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Carrie Preston

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Carrie Preston
Preston in 2016
Born (1967-06-21) June 21, 1967 (age 57)
EducationUniversity of Evansville (BFA)
Juilliard School (GrDip)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • director
  • producer
Years active1985–present
Spouse
(m. 1998)

Carrie Preston (born June 21, 1967)[1] is an American actress, director, and producer. She is best known for her roles as Arlene Fowler in the HBO fantasy drama series True Blood (2008–2014) and as Elsbeth Tascioni in the CBS legal drama series The Good Wife (2010–2016), the Paramount+ legal drama spinoff series The Good Fight (2017–2022), and crime comedy-drama spinoff series Elsbeth (2024–present), also on CBS. For her work on The Good Wife, Preston received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series.

Preston also appeared in the CBS crime drama series Person of Interest (2012–2016), the NBC comedy series Crowded (2016), and the TNT crime drama series Claws (2017–2022). She has starred in films such as the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), the comedy-drama Transamerica (2005), the romantic comedy Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), the drama Doubt (2008), the drama To the Bone (2017), the slasher horror They/Them (2022), and the comedy-drama The Holdovers (2023).

Early life and education

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Preston was born in Macon, Georgia, the daughter of Pam and Ray Preston.[1] Her brother is actor John G. Preston.

She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Evansville (1990), followed by an acting diploma from the Juilliard School's Drama Division[1][2] (Group 23: 1990–1994).[3]

Career

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Preston has worked on numerous projects with her husband, actor Michael Emerson, whom she married in 1998.[4] Emerson played Ben Linus on television's Lost, and Preston was a guest star in episode 20 of season 3, "The Man Behind the Curtain" as Ben's mother Emily in flashback scenes, though she and Emerson never shared scenes together. The couple were featured in the 2004 comedy film Straight-Jacket and the 2008 feature film, Ready? OK!. She appeared in several episodes of Person of Interest as Grace Hendricks, the former fiancée of Emerson's character, Harold Finch.

Preston is co-owner of the production company Daisy 3 Pictures with James Vasquez and Mark Holmes. For seven seasons she played Arlene Fowler on True Blood.[5] On July 31, 2010, Preston and Emerson read A. R. Gurney's play Love Letters at the Charleston Stage; they performed it as a fundraiser for the venue.[6]

Preston had a recurring role playing Elsbeth Tascioni, an eccentric but extremely effective trial lawyer on CBS's The Good Wife. First introduced in season one and recurring on seasons three through seven, the character was a fan favorite, and Preston won the 2013 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for her work on the show.[7]

On September 6, 2013, it was announced that Preston signed on to play a recurring character in the second season of the Kevin Bacon-led thriller, The Following. She portrayed Judy, a prostitute and ill-fated groupie of Joe Carroll. The show's second season premiered in January 2014.[8] Preston has appeared in a number of films as a supporting character. Including several critically acclaimed films such as Doubt and Duplicity, where she starred alongside stars such as Meryl Streep, Viola Davis, Clive Owen, and Julia Roberts.

In 2015, she landed a leading role on the short-lived NBC comedy series Crowded where she starred opposite Patrick Warburton, during which time she also appeared on the final season of The Good Wife for which she earned her second Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series nomination. Preston was originally slated for a four-episode arc, but due to commitments on her new show, she was able to appear only in one episode.

In August 2016, TNT announced that Preston had been cast in the drama-comedy Claws. Preston plays Polly Marks (Polly-Pol), a mild-mannered preppy with an "ankle bracelet" who recently served time in prison for identity theft.[9] The series was greenlit for a 10-episode first season.[10]

On December 16, 2016, CBS announced that Preston would reprise her role as Elsbeth Tascioni on The Good Wife spin-off The Good Fight.[11]

On January 31, 2023, CBS announced that it had ordered a pilot for a spin-off series, Elsbeth, in which Preston would reprise her role, though as the central character. It was ordered to series on May 9, 2023, and premiered on February 29, 2024. On April 18, 2024, CBS renewed the series for a second season.[12]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1985 Just a Friend Mint Jennifer
1997 My Best Friend's Wedding Amanda Newhouse
The Journey Laura Singh
For Richer or Poorer Rebecca Yoder
Norville and Trudy Sam
1998 Mercury Rising Emily Lang
1999 Guinevere Patty
Woman Wanted Monica
2000 The Legend of Bagger Vance Idalyn Greaves
2004 Straight-Jacket Sally Stone
The Stepford Wives Barbara
2005 Transamerica Sydney Schupak
2007 Lovely by Surprise Marian
Towelhead Evelyn Vuoso
2008 Ready? OK! Andrea Dowd
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Sally
Doubt Christine Hurley
2009 Duplicity Barbara Bofferd
That Evening Sun Ludie Choat
2010 Virginia Betty
A Bag of Hammers Lynette Patterson
2011 Sironia Grace
2013 Who's Afraid of Vagina Wolf? Chloe / Angel Tits
Vino Veritas Claire
Beneath the Harvest Sky Kim
2014 5 Flights Up Miriam Carswell
2016 Equity Abby
Six LA Love Stories Diane Mackey
2017 To the Bone Susan
And Then I Go Ms. Arnold
Daisy Winters Aunt Margaret
2018 30 Miles from Nowhere Sylvia
2022 Space Oddity Jane McAllister
They/Them Dr. Cora Whistler
2023 The Holdovers Lydia Crane

Television

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Actress

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Significant Others Patti Pasternak Episode: "My Left Kidney"
1998 Grace and Glorie Charlene Stiles TV film
1999 Spin City Gayle Episode: "Carter & Stuart & Bennett & Deirdre"
1999 Sex and the City Madeline Dunn Episode: "The Chicken Dance"
2001 Emeril B.D. Benson Main role
2003 Good Morning, Miami Kiera Episode: "The Slow and the Furious"
2003–04, 2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Megan Colby / Doreen Whitlock / Lena Copeland Episodes: "Zoonotic", "Magnificat", "Bedfellows"
2004 Wonderfalls Sister Katrina Episode: "Wound-up Penguin"
2004 Hope & Faith Sally Jones Episode: "Queer as Hope"
2005 Numbers Vicky Sites Episode: "Dirty Bomb"
2005 The Inside Kelly Comack Episode: "Pre-Filer"
2006 Arrested Development Jan Eagleman Episode: "Fakin' It"
2007 Lost Emily Linus Episode: "The Man Behind the Curtain"
2007 Desperate Housewives Lucy Episode: "You Can't Judge a Book by Its Cover"
2008–2014 True Blood Arlene Fowler Main role
2009 Private Practice Yvonne Pierce Episode: "Do the Right Thing"
2010–2016 The Good Wife Elsbeth Tascioni Recurring role (seasons 1, 3–7)
2011 True Blood: Jessica's Blog Arlene Fowler Episode: "The Ethics of Glamouring"
2011 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Bella Zane Episode: "Educated Guess"
2012 Royal Pains Jackie Van Ark Episode: "Hurts Like a Mother"
2012–2016 Person of Interest Grace Hendricks Recurring role (seasons 1–3, 5)
2014 The Following Judy Episodes: "Resurrection", "For Joe", "Trust Me"
2014 Getting On Denya Thorp Episode: "The 7th Annual Christmas Card Competition"
2014 Recorded Lives Risa TV series
2015 Happyish Debbie Main role
2016 Crowded Martina Moore Main role
2016 Grace and Frankie Krystle Episode: "The Goodbyes"
2017 When We Rise Sally Miller Gearhart TV miniseries
2017 The Celebrity Perspective Guest TV series
2017 Dating Game Killer Carol Jensen TV film
2017–2022 The Good Fight Elsbeth Tascioni Recurring role and director (5 episodes)
2017–2022 Claws Polly Marks Main role
2018 Brockmire Elle Recurring role (season 2)
2018 RuPaul's Drag Race Guest Judge Season 10 Episode 5: "The Bossy Rossy Show"
2021 Dr. Death Robbie McClung Episodes: "Feet of Clay", "Hardwood Floors"
2024–present Elsbeth Elsbeth Tascioni Main role;Also Producer

Director

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Year Title Notes
2019–21 Claws "What is Happening in America"
"Chapter Three: Ambition"
2021–22 The Good Fight "And the Fight Had Détente"
"The End of Democracy"
2023 Your Honor "Part Seventeen"
"Part Eighteen"

Stage

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Year Title Role Notes
1995 Indiscretions Madeleine (Standby) Ethel Barrymore Theatre
The Tempest Miranda Broadhurst Theatre
1997 Antony and Cleopatra Octavia the Younger The Public Theater
1998 Freedomland Polly Underfinger Playwrights Horizons
2000 Straight-Jacket Sally Stone Playhouse 91
She Stoops to Conquer Kate Hardcastle Center Stage
2001 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Honey Guthrie Theater
Chaucer in Rome Sarah Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
2002 Boys and Girls Shelly Duke on 42nd Street
No Foreigners Beyond This Point Paula Wheaton Center Stage
2004–05 The Rivals Julia Melville Vivian Beaumont Theater
2005 Cycling Past the Matterhorn Amy Harold Clurman Theater
Hamlet Ophelia McCarter Theatre Center
2006 Festen Mette Music Box Theatre
2010 Love Letters Melissa Gardner Charleston Stage

Other works

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Year Title Notes
2005 29th & Gay Producer, director, editor
2007 Feet of Clay Producer, director
2008 Ready? OK! Producer
2012 That's What She Said Producer, director
2013 Roger, the Chicken Producer, "Roger, the Chicken: Dinner"
2014 Darwin: The Series Director
2014 Recorded Lives Producer
2016 Happy Lucky Golden Tofu Panda Dragon Good Time Fun Fun Show Producer, director

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2008 FilmOut San Diego, US Best Narrative Feature Ready? OK! Won
Best Actress Won
2009 SXSW Film Festival Best Ensemble That Evening Sun Won
Satellite Awards Best Ensemble True Blood Won
2010 Screen Actors Guild Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
2012 SoHo International Film Festival Best Showcase Feature Film That's What She Said Nominated
Golden Derby TV Awards Drama Guest Actress The Good Wife Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Nominated
2013 Golden Derby TV Awards Drama Guest Actress Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Nominated
Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Won
2014 Golden Derby TV Awards Drama Guest Actress Nominated
Critics' Choice Television Award Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series Nominated
2016 Primetime Emmy Award Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series Nominated

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Carrie Preston Biography". TV Guide. Archived from the original on November 4, 2014.
  2. ^ "About". Carrie Preston official website. Archived from the original on March 11, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  3. ^ "Alumni News". The Juilliard School. May 2008. Archived from the original on November 11, 2011.
  4. ^ Ingrassia, Lisa (March 15, 2010). "Michael Emerson & Carrie Preston Lost in Love". People. Vol. 73, no. 10. Retrieved May 7, 2019.
  5. ^ Eramo, Steven. Actress Goes Through Transformation on "True Blood", Newsarama.com, November 7, 2008; retrieved June 25, 2011.
  6. ^ Jackson, Erica. "Prime-time stars chip in for Charleston Stage fundraiser". Charleston City Paper. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015.
  7. ^ "65th Emmy Awards Nominees and Winners: Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series – 2013". Emmys.com. Emmy Awards. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
  8. ^ "The Following Casting Scoop: True Blood's Carrie Preston to Guest Star as Joe Carroll's Groupie". E!. September 6, 2013. Retrieved February 4, 2014.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 15, 2016). "Carrie Preston Cast In TNT Pilot 'Claws'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 13, 2016). "'Claws' Nail Salon Dramedy Starring Niecy Nash Picked Up To Series By TNT". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  11. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (December 16, 2016). "'The Good Fight': Carrie Preston Reprising 'The Good Wife' Role In Spinoff Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
  12. ^ Otterson, Joe (April 18, 2024). "'Elsbeth' Renewed for Season 2 at CBS". Variety. Retrieved April 18, 2024.
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