April Bowlby is an American actress best known for playing Kandi on CBS’s Two and a Half Men. Bowlby, who also played Stacy Barrett on Lifetime’s drama/fantasy series Drop Dead Diva, is one of those actresses who could easily fly under the radar. Bowlby, a native of Vallejo, California, had initially started with a career in modeling before venturing fully into acting. Landing the role of Kandi on the hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men came within just a few months of her first-ever auditions in Hollywood. Although she only appeared as a recurring character in Season 4, she quickly gained more visibility as the show progressed.
On her character on the show, Bowlby said, “Kandi is kind of innocently oblivious. She’s just a sweet girl and doesn’t get what’s going on. It’s a real pink world for her. She’s a ditz or easy to live with… either one.” The show was perfect for the model-turned-actress, as she spent a great deal of time with the cast and turned what could have potentially been a rather comical and stereotypical character into something quite endearing. Bowlby has been involved in several other television/film projects throughout her Hollywood career. Whenever she’s not so busy in front of the cameras, she spends her time doing podcasts, uploading lots of pictures on Instagram, and being a responsible dog lover and owner.
April Bowlby In Two and a Half Men
As much fun as it was watching Charlie Harper strut around thinking he was the quintessential ladies’ man, it was equally a lot of fun realizing that not all the ladies thought highly of him, especially when comparing him with others. For instance, when Kandi started seeing Alan Harper instead of Charlie, one would have thought she would be turned off by Alan’s many insecurities and goofy mannerisms. But for some reason, she locked on to him, and the two became a rather close pair.
This angered Charlie to no end since he could never understand how his brother would satisfy a woman like Kandi. He also couldn’t quite fathom what Kandi saw in Alan, and it didn’t matter that she had explained it to him on more than one occasion; his narcissism created a strong mental block. Kandi also seemed to get a lot of crap from Alan’s ex, who also didn’t approve of Alan’s and Kandi’s relationship. She didn’t hesitate to voice her concerns that Kandi would be a bad influence on Jake, her son with Alan.
April Bowlby In Drop Dead Diva
What would be your first thought should your best friend reveal that she’s returned from the dead in a different body? Lifetime’s Drop Dead Diva is one that many viewers found interesting but also funny in how it approached the idea of death and the afterlife. April Bowlby plays the character Stacy, a best friend and roommate of Deb, the main protagonist who was considered to be a little unstable. Bowlby approached her character on the show with a little more depth as she had to be Deb’s safe place, who could understand her best friend’s predicament.
April Bowlby In Doom Patrol
April Bowlby is credited as being the first actress ever to play the DC Comics character Rita Farr/Elasti-Woman in a live-action adaptation of the comics. HBO Max’s critically acclaimed Doom Patrol provided a platform for Bowlby to showcase her acting skills in a more dramatic and character-focused role. One could definitely say that Bowlby has improved on her craft over the years, given her humble beginnings playing “hot dumb girl” characters.
Known as the “Elasti-Woman” on Doom Patrol, Bowlby plays the role of a former Hollywood actress whose cellular structure has been altered into a gelatinous state after accidental exposure to an underwater toxic gas. She is gifted with powers that allow her to change her body shape but also cause her to struggle with maintaining a solid form. Doom Patrol ended in 2023 with 40 episodes across 4 seasons.
April Bowlby Married Filmmaker Mathew Cooke
For many years, April Bowlby was presumed to be single by fans and media audiences. After being romantically linked with the American singer Josh Groban in 2009, Bowlby ensured she kept her relationship status very private. This changed a bit when she began dating American filmmaker Matthew Cooke. Although they married in 2020, Bowlby took to Instagram two years later and posted a black and white photo of her and Cooke kissing on their big day in honor of their anniversary. April Bowlby and Matthew Cooke have a child together and are currently not shy about posting photos of themselves on their social media pages.
