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Emmy Award-winning actress Julia Barr joined the cast of All
My Children in 1976 as impetuous teenager Brooke English, the spoiled, rich niece of Phoebe Tyler. Over the years, Brooke
has survived her share of trials and tribulations, emerging as a true and beloved soap opera heroine.
Julia grew up
in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where she caught the acting bug at age 13 and became a true star in her hometown. She was acting,
singing and dancing in virtually every local production between the Fort Wayne Community Theater, Civic Theater, Wagon Wheel
Playhouse and Enchanted Hills Playhouse.
Ms. Barr attended Purdue University, where she starred in such productions
as Our Town, A Streetcar Named Desire, The Lover, The Killing of Sister George and Endgame.
Then she shuffled off to Buffalo's Studio Arena Theatre, where she earned her Equity card starring in Scapino, and
A Girl in My Soup with Van Johnson. Julia then moved to New York, and the work never stopped.
In June 1976,
she landed the role that audiences fell in love with: All My Children's Brooke English, and has played it ever since
(except for a 15-month break when she toured with Katharine Hepburn and Dorothy Loudon in the national touring company of
West Side Waltz). Her portrayal has garnered Julia eight Emmy Award nominations (1980, 1981, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994,
1998 and 2001), and she won the trophy in 1990 and 1998 for Outstanding Supporting Actress. In 1990, she also took home a
Soap Opera Digest Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Among her other television credits are Gathering of One,
The Adams Chronicles, and a brief role on Ryan's Hope just prior to All My Children. Her film credits
include I, the Jury and her off-Broadway credits include Kerouac.
Julia is committed to balancing her
passion for acting with her passion for family. When she's not at work, she's just "mom," spending as much time with her daughter
as possible. She and her husband enjoy decorating their modern New Jersey home and traveling. Julia's household also includes
a feisty dog named Nell (a greyhound and German shepherd mix adopted in October 1996); two independent cats (Dinah and Goldie);
a "neurotic" parakeet, and a rabbit named Louis.
The actress is the spokesperson for The Fund for Animals, a cause
very near to her heart. The fund works nationwide on advocacy, education, protection and rights of wild and domestic animals.
Through her website juliarusebarr.com, Barr educates All My Children fans and animal lovers on the protection and care
of animal companions.
In addition, she spent two years as an active volunteer for The Coalition for the Homeless'
First Step program, an innovative job-readiness program for homeless women which helps them build new lives by preparing them
to enter the work force. In 1996, they honored Julia at the program's annual gala with their "Women Mean Business" award.
The multi-talented Ms. Barr also studies voice, and in September 1996 made a splash singing the National Anthem to
a full house at Yankee Stadium for the Baltimore series. In addition, Julia is committed to staying in shape and, with the
help of a fitness trainer and strict exercise program, she's never felt better. That, along with her simple beauty regimen,
keeps Julia (and Brooke) looking and feeling young, fit and healthy.
| Julia and a much younger Allison. |
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| Julia and her husband Richie. |
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| Julia and her daughter Allison. |
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