---
name: "Catherine Dent"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/catherine-dent"
fi1m_id: "catherine-dent"
imdb_id: "nm0219748"
tmdb_id: 65797
wikidata_id: "Q457395"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "14 April 1965"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 65
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-03T02:36:49.423057+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Catherine Dent

## Identity

Catherine Dent

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/catherine-dent
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** catherine-dent
- **IMDb ID:** nm0219748
- **TMDB ID:** 65797
- **Wikidata ID:** Q457395
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Dent, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q457395, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219748/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/65797

Actor. Born 14 April 1965 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 14 April 1965, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
- **Active:** 2002–present
- **Also known as:** Catherine Grace Dent , کاترین دنت
- **Average Fi1m score:** 65, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 2000s 78 (2), 2020s 40 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 65 to 66 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 1 of 1 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 3, Crime 2, Action & Adventure 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $60m across 1 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Dent, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q457395, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0219748/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/65797

## Streaming the US now

- **Disney+:** [*The Shield*](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md) (84)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Catherine Dent

> Catherine Dent makes authority figures feel like people doing a difficult job, with the imperfections that involves. We value her work in *The Shield*, where Danny Sofer helps make the ensemble worth following beyond its lead.

When *The Shield* (2002) turns away from its central policeman, Catherine Dent helps keep us watching. As Danielle ‘Danny’ Sofer, she gives Shawn Ryan’s police drama a credible officer without making her a model of good behaviour. We wanted more time with Danny, because Dent helped make the conversations away from Mackey worth following in their own right. That is a substantial achievement in a series with Michael Chiklis at its centre and so much reason to return to him. Dent makes the supporting role worth the attention it asks for.

Her film work began with *Nobody's Fool* (1994), playing Charlotte Sullivan opposite Paul Newman, but television supplied the decisive part. Danny became her breakthrough in 2002 and remained a main-cast role through seven seasons of *The Shield*. The same year brought Sally Clarke in the miniseries *Taken* (2002), followed by Ana in *21 Grams* (2003). Those other parts establish the breadth of her work, though it is the sustained contribution to Ryan’s programme that gives us the clearest reason to recommend her.

The part also suits her recurring strength: playing women with authority in environments dominated by men. Dent’s Danny is allowed to be flawed, and the performance makes those imperfections believable without asking us to excuse them. *The Shield* can insist too heavily on its own roughness; we do not find every abrasive moment persuasive. Dent’s contribution belongs with the programme’s virtues, alongside CCH Pounder and Jay Karnes, who likewise make attention to the wider cast rewarding.

After *The Shield* ended in 2008, her work shifted towards recurring and guest television parts, with occasional films. General Hale in *Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.*, whom she played in 2017–2018, continued the association with authority figures. That concentration in supporting roles limits how broadly we can judge her work; it is not in itself a weakness in the acting. Start with *The Shield*, and do not spend Danny’s scenes waiting for the leading man to come back.

## Biography

Catherine Dent is an American actress. She was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, graduating in 1993.

Dent is best known for her role as LAPD officer Danielle 'Danny' Sofer in the FX series *The Shield* (2002–2008). Her other television credits include recurring or guest roles in *Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.* (as General Hale), *The Mentalist*, *Grey's Anatomy*, *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*, *The Sopranos* and *The X-Files*. Her film appearances include *Nobody's Fool* (1994), *The Majestic* (2001), *21 Grams* (2003) and *Auto Focus* (2002). She is married to Peter Eliasberg.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Blonde* (2022), Fi1m 40, as Jean — [page](https://film.one/film/blonde.md)
- *21 Grams* (2003), Fi1m 72, as Ana — [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)
- *The Shield* (2002), Fi1m 84, as Danielle 'Danny' Sofer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)

## Complete filmography (69)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Candy Cane Lane* (2023), as Lee
- *Rachel Hendrix* (2023), as Em Evans
- *Moving On* (2023), as Molly
- *Blonde* (2022), as Jean — Fi1m 40, [page](https://film.one/film/blonde.md)
- *DAVE* (2020), series, as Debbie
- *Magnum P.I.* (2018), series, as Georgia Preston
- *9-1-1* (2018), series, as Detective Phelps
- *Halfway There* (2017), as Jennifer Morgan
- *Imposters* (2017), series, as Cynthia Van Duzer
- *Lucifer* (2016), series, as Dr. Alice Porter
- *The Player* (2015), series, as Barbara Lee
- *Fear the Walking Dead* (2015), series, as Melissa Geary
- *The Astronaut Wives Club* (2015), series, as Beverly Davis
- *Stitchers* (2015), series, as Dr. Ellen Goodkin
- *How to Get Away with Murder* (2014), series, as Ford
- *Guilty at 17* (2014), as Melanie Scott
- *Galyntine* (2014), Actor
- *Drew Peterson: Untouchable* (2014), as Karen Chojnacki
- *Finding Neighbors* (2013), as Mary
- *Ironside* (2013), series, as Mrs. Rachel Watson
- *Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.* (2013), series, as General Hale
- *Arrow* (2012), series, as Alexa Van Owen
- *Longmire* (2012), series, Actor — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/longmire.md)
- *Touch* (2012), series, as Abigail Kelsey
- *Carjacked* (2011), as Therapist
- *Law & Order: LA* (2010), series, as Sarah Witmer
- *Duress* (2009), as Jenny
- *Natalee Holloway* (2009), as Carol
- *Castle* (2009), series, as Beth Tanner — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/castle.md)
- *Lie to Me* (2009), series, as Faye Sheridan
- *The Mentalist* (2008), series, as Susan Darcy — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles* (2008), series, as Agent Greta Simpson — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/tv/terminator-the-sarah-connor-chronicles.md)
- *Chuck* (2007), series, as Jane — Fi1m 73, [page](https://film.one/tv/chuck.md)
- *The Bad Son* (2007), as Ronnie McAdams
- *The Unseen* (2005), as Ms. Lucille
- *Criminal Minds* (2005), series, as Ellen Dent — Fi1m 60, [page](https://film.one/tv/criminal-minds.md)
- *The Closer* (2005), series, as Melissa Disken
- *Tides of War* (2005), as Claire Trifoli
- *Grey's Anatomy* (2005), series, as Cathy Rogerson — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/tv/greys-anatomy.md)
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, as Naomi Vaughn
- *21 Grams* (2003), as Ana — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/film/21-grams.md)
- *NCIS* (2003), series, as Whitney Sharp — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/ncis.md)
- *Taken* (2002), series, as Sally Clarke
- *Auto Focus* (2002), as Susan
- *Without a Trace* (2002), series, as Lindsay Bynum
- *The Shield* (2002), series, as Danielle 'Danny' Sofer — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-shield.md)
- *Venomous* (2002), as Susan Edmonton
- *The Majestic* (2001), as Mabel
- *Replicant* (2001), as Angie
- *Someone Like You...* (2001), as Alice, Jane's Sister
- *The Lone Gunmen* (2001), series, Actor
- *CSI: Crime Scene Investigation* (2000), series, as Kay Marquette / Irene
- *The Invisible Man* (2000), series, as Dr. Elizabeth Rendell
- *Third Watch* (1999), series, as Doris Fontaine
- *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (1999), series, as Deborah Latrell
- *The Sopranos* (1999), series, as Arlene Riley — Fi1m 94, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-sopranos.md)
- *L.A. Doctors* (1998), series, as Alice Field
- *Jaded* (1998), as Lisa Heller
- *Dangerous Proposition* (1998), as Laura
- *Dharma & Greg* (1997), series, as Cynthia
- *The Pretender* (1996), series, as Dr. Carla Goetz
- *Nash Bridges* (1996), series, as Tara Browning
- *Nobody's Fool* (1994), as Charlotte Sullivan
- *Chicago Hope* (1994), series, as Tanya Anderson
- *Frasier* (1993), series, as Claudia Kynock — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/frasier.md)
- *The X-Files* (1993), series, as June Gurwich — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-x-files.md)
- *A Girl's Guide to Sex* (1993), as Tracy Pixel
- *Law & Order* (1990), series, as Dena Carter — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/law-and-order.md)
- *Day One*, series, Actor

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/catherine-dent