Kellie Noelle Martin was born October 16, 1975, in Riverside, California. From a very close family, Martin would frequently perform for her relatives at a young age. This love of acting quickly translated into paid acting gigs and a real pursuit of her passion. When Martin was only seven, she made her on-screen debut in the television series Father Murphy.
Martin continued taking one-episode appearances and bit roles as the opportunities arose throughout her childhood. Notable appearances included Jumpin' Jack Flash in 1986, with Whoopi Goldberg, Annie Potts, Jonathan Pryce, Jon Lovitz, and Phil Hartman, as well as the 1988 children's film Runaway Ralph, with Fred Savage and Sara Gilbert. From 1987 to 1988, she appeared four times opposite Valerie Harper in her television series Valerie.
Still young, but with many years of acting experience under her belt, Martin won the role of Becca Thacher on the new television series Life Goes On, with co-stars Bill Smitrovich, Patti LuPone, and Chad Lowe. For her four-season stint on the show, Martin earned two Young Artist Awards, two Young Artist Award nominations, and a coveted Emmy nomination for the show's final season in 1993.
Despite the end of her successful show, Martin's career was only looking up. She appeared with Sharon Lawrence in the well-received made-for-TV film The Face on the Milk Carton, as well as starred in a new hit television series, Christy. The latter ran for twenty episodes over 1994 and 1995 with co-stars Tyne Daly and Jack Landry.
Martin also starred in the drama Crisis Center in 1997 for its six episode run before being prematurely cancelled. In the same year, she led the cast of On the Edge of Innocence, another well-received made-for-TV movie. She co-starred with James Marsden, Karen Young, Jamie Kennedy, Joshua Jackson, and Clea DuVall.
The following year, Martin won her most high profile role since Life Goes On. Taking the part of Lucy Knight, she co-starred in thirty-six episodes of the hit medical drama ER. Fellow actors from 1998 to 2000 were Anthony Edwards, Noah Wyle, Julianna Margulies, Alex Kingston, and Maura Tierney.
Her dramatic and unexpected departure from the show was a shock to many after her success and popularity in the role. However, personal problems prevented her from continuing. Her real life sister, Heather, died at nineteen from lupus erythematosus, and after spending so much time in hospitals, Martin found she simply couldn't continue.
Recovering from her personal loss, Martin still managed to graduate from Yale University in 2001, earning her degree in art history. In 2003 she took the lead in Mystery Woman, with Robert Wagner, and its success prompted another ten Mystery Woman films for the Hallmark channel.
In her personal life, Martin enjoys photography and ballet, excelling at both. She was also romantically linked to Joey Lawrence for a short time. She later married Keith Christian on May 15, 1999. They welcomed their first daughter, Margaret Heather Christian, on November 4, 2006. The couple is currently still together.
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