Katy Sullivan

Katy Sullivan is an American actress, producer, writer, and Paralympic track and field athlete. Born a bilateral transfemoral amputee without both lower legs, she grew up in Alabama, where she pursued gymnastics, singing, and acting. She earned a BFA in acting from Webster University's Conservatory in St. Louis.

Sullivan's stage career has spanned regional theater, off-Broadway, and Broadway. She originated the role of Ani opposite Wendell Pierce in the world premiere of Cost of Living at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. She subsequently reprised the role in the Manhattan Theatre Club's off-Broadway production, which went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. That performance earned her a Theatre World Award in 2018, along with nominations for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play, the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. Sullivan brought the role to Broadway in 2022, receiving a Tony Award nomination in the process. She was the first female amputee to perform on Broadway and the first female amputee to receive a Tony Award nomination. Her stage work also includes The Long Red Road at the Goodman Theatre, directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and the title role in Shakespeare's Richard III at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater in 2024.

Sullivan's screen credits include recurring and guest appearances on NBC's My Name Is Earl, ABC's Last Man Standing, FX's Legit, and CBS's NCIS: New Orleans. She portrays Esther in the 2021 Showtime reboot of Dexter. She has also appeared in independent films, including the documentary Walk On.

Alongside fellow Webster University alumna Becca Flinn White, Sullivan co-founded SulliFlinn Productions, a company that creates online comedy content and short films and is developing a comedy titled Legs. The two were named 2015 fellows in the Producers Guild of America's Power of Diversity program.

As a Paralympic athlete, Sullivan is a four-time US champion in the 100 meters. She competed at the London 2012 Paralympic Games, where she was among the first bilateral above-knee amputees to participate in ambulatory track at the Paralympics, set an American record of 17.33 seconds, and finished sixth in the world. In November 2015, the Foundation for Global Sports Development presented her with its Athletes in Excellence Award in recognition of her community service and work with youth.