# Shannon Woodward
**Shannon Woodward** (Shannon Marie Woodward; born 1984) is an American actress best known for playing Sabrina Collins on the FOX sitcom *Raising Hope* (2010–2014), Elsie Hughes on the HBO science-fiction thriller *Westworld* (2016–2018), and providing the voice and motion capture of Dina in the video game *The Last of Us Part II* (2020), for which she received a nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role at the 17th [British Academy Games Awards](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-academy-games-awards).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1984, Phoenix, Arizona[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) |
| Signature TV roles | Sabrina Collins in *Raising Hope* (2010–2014, 88 episodes); Elsie Hughes in *Westworld* (2016–2018, 13 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) |
| First regular role | Di Di Malloy, daughter in a family of con artists, in the FX drama *The Riches* (2007–2008, 20 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) |
| Video game work | Voice and motion capture of Dina in *The Last of Us Part II* (2020); BAFTA Games nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) |
| First screen work | Missy, and later Alien #3, on *Clarissa Explains It All* (Nickelodeon, 1991–1994)[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) • [3](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-93695/filmographie/) |
| Recent work | *Common Side Effects* (2024–2025), the video game *Riven* (2024), and *The Testament of Ann Lee* (2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) |
## Early life and first roles
Woodward was born in [Phoenix, Arizona](https://www.edgepedia.org/phoenix-arizona), and moved with her family to [Boca Raton, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/boca-raton-florida), at a young age. She attended Olympic Heights Community High School, where she began acting and later caught the attention of a casting director for Nickelodeon's *Clarissa Explains It All*. Besides acting, she plays guitar and sings.[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12913/shannon-woodward) In an IMDb quote she recalls that she "started acting while I was in high school" and stayed at her parents' house until she earned enough to be somebody's roommate.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990)
Her first screen appearances came as Missy, and later as Alien #3, on *Clarissa Explains It All* (1991–1994).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) In 1995 she joined her former co-star [Melissa Joan Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/melissa-joan-hart) in the made-for-TV movie *Family Reunion: A Relative Nightmare*.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) The following decade brought minor guest roles on series including *Malcolm in the Middle*, *Without a Trace*, *Boston Public*, *Crossing Jordan*, *Grounded for Life*, and *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/)
## Television breakthrough
**The Riches.** After playing [Tommy Lee Jones](https://www.edgepedia.org/tommy-lee-jones)'s daughter in the cheerleading action comedy *Man of the House* (2005), Woodward achieved her big break as Di Di Malloy, the crafty daughter in a family of con artists led by [Eddie Izzard](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-izzard) and [Minnie Driver](https://www.edgepedia.org/minnie-driver), in the FX drama *The Riches* (2007–2008). The series was critically acclaimed but poorly rated.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) Appearances in the teen horror films *The Haunting of Molly Hartley* (2008) and *The Shortcut* (2009) followed.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/)
**Raising Hope.** After a recurring role as Kelly Taggart, younger sister of Nurse Samantha Taggart, in the final season of *ER*, Woodward was cast as Sabrina Collins, the mischievous grocery store clerk who later marries single father Jimmy Chance ([Lucas Neff](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucas-neff)), in the FOX sitcom *Raising Hope* (2010–2014). She appeared in 88 episodes across the show's four seasons.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) During this period she appeared in independent films including *Girlfriend* (2010), which deals with [Down syndrome](https://www.edgepedia.org/down-syndrome), and *Adult World* (2013).[5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-93695/biographie/) She also performed songs on *Raising Hope*'s soundtrack credits.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990)
**Westworld.** In 2016 Woodward joined the cast of HBO's *Westworld*, an adaptation of [Michael Crichton](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-crichton)'s 1973 film produced by [Jonathan Nolan](https://www.edgepedia.org/jonathan-nolan) and [Lisa Joy](https://www.edgepedia.org/lisa-joy), alongside Anthony Hopkins, Jeffrey Wright, Evan Rachel Wood, and James Marsden.[6](https://time.com/3101438/ed-harris-westworld/) She played Elsie Hughes, a quick-witted, sarcastic host programmer who persists in trying to understand why the park's android "hosts" begin behaving unpredictably.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) She appeared in 13 episodes across the first two seasons, through 2018.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) AlloCiné's biography describes the role as a fit for a performer it describes as a genuine fan of science fiction and video games.[5](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-93695/biographie/)
## The Last of Us Part II
Woodward provided the voice and motion capture of Dina in *The Last of Us Part II* (2020).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) The performance earned her a nomination for Performer in a Supporting Role at the 17th British Academy Games Awards, and IMDb lists her with one BAFTA nomination among three nominations total.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) She appeared as a guest at [The Game Awards 2024](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-game-awards-2024).[4](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12913/shannon-woodward)
## Later work
After *The Last of Us Part II*, Woodward continued in television, film, and voice work. Her screen credits include the films *Happily* (2021) and *Jagged Mind* (2023), and guest roles on *The Morning Show*, *Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber*, and *Scott Pilgrim Takes Off*.[7](https://www.metacritic.com/person/shannon-woodward/) In 2024 she voiced Ti'ana in the video game *Riven* and Jack in the podcast series *Hot White Heist 2*, and in 2025 she appeared as Mrs. Cunningham in *The Testament of Ann Lee*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) On the animated series *Common Side Effects* (2024–2025) she voiced Amelia, Diane, and Linda Tree in eight episodes.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990)
## Personal life
IMDb's trivia section records that Woodward was in a relationship with actor [Andrew Garfield](https://www.edgepedia.org/andrew-garfield) from 2008 to 2011.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990) She made a cameo appearance in the 2012 documentary *Katy Perry: Part of Me*, a film by her long-time best friend [Katy Perry](https://www.edgepedia.org/katy-perry).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/)
## References
1. [Shannon Woodward, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0940990)
2. [Shannon Woodward, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/shannon-woodward/)
3. [Shannon Woodward : Filmographie - AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-93695/filmographie/)
4. [Shannon Woodward, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/12913/shannon-woodward)
5. [Biographie Shannon Woodward, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-93695/biographie/)
6. [Ed Harris Joins Cast of HBO's Westworld, Time](https://time.com/3101438/ed-harris-westworld/)
7. [Shannon Woodward, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/shannon-woodward/)
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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 Wh to W*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 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