---
name: "Kristy Swanson"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/kristy-swanson"
fi1m_id: "kristy-swanson"
imdb_id: "nm0001785"
tmdb_id: 56128
wikidata_id: "Q238394"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "19 December 1969"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 69
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T01:41:15.527348+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."
---

# Kristy Swanson

## Identity

Kristy Swanson

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/kristy-swanson
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** kristy-swanson
- **IMDb ID:** nm0001785
- **TMDB ID:** 56128
- **Wikidata ID:** Q238394
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristy_Swanson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q238394, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001785/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56128

Actor. Born 19 December 1969 in Mission Viejo, California, USA.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 19 December 1969, Mission Viejo, California, USA
- **Active:** 1986–1999
- **Also known as:** Kristen Noel Swanson, Kristen Nöel Swanson
- **Average Fi1m score:** 69, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 81 (1), 1990s 62 (2)
- **Score spread:** 1 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 1 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Comedy 3, Action 1, Drama 1, War 1
- **Screen time:** 5 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $486m across 3 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristy_Swanson, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q238394, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001785/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/56128

## Streaming the US now

- **Netflix:** [*Big Daddy*](https://film.one/film/big-daddy.md) (55)

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

## Biography

Kristy Swanson is an American actress. Born on 19 December 1969 in Mission Viejo, California, she began her career in television commercials as a child and made her screen debut in the mid-1980s.

She appeared in small roles in *Pretty in Pink* (1986) and *Ferris Bueller's Day Off* (1986). Her early film credits include *Deadly Friend* (1986), *Flowers in the Attic* (1987) and *Hot Shots!* (1991), in which she played Kowalski. She is also known for the title role in *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (1992), *The Phantom* (1996), *Big Daddy* (1999) and *Dude, Where's My Car?* (2000), as well as television appearances in *CSI: Miami* and *Psych*.

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

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Big Daddy* (1999), Fi1m 55, as Vanessa — [page](https://film.one/film/big-daddy.md)
- *Hot Shots!* (1991), Fi1m 70, as Kowalski — [page](https://film.one/film/hot-shots.md)
- *Ferris Bueller's Day Off* (1986), Fi1m 81, as Economics Student - Simone Adamley — [page](https://film.one/film/ferris-buellers-day-off.md)

## Complete filmography (87)

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

- *Run Hide Fight: Infidels* (2026), as Deputy Director Teresa Quill
- *Trail Blazers* (2022), as Slayer
- *Just Another Dream* (2022), as Cindy Miller
- *Courting Mom and Dad* (2021), as Sarah Lambert
- *Trafficked: A Parent's Worst Nightmare* (2021), as Joanna Riley
- *The ObamaGate Movie* (2020), as Lisa Page
- *Psych 2: Lassie Come Home* (2020), as Marlowe Viccellio
- *FBI Lovebirds: UnderCovers* (2019), as Lisa Page
- *The Green Ribbon* (2019), as Samantha Pringle (archive footage)
- *PawParazzi* (2019), as Latte (voice)
- *Killer Under The Bed* (2018), as Sarah
- *Mimesis: Nosferatu* (2018), as Max's Mother
- *Winter's Dream* (2018), as Kat
- *Bad Stepmother* (2018), as Louise
- *A Mother's Sacrifice* (2017), as Kathrin
- *Crowning Jules* (2017), as Victoria
- *Angels in the Snow* (2015), as Judith Montgomery
- *Driven Underground* (2015), as Sarah Palmer
- *Merry Ex-Mas* (2014), as Noëlle Rogers
- *A Belle for Christmas* (2014), as Dani Downy
- *Beethoven's Treasure Tail* (2014), as Anne Parker
- *A Lesson in Romance* (2014), as Megan Mills
- *Little Women Big Cars 2* (2014), as Rocky
- *Storm Rider* (2013), as Jody Peterson
- *The Bouquet* (2013), as Terri Benton
- *Operation Cupcake* (2012), as Janet Carson
- *Little Women Big Cars* (2012), as Rocky
- *A Christmas Wish* (2011), as Martha Evans
- *Chick Magnet* (2011), as Kristy (uncredited)
- *Swamp Shark* (2011), as Rachel McDaniel
- *What if...* (2010), as Wendy Walker
- *Forbidden Secrets* (2007), as Alexandra Kent Lambeth
- *Living Death* (2006), as Elizabeth
- *Psych* (2006), series, as Marlowe Viccellio
- *The Black Hole* (2006), as Shannon Muir
- *Bound by Lies* (2005), as Laura Cross · Executive Producer
- *One Tree Hill* (2003), series, as Woman in Car — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/tv/one-tree-hill.md)
- *The Only Witness* (2003), as Dr. Julia Craig
- *Red Water* (2003), as Dr. Kelli Raymond
- *CSI: Miami* (2002), series, as Roxanne Price
- *Zebra Lounge* (2001), as Louise Bauer
- *Law & Order: Criminal Intent* (2001), series, as Lorelei Mailer
- *Soul Assassin* (2001), as Tessa Jansen
- *Dude, Where's My Car?* (2000), as Christie Boner
- *Meeting Daddy* (2000), as Laurel Lee
- *Grapevine* (2000), series, as Susan Crawford
- *Big Daddy* (1999), as Vanessa — Fi1m 55, [page](https://film.one/film/big-daddy.md)
- *Supreme Sanction* (1999), as Jenna
- *Ground Control* (1998), as Julie Albrecht
- *Bad to the Bone* (1997), as Francesca Wells
- *Lover Girl* (1997), as Darlene Ferrari / 'Sherry'
- *8 Heads in a Duffel Bag* (1997), as Laurie
- *Just Shoot Me!* (1997), series, as Allison
- *Tinseltown* (1997), as Nikki Randall
- *Early Edition* (1996), series, as Erica Paget
- *The Phantom* (1996), as Diana Palmer
- *Marshal Law* (1996), as Lilly Nelson
- *Higher Learning* (1995), as Kristen Connor
- *Getting In* (1994), as Kirby Watts
- *The Chase* (1994), as Natalie Voss
- *The Program* (1993), as Camille Shafer
- *The Chili Con Carne Club* (1993), Actor
- *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* (1992), as Buffy Summers
- *Highway to Hell* (1991), as Rachel Clark
- *Hot Shots!* (1991), as Kowalski — Fi1m 70, [page](https://film.one/film/hot-shots.md)
- *Mannequin Two: On the Move* (1991), as Jessie
- *Diving In* (1990), as Terry Hopkins
- *Dream Trap* (1990), as Sue Halloran
- *B.L. Stryker* (1989), series, as Lynn Ellingsworth
- *Nightingales* (1989), series, as Rebecca 'Becky' Granger
- *Joan Rivers and Friends Salute Heidi Abromowitz* (1988), as Teenage Heidi Abromowitz (uncredited)
- *Nightingales* (1988), as Becky
- *Juarez* (1988), as Cathy Dodge
- *Flowers in the Attic* (1987), as Cathy Dollanganger
- *Not Quite Human* (1987), as Eron Jeffries
- *Deadly Friend* (1986), as Samantha
- *Ferris Bueller's Day Off* (1986), as Economics Student - Simone Adamley — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/film/ferris-buellers-day-off.md)
- *Mr. Boogedy* (1986), as Jennifer Davis
- *Miracle of the Heart: A Boys Town Story* (1986), as Stephanie Gamble
- *Pretty in Pink* (1986), as Duckette
- *The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents* (1985), series, as Female Student #2
- *Growing Pains* (1985), series, as Rhonda
- *It's Your Move* (1984), series, as Laura
- *Call to Glory* (1984), series, as Sally
- *Cagney & Lacey* (1982), series, Actor — Fi1m 81, [page](https://film.one/tv/cagney-and-lacey.md)
- *Knots Landing* (1979), series, as Jody Campbell
- *Reapers Night*, as Ginger

## Gallery

- ![Kristy Swanson at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2019](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-328e6129be8f.jpg) Kristy Swanson at GalaxyCon Raleigh in 2019 — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Kristy_Swanson_%2848475696861%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-dc803c1c4e78.jpg) Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024 — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/20/Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_Nightmare_Weekend_Richmond_2024_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_Nightmare_Weekend_Richmond_2024_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Kristy Swanson at GalaxyCon Louisville in 2019](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-3cac74544b51.jpg) Kristy Swanson at GalaxyCon Louisville in 2019 — Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_GalaxyCon_Louisville_2019.jpg/1280px-Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_GalaxyCon_Louisville_2019.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-2e3ca3699fb7.jpg) Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024 — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Kristy_Swanson_%2854070209474%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/1280px-Kristy_Swanson_%2854070209474%29_%28cropped%29.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-b1cf01858bb5.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-c1ee8e256974.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-ef3288212556.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB
- ![Kristy Swanson Q&A: GalaxyCon Louisville 2019](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-732a70694be2.jpg) Kristy Swanson Q&A: GalaxyCon Louisville 2019 — Super Festivals, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/BLUE-IMG_20191124_110547.jpg/1280px-BLUE-IMG_20191124_110547.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-86a2f8389ed5.jpg) Kristy Swanson at Nightmare Weekend Richmond in 2024 — Super Festivals from Ft. Lauderdale, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_Nightmare_Weekend_Richmond_2024.jpg/1280px-Kristy_Swanson_Photo_Op_Nightmare_Weekend_Richmond_2024.jpg?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail)
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-35a8b85183f0.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-6c035d0acaa6.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB
- ![Kristy Swanson](https://film.one/media/person/452991/gallery-ee4b5e73cc51.jpg) Kristy Swanson — Image via TMDB

---
© 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/kristy-swanson