Joanna Kerns

Biography

Joanna Crussie DeVarona Kerns is an accomplished American actress and director, widely recognized for her portrayal of Maggie Seaver in the beloved family sitcom Growing Pains, which aired from 1985 to 1992.

Following the conclusion of Growing Pains, Kerns shifted her focus to directing. During her time on the show, she directed an episode and quickly developed a passion for the craft. She has since helmed episodes for a variety of popular television series, such as Dawson's Creek, Titans, Scrubs, Private Practice, Psych, Felicity, Grey's Anatomy, Privileged, ER, Ghost Whisperer, Army Wives, Pretty Little Liars, Switched at Birth, The Goldbergs, This Is Us, and Fuller House.

In addition to her television work, Kerns has made significant contributions to film, featuring in titles like A*P*E, Girl, Interrupted, and the 2007 comedy Knocked Up. She has also appeared in various TV movies.

Kerns’ personal life includes her marriage to commercial producer Richard Kerns, whom she met in 1974; they wed two years later and had a daughter, Ashley Cooper, before their marriage ended after nine years. In 1994, she remarried architect Marc Appleton, but filed for divorce in August 2019. Earlier in her life, she dated comedian Freddie Prinze shortly before his tragic passing in 1977, after they collaborated on the TV movie The Million Dollar Rip-Off.