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Lauren Holly
Holly, with her red-gold hair cut just above her shoulder and her bangs pushed to her right, wearing a red top and dangling earrings ending in a red bead: She's glancing to her left and smiling slightly.
Holly in 2007
Born
Lauren Michael Holly

(1963-10-28) October 28, 1963 (age 61)
Citizenship
  • American
  • Canadian
Alma mater Sarah Lawrence College
Occupation Actress
Years active 1984–present
Spouse(s)
  • Danny Quinn
    (m. 1991; div. 1993)
  • (m. 1996; div. 1997)
  • Francis Greco
    (m. 2001; div. 2014)
Children 3
Parent(s)
  • Michael Ann Holly (mother)

Lauren Holly (born October 28, 1963) is an actress from both America and Canada. She is well-known for her roles in TV shows like Picket Fences, where she played Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart. She was also NCIS Director Jenny Shepard in the popular series NCIS. You might also know her as Dr. Betty Rogers from Motive. In movies, she played Mary Swanson in Dumb and Dumber (1994) and Linda Lee, Bruce Lee's wife, in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993).

Early Life and Family

Lauren Holly was born in Bristol, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Her mother, Michael Ann Holly, is an expert in art history. Her father, Grant Holly, was a writer for movies and a professor who taught literature.

Lauren had two younger brothers, Nick and Alexander. She went to Sarah Lawrence College in New York to study.

Acting Career Highlights

Lauren Holly at the 1991 Emmy Awards
Holly with Holly Marie Combs (left) at the 1993 Emmy Awards

Lauren Holly started her acting career when she was 20 years old. One of her first roles was in the TV show Hill Street Blues. Later, she joined the cast of the soap opera All My Children from 1986 to 1989. In 1990, she played the famous comic book character Betty Cooper in a TV movie called Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again.

Her big break came in 1992 when she was chosen to play Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the CBS show Picket Fences. She starred alongside actor Tom Skerritt for four seasons. In 1993, she played Linda Lee Cadwell, the wife of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, in the movie Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story.

In 1994, Lauren Holly starred as Mary Swanson in the comedy movie Dumb and Dumber with Jim Carrey. She also appeared in the 1995 movie Sabrina and the 1996 comedy Down Periscope. In 1999, she was in the football movie Any Given Sunday.

From 2005 to 2008, Holly was a main character in the popular TV series NCIS. She played NCIS Director Jenny Shepard. She also played Dr. Betty Rogers in the Canadian TV series Motive. In 2014, she worked again with her Picket Fences co-star, Tom Skerritt, in the movie Field of Lost Shoes. In 2018, she had a recurring role in the Netflix show Designated Survivor.

Personal Life and Family

Lauren Holly has been married three times. She has three adopted sons named Henry, George, and Alexander Holly-Greco. In 2008, she became a citizen of Canada. Today, she lives in Oakville, Ontario, Canada, with her children.

In 1992, Lauren, her father, and their families created a special fund called the "A" Fund. This fund is at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and was set up to remember her brother, Alexander, who passed away when he was 14. Lauren shared that Alexander "was a boy filled with dreams, hopes, and plans."

Filmography

Film Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1985 Seven Minutes in Heaven Lisa
1986 Band of the Hand Nikki
1990 The Adventures of Ford Fairlane Jazz
1992 Live Wire Suzie Bryant
1993 Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story Linda Lee
1994 Dumb and Dumber Mary Swanson MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss (with Jim Carrey)
1995 Sabrina Elizabeth Tyson
1996 Beautiful Girls Darian Smalls
Down Periscope Lt. Emily Lake
1997 Turbulence Teri Halloran
A Smile Like Yours Jennifer Robertson
1998 No Looking Back Claudia
1999 Entropy Claire
Any Given Sunday Cindy Rooney
2000 The Last Producer Frances Chadway
What Women Want Gigi
2002 Pavement Detective Buckley Clark
Spirited Away Yūko Ogino Voice role (English dub)
2004 In Enemy Hands Mrs. Rachel Travers
2005 The Chumscrubber Boutique Owner
Down and Derby Kim Davis
The Godfather of Green Bay Molly Mahoney
2006 Fatwa Maggie Davidson
The Pleasure Drivers Daphne Widesecker
Raising Flagg Rachel Purdy
2009 The Least Among You Kate Allison
Crank: High Voltage Psychiatrist Uncredited
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll Liza Genson
2010 You're So Cupid! Audrey Valentine
The Final Storm Gillian Grady
Chasing 3000 Marilyn
2013 Abducted Suzanne Hollingsworth
Field of Lost Shoes Mrs. Clinedinst
2014 The Town That Came A-Courtin Abby Houston
2015 Marshall the Miracle Dog Susan
Hoovey Ruth
After the Ball Elise Adams Kassell
2017 The Blackcoat's Daughter Linda
Dead Shack Neighbor
2018 My Perfect Romance Adele
Ultra Low Herself
2019 Tammy's Always Dying Ilana Wiseman
The Cuban Nurse Baker
2024 Hot Frosty Jane

Television Roles

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Hill Street Blues Carla Walicki 2 episodes
1985 Love Lives On Tracy Television film
1986 Spenser: For Hire Emily Brown Episode: "Home Is the Hero"
1986–1989 All My Children Julie Chandler Unknown episodes
Nomination: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series (1988)
1990 Archie: To Riverdale and Back Again Betty Cooper Television film
1990 My Two Dads Allison Novack 2 episodes
1991 The Antagonists Kate Ward Episode: "Con Safos"
1992 Fugitive Among Us Suzie Bryant Television film
1992–1996 Picket Fences Maxine Stewart
  • Main role
  • Won – Viewers for Quality Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Quality Drama Series (1994)
  • Nominated – Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series (1995–96)
1994 Dangerous Heart Carol Television film
1998 Vig Marybeth Television film
1999 Fantasy Island Heather Finn Episode: "The Real Thing"
1999–2000 Chicago Hope Dr. Jeremy Hanlon Main role (season 6)
2001 Destiny Unknown Television film
Jackie, Ethel, Joan: The Women of Camelot Ethel Kennedy Television film
Nominated for Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film
Becker Laura Episode: "The Buddy System"
2002 Providence Darla Rosario Episode: "The Heart of the Matter"
King of Texas Mrs. Rebecca Lear Highsmith Television film
Living with the Dead James' Wife Television film
Santa Jr. Susan Flynn Television film
2003 CSI: Miami Hayley Wilson Episode: "Grand Prix"
2004 Just Desserts Grace Carpenter Television film
Caught in the Act Jodie Colter Television film
2005 Bounty Hunters Tess Television film
2005–2008 NCIS NCIS Director Jenny Shepard Main role (seasons 3–5)
2009 Leverage Ms. Tobey Earnshaw Episode: "The Juror #6 Job"
Before You Say I Do Mary Brown Television film
Too Late to Say Goodbye Heather Television film
2010 Covert Affairs Madeline Jarvis Episode: "Houses of the Holy"
Flashpoint Jill Hastings Episode: "Acceptable Risk"
The Town Christmas Forgot Annie Benson Television film
Call Me Mrs. Miracle Lindy Lowe Television film
2010–2012 The Adventures of Chuck and Friends Haulie Recurring voice role, 14 episodes
2011 Rookie Blue Superintendent Elaine Peck Episode: "In Plain View"
Scream of the Banshee Prof. Isla Whelan Television film
2012 Lost Girl Sadie Episode: "Midnight Lamp"
Alphas Senator Charlotte Burton 3 episodes
Layover Suzanne Hollingsworth Television film
Do No Harm Dr. Thorne Television film
2013–2016 Motive Dr. Betty Rogers Main role
2015 A Country Wedding Margaret Television film (Hallmark)
2016 My Summer Prince Deidre Kelly Television film (Hallmark)
2017 Lucifer Roxie Pagliani Episode:"Vegas with Some Radish"
2018 Good Witch Melanie Anderson Episode: "How To Make A Middleton Quilt"
My Perfect Romance Adele Television film
Christmas Catch Captain Bennett Television film
2019 Designated Survivor Lynn Harper Recurring role (season 3)
2020 Tiny Pretty Things Monique Dubois Main role
2021–present Family Law Joanne Kowalski Main role (season 2-) Recurring role (season 1)
2022 The Lake Mimsy 8 episodes
Country Roads Christmas Skye's mother Television film
2023 The Irrational Mayor Series 1, Episode 1
2024 Christmas Under the Northern Lights Laura Television film

See also

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