vegas*, young Barbara Walters in *Gaslit*[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) |
| Writing and directing | Co-writer and producer of *The Dramatics: A Comedy* (2015); writer-director of the shorts *Daughtering* (2023) and *Earthquake Note*[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kat-foster/credits/3000029396/) • [5](https://chancetheatre.com/artists/kat-foster/) |
| Podcast | *Acting Real with Kat Foster*, 45 episodes, 2017–2021[6](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acting-real-with-kat-foster/id1318610145) |
## Training and stage career
Foster studied acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/) • [3](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/39992/podtalk-kat-foster-confidential-an-actor-director-her-craft) During her New York years she was heavily involved in stage work, and her turn in *The Final Countdown* earned her the Best Actress prize at the 2003 New York International Fringe Festival.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kat_foster)
Her New York stage credits include *King of Shadows* (Working Theatre), *Temp Odyssey* (SPF), *The Democracy Project* (Naked Angels), *The Life of Spiders* (45 Below), *Small Craft Warnings* (Jean Cocteau Rep), *Lulu the Musical* (NYMTF), and *Final Countdown* (Fringe Festival NYC). Regionally she appeared in *Of Good Stock* (South Coast Repertory), *Comedy of Errors* (Portland Stage Company), *The Tempest* (Barter Theatre), and *Hamlet* (Cape Fear). She has also taken part in new-play development at The Lark, Manhattan Theatre Club, New Dramatists, The Actors Studio, New York Theatre Workshop, and [The Public Theater](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-public-theater).[5](https://chancetheatre.com/artists/kat-foster/)
## Television
**'Til Death.** After guest spots on shows including *Law & Order* and *Law & Order: Criminal Intent*, Foster landed a starring role on the Fox sitcom *'Til Death* in 2006.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kat_foster) She played Steph Woodcock, a free-spirited newlywed who moves in next door to a couple married for 25 years, played by [Brad Garrett](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-garrett) and [Joely Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/joely-fisher), opposite [Eddie Kaye Thomas](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-kaye-thomas) as her on-air husband.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) • [7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kat_foster) Once the show's premise was reworked after its second season, both Foster and the actor playing her television husband left the series.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/)
**Later series work.** After *'Til Death*, Foster worked consistently in television, with multi-episode arcs on the Showtime comedy-drama *Weeds* and the USA series *Royal Pains*, and co-starring roles on the short-lived sitcoms *The Goodwin Games* (Fox, 2013) and *Bad Teacher* (CBS, 2014).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/) She starred as Kelli Weston in the TBS sitcom *Your Family or Mine* (2015, 10 episodes).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) In 2016 she played Vanessa, a series regular opposite Jean-Claude Van Damme, in Amazon's action-comedy mini-series *Jean Claude Van Johnson*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/)
In 2022 she took on recurring roles as Casey Fox in the Primetime Emmy-winning action-drama *The Rookie*, Nora Cross in *CSI: Vegas*, and a young [Barbara Walters](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbara-walters) in the Starz series *Gaslit*, appearing opposite [Julia Roberts](https://www.edgepedia.org/julia-roberts) in scenes directed by Matt Ross.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) Her other television credits include *Barry*, *The Good Wife*, *The Unusuals*, *[Franklin & Bash](https://www.edgepedia.org/franklin-and-bash)*, and voice work on *Family Guy*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) • [8](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/kat-foster/umc.cpc.6vd8sp2xhmqbwr52gkzahgesw)
## Film
Foster's film work has centered on independent features. She co-wrote and produced *The Dramatics: A Comedy* (2015), in which she also played Katie, and appeared in *The Love Inside* and *A Year and Change* the same year.[4](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kat-foster/credits/3000029396/) After the Netflix feature *Rebirth* (2016), she starred in the indie comedy *Accommodations* (2018) and the sports comedy *First One In* (2020).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/)
Her recent films include *Gasoline Alley*, *Continue*, *Spoonful of Sugar*, and *Susie Searches* (all 2022), and *Fear the Night* and *Desperation Road* (2023).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) On Rotten Tomatoes her highest-rated film is *First One In* at 100 percent with critics, and her lowest is *Gasoline Alley* at 22 percent.[7](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kat_foster) She is set to appear in the thriller feature *The Hole*, directed by [Kim Jee-woon](https://www.edgepedia.org/kim-jee-woon).[5](https://chancetheatre.com/artists/kat-foster/)
## Writing, directing, and podcasting
Foster has moved into filmmaking behind the camera. She wrote and directed the short film *Daughtering* (2023), in which she also appears, and followed it with *Earthquake Note*, her second short as writer-director, in which she plays the lead as a mother of a toddler struggling to write an earthquake emergency note for her daughter's preschool.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/) • [9](https://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/39837/diff2026-actordirector-kat-foster-for-her-film-earthquake-note) *Earthquake Note* screened at the 2026 Dallas International Film Festival.[9](https://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/39837/diff2026-actordirector-kat-foster-for-her-film-earthquake-note)
From 2017 to 2021 she hosted *Acting Real with Kat Foster*, a podcast of 45 episodes in which she interviewed fellow actors about how acting skills apply to everyday life, including dealing with fear, going with the flow, and following instincts.[6](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acting-real-with-kat-foster/id1318610145) Guests included [Maria Dizzia](https://www.edgepedia.org/maria-dizzia), who discussed stage fright, and [Camille Guaty](https://www.edgepedia.org/camille-guaty).[6](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acting-real-with-kat-foster/id1318610145)
## References
1. [Kat Foster, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1928172/)
2. [Kat Foster, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kat-foster/)
3. [Podtalk: Kat Foster Confidential, An Actor, Director & Her Craft, HollywoodChicago.com](https://hollywoodchicago.com/news/39992/podtalk-kat-foster-confidential-an-actor-director-her-craft)
4. [Kat Foster List of Movies and TV Shows, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/kat-foster/credits/3000029396/)
5. [Kat Foster, Chance Theater artist profile](https://chancetheatre.com/artists/kat-foster/)
6. [Acting Real with Kat Foster, Apple Podcasts](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/acting-real-with-kat-foster/id1318610145)
7. [Kat Foster Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/kat_foster)
8. [Kat Foster Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/kat-foster/umc.cpc.6vd8sp2xhmqbwr52gkzahgesw)
9. [DIFF2026: Actor/Director Kat Foster for Her Film 'Earthquake Note', HollywoodChicago.com](https://www.hollywoodchicago.com/news/39837/diff2026-actordirector-kat-foster-for-her-film-earthquake-note)
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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: 2000s onward › Surnames F*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
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