During her unexpected wintertime hiatus, the award-winning Chandra Wilson wrapped up her tax returns, cleaned house, attended parent-teacher conferences, picked up an award and even visited her old high school.

Wilson, understandably, would have preferred to be at work, wrapping up Season Four as Dr. Miranda Bailey in the ABC drama Grey’s Anatomy.

But the chance for the actress to return to her alma mater, Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, was one of the brighter spots of her forced time off during the Writers Guild of America strike.

According to her hometown Houston Chronicle, Wilson returned to the school bearing gifts — the promise to fund a pair of $2,000 annual college scholarships for HSPVA’s theater graduates — and in just minutes, produced more genuine, heartfelt laughter than the stern, no-nonsense Miranda Bailey has provided viewers in four years of serious, on-screen hospital corridor stare-downs.

“There’s a whole lot of my mom, a whole lot of Wilma (referring to her mother, Wilma Allen) in Dr. Bailey,” Chandra Wilson said, laughing.

“You know mothers. Everything is justified from their point of view. I may see it differently, but she’s completely justified with every reaction and suggestion.”

Listening to her mom has served Wilson well thus far. Chandra Wilson had acted since age five in Theatre Under The Stars productions, but only applied for the performing arts high school in 1983 at her mother’s suggestion - her urging.

“Within two weeks, I knew that was the best decision my mother ever made,” she said. “I didn’t have professional aspirations. My mom didn’t want me to be idle.”

Follow this link to continue reading this great account of the amazing Chandra Wilson’s time off this winter in the Houston Chronicle …

It was a win-some, lose-some night for Grey’s Anatomy on Tuesday, when the hit ABC hospital drama managed to win all three TV acting trophies at the People’s Choice Awards, while the acclaimed show itself was shut out of any wins.

The handsome Patrick Dempsey and newlywed Katherine Heigl took home the Male and Female TV Star awards, while their co-star, Chandra Wilson, beat out the competition to win the Scene Stealer trophy. However, it was another rival medical series, Fox’s House, that brought home the award for TV Drama.

Congrats to Patrick, Katherine and Chandra, who are definitely the people’s choice here at Grey’s Anatomy Insider. More photos to come …

Hey, everybody needs a little break sometimes. Here are a couple of photos of the cast of Grey’s Anatomy during a brief pause in filming of Season Four. Look at this cute picture of Chandra Wilson and her young son!

We love Chandra Wilson. Follow the jump for photos of Patrick Dempsey and Ellen Pompeo on break, behind the scenes on the set of Grey’s Anatomy…

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The doctor is in … the house! Grey’s Anatomy actress and perennial Emmy nominee Chandra Wilson traded in her stethoscope for a hammer for a day as she pitched in with Habitat For Humanity. Check out the People magazine photo below. 

Wilson and the group constructed homes for families in need on Thursday in Los Angeles. It’s always nice to see Grey’s Anatomy stars lending a helping hand.

According to InStyle, Sandra Oh hosted an intimate evening at a private home in the Hollywood Hills to toast her fellow female Emmy nominees.

Sandra Oh’s Grey’s Anatomy co-star, Chandra Wilson, as well as guest such as Elizabeth Perkins of Weeds and Holland Taylor of Two and a Half Men all arrived at the exclusive event in hybrid cars to enjoy a laid-back dinner and plenty of Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne.

“I’m hoping this event will continue as a yearly invitation to the female nominees to get together and get to know each other, because on the big day it’s so crazy and you’re not completely in your body,” Sandra Oh said of her attempt to start a new Emmy tradition.

More pictures of Sandra Oh and friends after the jump …

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Ready for a behind the scenes look at the Grey’s Anatomy set? Don’t get your hopes up for anything groundbreaking, but with the adorable Chandra Wilson giving you a guided tour, it’s still worth watching!

Go backstage with Chandra Wilson and learn a little bit about where and how our favorite show in the four-minute clip below …

Grey’s Anatomy star Chandra Wilson will star with Paul Mazursky in a one-night reading of Josh Greenfield’s Canal Street at Los Angeles’ Hayworth Theatre.

Part of the Bruno Kirby Celebrity Reading Series, Gary Blumsack will direct the event, scheduled for August 20 at 8 p.m.

Canal Street casts Mazursky as “Milton, an ornery and abrasive nursing home resident with questionable mental faculties who is paid a surprise visit by a young woman (Wilson) claiming to be his daughter.”

“The two engage in a sparring match of wits and wisdom. Will they let their differences keep them strangers or can they become a family?”

Wilson — currently nominated (a second time) for her turn on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy — earned a SAG Award for that role.

In the past, Chandra Wilson appeared onstage in Caroline, or Change as well as in The Good Times Are Killing Me, Paper Moon: The Musical, The Family Mann and the George C. Wolfe-directed Broadway revival of On The Town.

Mazursky is known for his work as a director on such films as Bob, Carol, Ted & Alice, Blume in Love, Down and Out in Beverly Hills, The Tempest, Harry and Tonto, An Unmarried Woman and Moscow on the Hudson.

As an actor, he has appeared in A Star Is Born, Carlito’s Way and Love Affair as well as in TV’s Once and Again and Curb Your Enthusiasm.

The lovely ladies of Grey’s Anatomy dominate the supporting actress in a drama category for this year’s Emmys, and it’d be far from a stretch to say at least two of them - Katherine Heigl and Sandra Oh - rose to new heights last season, Variety opines.

Heigl’s Izzie Stevens began the year dealing with the death of fiance Denny by baking muffins, and ended it by having an affair with a married man - her best friend, George O’Malley.

Sandra Oh endured a tumultuous relationship and was left standing at the altar as Isaiah Washington’s Preston Burke said goodbye to her, seeing her trepidation at spending a life together.

Also on Grey’s Anatomy, but in a more subdued - though by no means less well-executed - role, was nominee Chandra Wilson, whose classy Dr. Bailey, try as she might, aims to lessen the hysteria that always seems to permeate the halls of Seattle Grace.

As for their competition? Aida Turturro was only in a handful of Sopranos episodes these past few months, but even in limited scenes, she had the ability to not only raise the ire of brother Tony, but of watchers who can see through her scheming ways. She did all that with fewer scenes than most of her castmates, too.

Australia’s Rachel Griffiths seamlessly flowed from Six Feet Under to Brothers & Sisters, moving from scattered Brenda Chenowith to solid citizen Sarah Whedon, who does her best to keep the family business - and her own troubled marriage - afloat.

Follow the jump for Variety’s breakdown of the Emmy contenders for best supporting actress in a drama series …

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Ever the humanitarian, Chandra Wilson (along with her three children) will be starring in a new Folgers Gourmet Selections commercial. Partnering with the Greater Los Angeles chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Chandra and family hope to raise up to $150,000 to help families in need.

The press release detailing the award-winning Grey’s Anatomy star’s latest charitable endeavor reads as follows:

Starting today, consumers are encouraged to create their own Folgers Gourmet Selections commercial about what makes their morning special. The commercials are simple to create and can be completed in four easy steps online. Each time someone submits a commercial or votes on their favorite submission, Folgers Gourmet Selections will make a $1 donation to Habitat for Humanity up to $150,000. Consumers will be able to share their commercials with friends and family members and encourage their participation. P&G Coffee has already pledged $150,000 to Habitat for Humanity New Orleans and hopes to raise an additional $150,000 for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles for a total contribution of $300,000.

Follow this link to watch Chandra’s “Wake Up Special” commercial and find out more about how you can get involved in the project if you’re interested.

A surprise reunion for the resurgent Isaiah Washington and two of his former Grey’s Anatomy co-stars - James Pickens, Jr. and Chandra Wilson - took place at an event for a good cause.

The actor, who was let go from the ABC hit in June, unexpectedly showed up Saturday at Kiki Shepard’s 5th Annual Celebrity Bowling Challenge to “Bowl a Strike for Sickle Cell Disease” at the PINZ Entertainment Center in L.A.

Washington, who seemed in good spirits, casually greeted James Pickens, Jr., with a pat on the back before the two got to catching up, then gave Wilson a hearty hug and kiss hello.

Carrying an unlit cigar, Washington opted not to bowl and instead watched as James Pickens, Jr., who plays Dr. Richard Webber on Grey’s Anatomy, showed off his bowling skills with a few strikes and a couple of spares.

As we reported yesterday, however, Isaiah Washington, 43, has already made a strike of his own.

The actor has landed some new TV roles, including a guest-starring role on this fall’s NBC remake of The Bionic Woman with Michelle Ryan.

He’s also landed a development deal as the lead star in a potential action drama he pitched to NBC for the 2008-09 season, according to USA Today.

While details of his role on The Bionic Woman remain a mystery, NBC co-chair Ben Silverman thinks this could be a stepping stone for Washington.

“I think he could be an action star,” Silverman said. “There aren’t any African-American action stars on television, so I thought we’d give him a forum to do his thing.”

Silverman, who knows Washington through a mutual friend who’s organizing charitable events in Africa, made the decision to hire Washington based on personal knowledge rather than the hype surrounding his often-discussed argument on the Grey’s Anatomy set.

“I just think he’s a great actor,” says Silverman.

As for Washington’s former home base, with the Grey’s team having reported back to work last Monday, Wilson told People it just isn’t the same.

“There’s something missing,” said Wilson, who plays Dr. Miranda Bailey. “There are definitely big voids there, so you’re trying to figure out how do you work now with the voids … not only personally but for the characters … and what does that mean?’”

Pickens declined to discuss Washington but did offer some kind words for Kate Walsh, who is also gone, having left to start her own show, Private Practice.

“[Kate Walsh] was such integral part of the cast, so beautiful and funny,” he said. “But I’m so happy for her with the new show. I wish her nothing but success with it.”

At Monday’s gathering of the cast - the first since Season 3 of Grey’s ended in May - “We started with a vengeance,” said Chandra Wilson. “It’s like full 14-hour days already, so it didn’t feel like we took a break.”

“You hit the ground running,” Pickens added.

Added to the cast is Chyler Leigh, who plays Lexie Grey, Meredith Grey’s half-sister and a new Seattle Grace intern.

“She’s really talented.” Pickens said of Chyler Leigh. “We’re looking forward to seeing how she integrates into the cast. I haven’t had any scenes with her, but from what I’ve seen I think she’s going to be a great addition.”