Friday Five: Actresses Who Could Be Sarah Walker’s Mother

So far this season we’ve had two mentions of Sarah’s mom, which is 200% more than we’d heard about her before. A popular thread in the ChuckTV.net forum is who should play Mama Walker (for lack of a better moniker; we have no idea what her name is), and it strikes me as a perfect topic for a Friday Five. We know so little about the character that predicting the right kind of actress is tough. But Chuck does have a “type”, so let’s give it a go. Here are my choices for Mama Walker.

1. Cybill Shepherd – A veteran of comedy who can turn in a dramatic performance as well, she ought to be able to nail the tone on Chuck. She has a passing resemblance to Yvonne Strahovski, definitely a plus, and the Moonlighting connection is too good to pass up on a show proving that the lead couple can get together and still be interesting.
2. Catherine Bach – The original Daisy Duke, she fits into the pop culture universe of Chuck. She’s no stranger to fast cars and villainous doings, so she ought to be able to handle the spy world. With some highlights and a pair of rockin’ boots, she’s a Sarah Walker doppelganger.
3. Ellen Barkin – Classy and elegant, she could play Mama Walker the socialite who fell for a con man. Or the savvy con woman who found herself drawn to the competition. Remember Sarah from season 1? Eerily in control of her emotions and able to compartmentalize? Maybe she learned that from mom.
4. Rene Russo – Yeah, we suggested her for Mama Bartowski, but Linda Hamilton was clearly the right choice for that role. Still, Rene would be a good fit for Chuck; she can do action (Lethal Weapon), espionage (The Thomas Crown Affair), drama (Ransom), and comedy (Tin Cup). Her brand of tough yet vulnerable echoes Yvonne Strahovski’s portrayal of Sarah, too.
5. Lindsay Wagner – C’mon, she’s the Bionic Woman!

Assuming we meet Mama Walker this season, who do you think should play her?