Jeannetta Arnette
Jeannetta Arnette, born July 29, 1954, in Washington, D.C., is a prolific American actress with a career spanning television, film, and theater. Raised partly in North Carolina, she trained at the North Carolina School of the Arts, studied acting in England, and moved to Los Angeles after briefly attending George Washington University to pursue her craft professionally. She rose to prominence as the eccentric teacher Miss Meara on Head of the Class (1986-1991), with notable film roles including Lana's mother in Boys Don't Cry (1999), a nurse in Pay It Forward (2000), and Sandra Danby in Pineapple Express (2008). Arnette has made extensive TV guest appearances on series like Criminal Minds, ER, The Mentalist, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (as Doctor Karen Loews), and recent projects such as Clipped (2024) and American Crime Story (2021).
70 acting credits
Acting · 70
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
1999
The Mentalist
2008
Criminal Minds
2005
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Lost
2004
ER
1994
Fringe
2008
The A-Team
1983
Diagnosis: Murder
1993
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
1993
Cold Case
2003
Hill Street Blues
1981
The Drew Carey Show
1995
St. Elsewhere
1982
Justified
2010
Nash Bridges
1996
Touched by an Angel
1994
L.A. Law
1986
V.I.P.
1998
Switched at Birth
2011
American Crime Story
2016
Three's Company
1977
Laverne & Shirley
1976
Perception
2012
Roswell
1999
The Jackie Thomas Show
1992
Extant
2014
Invasion
2005
Homecoming
2018
Head of the Class
1986
Roseanne
1988
Pineapple Express
2008
Heathers
2018
The Shipping News
2001
Pay It Forward
2000
So NoTORIous
2006
10
1979
Boys Don't Cry
1999
Sniper 3
2004
Ladybugs
1992
Middle of Nowhere
2008
The Deliberate Stranger
1986
Beautiful Girl
2014
Judas Kiss
1998
The Shadow Riders
1982
The Prime Gig
2001
The History of White People in America: Volume II
1986
Snow Angels
2007
The Deliberate Stranger
1986
Brave New World
1980
The '70s
2000
Flight 90: Disaster on the Potomac
1984
Angels in Stardust
2014
Straight A's
2013
First Love, Last Rites
1998
Beneath the Dark
2010
Dunsmore
2003
Finding Home
2003
The Redeemer: Son of Satan!
1978
Callie & Son
1981
City Killer
1984
Sister Margaret and the Saturday Night Ladies
1987
Mystery Kids
2000
Hunter Gatherer
2016
Take Your Best Shot
1982
Small Town Conspiracy
2003
The Amateur
2014
Waking Up Dead
2022
Single Women, Married Men
1989
Teenage Graffiti
1977